Assault Weapon Ban: Again?

While I continue to think congressional Democrats aren't interested in rousing the gun-rights community's full wrath as 2010 approaches, Fox News reports on Attorney General Eric Holder's desire to reinstate the expired 1990s "assault weapon" ban, bogusly connecting it to Mexican drug war violence (while never daring to suggest the real way to curb Mexican drug war violence: ending the drug war.):

Michael Hammond, spokesman for the Gun Owners of America, said he was not surprised by Holder's comments.

"We expected the Obama administration, contrary to promises made during the campaign, to do everything it can to go after us," Hammond said. "It's no surprise to us that [Holder] is using a crisis as an argument to achieving his policy goals."

During a House subcommittee hearing last week, Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, warned against making U.S. gun owners "scapegoats" for the Mexican crisis……

More than 7,770 guns sold in the U.S. were traced to Mexico last year, up from 3,300 in 2007 and roughly 2,100 in 2006, according to ATF statistics. It was not immediately clear what percentage of those guns fell under the United States' federal assault weapons ban……

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers like Alaska Sen. Mark Begich and Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester have already informed Holder that they'll vigorously oppose any new gun restrictions the Obama administration may be considering.

Jacob Sullum on Holder's assault weapon folly.