Gun bill new front in race for governor

Friday, Feb. 10, 2006

ANNAPOLIS — For the fourth straight year, Del. Neil F. Quinter is proposing a ban on assault weapons, legislation that has failed time and time again in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. But Quinter’s effort took on a more political tone on Thursday when he was joined at a news conference by gubernatorial candidate Martin O’Malley (D).

Quinter (D-Dist. 13) of Columbia lost no time in blaming Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. for the ban’s failure to become law.

‘‘Governor Ehrlich needs to stop defying the will of two-thirds of Marylanders,” he said.

Not at the event was the Baltimore mayor’s Democratic primary opponent, Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan.

Duncan, who has used the 2002 Washington-area sniper shootings in his call for more gun control, was not invited. Quinter is an outspoken O’Malley supporter.

‘‘Doug Duncan has been on the front lines to pass a law banning assault weapons for several years,” said David S. Weaver, a Duncan spokesman. ‘‘Now, apparently, Neil Quinter’s politics in the governor’s race are more important than helping to save people’s lives.”

O’Malley called the assault weapon ban ‘‘reasonable.” He also took a swipe at Duncan when told of Weaver’s comments.

‘‘I understand that Mr. Duncan had an important engagement on Eddie Norris’ radio show,” he smirked.

Norris, O’Malley’s former police chief and the former superintendent of the Maryland State Police, spent six months in prison and six more in home detention after pleading guilty to federal corruption charges stemming from the misuse of Baltimore City Police slush fund. Norris returned to Baltimore last summer to do a talk show on WHFS (105.7 FM) radio.

Duncan sent a letter to Sen. Robert J. Garagiola (D-Dist. 15) of Germantown, who has carried the assault weapons ban in the Senate, complaining about Quinter’s news conference. Garagiola has endorsed Duncan for governor.

In the letter, Duncan cited the problem of gun violence in Baltimore city, which he called unacceptable.

‘‘It is unfortunate that neither of us was invited to participate in today’s assault weapons ban press conference held by Delegate Neil Quinter,” he wrote. ‘‘Let’s hope that today’s display of petty politics does not get in the way of enacting a bill that will literally save lives.”

While touting his upcoming crime plan — including a measure to put 1,000 more cops on the streets in local areas — on Norris’ show Thursday, Duncan criticized O’Malley’s problem-solving tactics.

‘‘You’ve got to put your ego aside. It’s much easier to pick a fight with someone and posture than to sit down and implement a strategy and move forward,” Duncan told a caller. ‘‘That is not going to happen if the mayor and governor are playing king of the hill all the time.”

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach has indicated that there is little chance the assault weapon bill would pass the Senate this year.

The pivotal member of the Judicial Proceedings Committee — Sen. John A. Giannetti Jr. (D-Dist. 21) of Laurel — has not said whether he would switch his opposition to the bill, which helped kill the measure last year.

Meanwhile, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has targeted Giannetti for defeat this year.

Staff Writer Janel Daviscontributed to this report.