By Chad D. Baus

In his continuing struggle to get ahead of the public relations debacle he faces while presiding over a 14.1% increase in homicides already this year (and a 26.5% increase in homicide with firearms), and seeking to justify his use of taxpayer resources on a go-it-alone court challenge of HB347, a new state law which preempts local gun control laws, Mayor Frank Jackson has launched another salvo in his effort to divert blame for his city's crime problems.

This time, the anti-gun Mayor is exploiting the death of a 12 year-old girl, pointing the finger toward Columbus and claiming state lawmakers are to blame for her death.

From the Associated Press:

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson wants state lawmakers to pass legislation prohibiting anyone under age 21 from possessing a firearm.

He made the proposal at a news conference today, following the death earlier this month of 12-year-old Asteve'e (a-STEE'-vuh) "Cookie" Thomas. She was hit by a stray bullet from a street gunfight as she walked to a corner store. One suspect is 20.

As is typical with this type of knee-jerk reactions, Jackson is proposing a "solution" that would not have prevented the "problem".

NRAILA.org

With the United Nations continuing its efforts to enact draconian, transnational gun control laws in countries around the world, yesterday the U.S. Senate passed the Foreign Operations appropriations bill, which included an amendment by Senator David Vitter (R-LA) that seeks to address the U.N.’s ongoing international gun ban efforts.

Click 'Read More' for the entire NRA-ILA Legislative Update.