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NBC's David Gregory under investigation over assault rifle magazine

Published time: December 26, 2012 21:00
Edited time: December 27, 2012 01:00
David Gregory (AFP Photo / Alex Wong)

Moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press”, David Gregory, is under investigation for breaking Washington, DC law by wielding a 30-round magazine during an interview with the vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

DC law prohibits anyone from possessing, selling or transferring any large capacity ammunition feeding devices like the high-capacity magazine that Gregory had on his show. The NBC host was discussing methods that may have prevented or reduced the severity of the shooting in Newtown, Conn., which left 26 people dead earlier this month.

“Here is a magazine for ammunition that carries 30 bullets,” Gregory said while holding up the casing. “Now isn’t it possible that if we got rid of these – if we replaced them and said, ‘Well you can only have a magazine that carries five bullets or 10 bullets’ – isn’t it just possible that we could reduce the carnage in a situation like Newtown?”

The host of “Meet the Press” was questioning NRA Vice President Wayne LaPierre about a civilian ban on high-capacity magazines that allow a firearm owner to shoot dozens of bullets at a time. But while the prop might have added to the discussion, it may have also gotten Gregory into legal trouble in the District of Columbia, where the law prohibits bringing magazines into the District.

“The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating this matter,” police officer and spokesman Araz Alali told Politico.

Although the DC code prohibits the possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices and NBC was denied a request to bring one onto the show, the studio decided to ignore the police.

“NBC contacted (the DC Metropolitan Police Department) inquiring if they could utilize a high capacity magazine for their segment. NBC was informed that possession of a high-capacity magazine is not permissible and their request was denied,” police spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump told Politico on Wednesday.

The maximum penalty for conviction on a charge of possessing, selling or transferring a high-capacity magazine is a $1,000 fine and a year in prison.

After Gregory brought the magazine onto the show, a White House petition was created by Americans calling for authorities to press charges against the NBC host. The petition had about 8,000 signatures Wednesday afternoon and needs to reach a total of 25,000 by Jan. 22 in order to receive an official response from the White House.

“David Gregory is not above the law; he is a journalist, and must be held accountable to the same law as every other person,” the petition says. “We The People demand that he be formally charged for violation of this law on ‘Meet the Press.’”

Comments (5)

bordwell (unregistered) 28.12.2012 07:32

Do you really want to know why I need an assault rifle?I don't need it for hunting. I don't need it for home protection. So I echo the sentiment of many gun control advocates; Why do I need an assault rifle, with a high capacity 30-round clips no less?   Here is why.   I need an assault rifle because I live under the rule of a government who thinks it has the right to take away my assault rifle; a government that shipped my well paid hi-tech job to China and India and now idiotically wonders what happened to economy  google “How Offshoring Has Destroyed the Economy”, a government that imposes by brutal force massive racist discrimination against me (the European American) in hiring, promotions, scholarships and college admissions called euphemistically “ Affirmative Actions”, a government that removed by force  the 10 Commandments from my school , 10 commandments that says “ I shall not kill”, a government  that have committed over 50 million abortions (killing unborn children) since Roe v. Wade in 1973 and does not feel slightest remorse, a  government that awards Presidential Medal of Freedom  to Madeleine Albright, Jewish US Secretary of State, who just stated that 500000 dead Iraqi Children was "worth it" ..look it up on youtube,  a government that is headed by psychopath called Obama who in Pakistan alone, killed 168 children by way of drones!   a government who commits acts of war without the consent of the people, who murders it's own citizens without probable cause or due process; a government who has monopolized the currency with which I can trade my goods and services, then devalued that currency through inflation and taxation; a government which uses the tyranny of democracy rather than the freedom of a republic.   T o put it bluntly, I need an assault rifle in the event that I might have to declare my independence from a tyrannical government. When a tyrannical government uses it's assault rifles to take away my rights, it would be beyond immoral to expect me to defend those rights with my grandpa's shotgun. That is why I need an assault rifle.   … …………..

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Halaluani Lowe (unregistered) 28.12.2012 06:30

Let's be honest here.  The outrage is not about a gun-less magazine that can do no harm. This is a political move by the NRA.  Nobody could be threatened by a magazine and no gun. In the wake of such tragedy the only people to be "offended" is the NRA.  Gregory made NRA VP look like an idiot.  This is the NRA's retaliation. 

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Natasha (unregistered) 27.12.2012 19:22

Indict this man because you can not have a double standard for applying the laws. Whether this law is silly to begin with is not the issue. Mr Gregory broke the law to bring attention to the propaganda ministry's crusade to further restrict the second amendment. His arrogance is reflected in his flagrant disregard and disrespect for the DC law and must be punished, regardless of his motives. If this man goes unpunished, it will be another sign that in America there is one law for the rich and another for everybody else. Prosecutors need to set an example and send a signal by throwing the book at this glorified grafitti artist, aka "journalist."

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