By Erin Delmore
Correspondent
State Sen. Gerry Cardinale is taking heat for a bill that would make it easier for legislators and judges to pack heat.
“I’m trying to reopen this debate and make people take a closer look at what’s the public interest in this kind of specific area of gun control,” Cardinale said.
The bill would allow New Jersey’s 120 legislators and hundreds of superior and municipal court judges to obtain permits to carry firearms after they complete eight hours of training.
“We’re vulnerable. And it’s not just judges and legislators or other people in the public eye, we’re vulnerable as a people,” Cardinale said.
The bill came under immediate fire from anti-gun groups and pro-gun groups.
“Well we think it’s absurd that there would be any legislation ever proposed that would create a different class of citizens that have special treatment and privileges,” said New Jersey Second Amendment Society President Alexander Roubian.
But Cardinale says that wasn’t the aim.
“They want to be included, and I have no objection to including them but I’ve tried that and it’s failed. So maybe we can piecemeal. Get a start somewhere,” he said.
New Jersey is famous for having some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation. In a state with 9 million people, only around 1,600 have carry permits. That’s according to the New Jersey Second Amendment Society.
“You have to apply through the state. You have to demonstrate that you’ve had training. From there the police chief would sign off on it and approve it or deny it. At that point then it would go to the Superior Court where the judge would actually review the application. Nobody that we know of has ever been even past the process of the police chief even signing off on it,” Roubian said.
“Legislators and judges are in a position of danger at certain points, so they should certainly have the ability to get them, but I think that all citizens of New Jersey should have the ability get a firearm once they pass a background check,” said Kevin O’Connor of Bergen County.
“Judges, when I was in the gun shop, there were three judges from Bergen County that were purchasing firearms, who said they thought they would never, ever purchase a firearm. And they’re doing it for their personal safety now. So, yes, I do think people should have the right. I think there’s a lot of uncertainty out there and people are just concerned,” said Gail Palminteri of Franklin Lakes.
Sen. Cardinale is keeping his bill on the table. He issued a statement today requesting “the opposition from both sides re-read the entire bill, not just the headlines.”