Semiautomatic Weapons

The plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court case that struck down the city's handgun ban filed a federal lawsuit alleging that its new regulations still violate an individual's right to own a gun for self-defense. Dick Heller and two other plaintiffs contend that the city continues to violate the intent of the Supreme Court's June 26 decision by prohibiting the ownership of most semiautomatic weapons, requiring an "arbitrary" fee to register a firearm and establishing rules that make it all but impossible to keep a gun in the home for immediate self-defense.

Atty. Gen. nominee Alberto R. Gonzales told the Senate that he supported extending the expired federal assault weapons ban. Gonzales also said he wanted Congress to reauthorize the Patriot Act this year, despite complaints that it was too intrusive. "I believe the USA Patriot Act has greatly improved our nation's ability to detect and prevent terrorist attacks," Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee in written answers to questions. A vote on his nomination is expected this week.

Though 10 states will hold presidential nominating contests Tuesday, the two main Democratic contenders are likely to be pulled back to the Capitol that day for their first Senate votes of the year on a controversial social policy: gun regulation. Sens. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina both support extending a soon-to-expire assault weapons ban and tightening federal scrutiny of sales at gun shows.

U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer made a last-ditch appeal Tuesday for reauthorization of the federal assault-weapons ban crafted in the wake of an office massacre in this city's financial district 11 years ago. "Every one of the weapons we banned the manufacture and sale of are military-style weapons designed to kill large numbers of people," Feinstein said in a news conference, calling on President Bush to aggressively lobby Congress for reauthorization.

If as expected, the federal ban on military-style assault weapons expires Monday, California still will have what is considered one of the toughest and most comprehensive laws in the nation restricting such weapons. But law enforcement officials say Congress' failure to renew the ban will expose California to a steady stream of heavy firepower from neighboring states, which have no similar restrictions on semiautomatic pistols, rifles or shotguns.

With the federal ban on assault weapons set to expire Monday, Democratic incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer sought Friday to make an issue of Republican challenger Bill Jones' record of opposition to gun control. Jones, who has said he supports the federal ban, responded by accusing Boxer of not supporting tougher sentences against criminals. The ban, which was written by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), has been in effect for 10 years.

With the nation's assault weapons ban on the verge of expiring, Sen. John F. Kerry accused President Bush on Friday of endangering public safety by refusing to fight for renewal of the law, while Bush continued his effort to undercut Kerry's national security credentials. In a harsh new attack on Kerry, Bush said that if the Massachusetts Democrat "had his way, Saddam Hussein would still be in power and would still be a threat to the security and to the world."

Hours after the federal assault weapons ban expired, Sen. John F. Kerry said Monday that President Bush "chose to make the job of terrorists easier" by letting the law lapse. Kerry, portrayed for months by Bush as lacking core convictions, described the gun law as a "test of character" that the president had failed by not working to keep it on the books. "In a secret deal, he chose his powerful friends in the gun lobby over police officers and families that he promised to protect," Kerry said.

The illegal-firearms case against former South Gate Treasurer Albert Robles ended Monday as he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts of possessing semiautomatic assault weapons. Speaking barely above a whisper, Robles replied "yes ma'am" to the terms of a plea agreement, which requires that the onetime political boss serve 250 hours of community service. Robles also was fined $610 and sentenced to four years of probation by Superior Court Judge John A. Torribio.

One of the first items visitors to Sen. Dianne Feinstein's Capitol Hill office are likely to notice is a pen. Framed and hung prominently on the wall, it was used by President Clinton in 1994 to sign the federal ban on assault weapons -- a law, written by Feinstein, that she regards as one of her proudest achievements. But the ban expires next year, and the California Democrat is facing a tough fight in her effort to extend the measure, even though she has an unexpected ally in President Bush.