Leland Yee: Criminals can have it but you can't.

[Deckard]

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-cou...-state-senator

Leland Yee has been charged with conspiring to traffic in firearms and public corruption as part of a major FBI operation spanning the Bay Area... Yee and an intermediary allegedly met repeatedly with an undercover FBI agent, soliciting campaign contributions in exchange for setting up a deal with international arms dealers.

Thought I'd share this. Every California gun owner knows who he is because of his proposed bullet button ban.

http://www.latimes.com/local/politic...#ixzz2x7mGnxwL

[KevinBLC]

Could not have happened to a more deserving person, what a hypocrite! Takes guns away from the citizens of California, and then proceeds to traffic those same guns. I would say unbelievable, but this is becoming too common. Politicians out for themselves and the all mighty dollar. Shocking.

[Battle Cock]

I can't say I'm not pleased to see this guy out of office but it does bug me that so many pro 2A groups are celebrating his downfall. I mean, this is a senator of the United States of America; we should be pissed that he disrespected the office and like many, no longer gave respect nor commanded it by his actions. If one is to be wrong, let him be sincerely wrong. This kind of behavior trivializes our basic rights. I never thought I could respect Yee any less.

[gatordev]

I can't say I'm not pleased to see this guy out of office but it does bug me that so many pro 2A groups are celebrating his downfall. I mean, this is a senator of the United States of America

He's actually a state senator. I wouldn't equate it to such upstanding citizens as our federal congressional body. Yes, that last sentence is dripping with sarcasm.

[Battle Cock]

I wouldn't equate it to such upstanding citizens as our federal congressional body. Yes, that last sentence is dripping with sarcasm.

This is precisely my point. We know that many of our leaders are not upstanding, and yet so many people are rejoicing to find out that this man is a criminal. In my book it's never a victory to discover that your leaders are corrupt. Removing them is necessary and beneficial at that point, but as a whole the reputation and credibility of our governing bodies is tarnished. However, that is on the shoulders of the offenders.

[UWone77]

I find it interesting that not a peep of these scandals has made it on CNN... not that I go to CNN for actual news, but you talk about bias.

[Battle Cock]

Oh you know, they wouldn't want to undermine their own agenda or anything...

[FortTom]

CZ, I disagree, it's a victory to discover any of our state or federal elected officials are caught in criminal activities, regardless of political party, or position on 2A, or any other part of our Constitution. What's the other side? Be happy that crooks don't get caught? I'm glad I live in a country, where we actually do investigate and arrest crooked politicians, vs. say Mexico where it's almost expected of a mayor or whatever, to be a criminal, or a dictatorship like N. Korea, where being a puppet government official, a phony and a liar is mandatory. See where I'm going with this? I hate that it happens to begin with, and that's exactly why I celebrate when they're caught. I also believe there should be a mandatory extra 20 or 30 years tacked on elected officials, for serious offenses, that rise to this level.

UV, I know you're just mixing sarcasm and humor, with noting that CNN acts like a state controlled news agency, but it's sad that they act the way they do in countries run by some minor league despot. CNN is a 24/7 cheerleading agency for the far left. The problem is, our country and it's educational system has been dumbed down to the point that people sit like zombies and absorb everything they say, or more importantly, what they (CNN) don't want us to know and what they don't say.

Trust me, I, like yourselves find no joy in any of this. However, I hope Yee gets a long enough sentence that it in turn is effectively a life sentence. But some lame-ass liberal judge in CA will cite all of his (Yee's) years of dutiful service and benefit to the community, and he'll get off with a year or two in protective custody in a cushy federal "white collar" prison.

FT.

[Battle Cock]

FortTom, I am entirely on your side regarding the ferreting out and punishment of corruption. I view it exactly as I view the rest of the administration of justice. It is absolutely necessary and essential to the health of society. If you view Yee's offenses in parallel with the crime of murder, (for the purpose of illustration only) you will better understand why I view its discovery isn't much of a victory. Murder and corruption are both extremely detrimental to society and the punishment thereof is not so much a victory as it is simply the correct course of action. It is a duty. Something necessary. Since the punishment is rarely able to rectify the wrongs committed, it results in a net loss to society. (though, "society" is very hard to quantify.)
My words on this thread have been mainly in response to the many pro 2A groups (not on this forum) that I have seen try to somehow claim this situation as their own personal victory. (literally throwing parties) It is at the same time too childish and too militantly Machiavellian for my taste.

[FortTom]

Yes, I see your point. I still hope he gets a 40 or 50 year sentence, based entirely on the severity of his crime and the breach of trust. Major illegal gun running. Now if the administration were forced to investigate another party loyalist's gun running to drug lords in Mexico....

FT

[KevinBLC]

Pretty good article in the San Jose Mercury News about Yee's personal life:

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-...ublic-servants

[KevinBLC]

Screw CNN and the fact they don't cover this liar.

/rant