It's the gun's fault

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel headline tells us, "Gun used to shoot police officer was purchased in parking lot, complaint says." And of course, we are supposed to be outraged that such a thing could happen, that a gun that would be used against a police officer was purchased in a parking lot.

However, we learn in the second paragraph:

Madeline Crespo-Marchena, 26, is charged with keeping a drug house and being a party to the possession of a gun by a felon, according to the complaint issued late Friday.

Milwaukee failed to close down her drug house operation, and she broke the law again acting as a "straw purchaser" of the gun, something Milwaukee has shown a reluctance to crack down on.

In the third and fourth paragrapha we learn:

Crespo-Marchena is the girlfriend of Louis M. Domenech, 45, a nine-time felon on federal probation. He is charged with trying to kill Officer Vidal Colón in a close-range shootout April 11.

Crespo-Marchena told detectives she bought the Hi-Point 9mm handgun out of a man's trunk a month ago and she let Domenech take it, even though she knew he is a felon, according to the complaint.

Louis Domenech is a nine-time felon. Why is he on the streets, and shouldn't we be more outraged this man has any liberty?

We then learn:

According to a police report, Crespo-Marchena was arrested Feb. 17 after a shotgun was fired from inside the apartment the couple shared in the 2400 block of N. Buffum St.

The blast blew out two windows of a school bus with a driver but no students on board. No one was injured.

And...

Crespo-Marchena was arrested on suspicion of reckless use of a gun. Assistant District Attorney David Stegall declined to prosecute, saying there was no witness to say it wasn't an accident. But that case is again under review, Assistant District Attorney Step Nolten said.

So she could have been prosecuted before she bought the gun. I don't know about Milwaukee, but here in Waukesha we take shooting out school bus windows even "accidentally" pretty seriously.

Domenech is charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, possession of a gun by a felon and two drug counts. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Crespo-Marchena, who has no criminal convictions, faces up to 13 1/2 years in prison if convicted.

I wouldn't bet on it for either of them.

Should be a Monday headline

Ann Althouse blog headline this morning, "Coffee, blogging, morphine, guns".

Preferably in that order.

Got any Doritos?

NORML laments the Medical Marijuana Act was not passed by the state legislature before time ran out. Actually, the legislature did have the time, but when the bill came up for consideration everyone got the munchies.

However, NORML is not giving up. In fact they've hired some professional lobbyists who are no strangers to Madison:

A different mayoral endorsement

Barack Obama may have been endorsed by Waukesha Mayor Larry Nelson, but that's nothing compared to being endorsed by former Washington DC mayor Marion Barry. (Ht: Mickey Kaus)

D.C. Council member Marion Barry will endorse Barack Obama for president later this week. The former Washington mayor told me he has selected Obama because "he's a fresh start, a new direction. I listened to him Sunday morning on C-SPAN and it was like a breath of fresh air."

Barry, who remains popular in his Southeast Washington ward and in neighborhoods where longtime residents feel as if the city they grew up in is changing without them, said he was an early supporter of Bill Clinton back in 1992 and that he was "close to endorsing Hillary this time." But as Barry has watched the campaign, he has concluded that Sen. Clinton represents older and less flexible forces in the Democratic party.

Barry's decision may have been a crack decision, but his support for Obama is as solid as a rock.

Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin and Whores

It's a Ron Paul fiesta! Ron Paul, candidate for president, explains to ABC News John Stossel in an internet-only interview why he would legalize all of the above. It's the first of a six-part interview. Stossel explains:

Despite relatively low poll numbers, Paul has had a big influence on the presidential campaign. That's in part because he's raised a ton of money, and in part because of the passionate following he has on the Web. It's one reason we're posting my interview with Paul only on the Internet, where the debate about Paul is very active. In fact, he's the most Googled presidential candidate.

Next week, ABCNEWS.com will post five additional video segments and articles from the interview.

On Monday, we'll examine the role of government -- what the federal government should and shouldn't do. Tuesday, Paul gives his views on when war is justifiable. On Wednesday we'll tackle immigration. Like many of his GOP colleagues, Paul opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants and wants more border enforcement. But he says the real problem lies with birthright citizenship and other enticements of the American welfare state. On Thursday we discuss health care, and on Friday, we'll discuss one of the Texas congressman's favorite topics, the Constitution.

ht: The Agitator

Update! Found this from Steve Antler, the EconoPundit back on November 18th:

Mike Huckabee on Fox News Sunday this morning:

With the fair tax, you end the underground economy. Drug dealers, prostitutes, pimps, illegals -- everybody has to pay the tax at the retail level -- so right now those billions of dollars, that people like you and me are having to make up for, 'cause other folks are working under the table, now everybody's paying into the system. That's one of the reasons that it really is a fair tax.

Drug dealers? Prostitutes? Pimps? We'll somehow start collecting sales taxes from them? What planet is this guy from?

A Huckabee/Paul ticket! The worst of both worlds!

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