Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson is at it again, calling for more restrictions on Wisconsin gun owners because violent crime was out of control last week, so instead of demanding enforcement of existing laws to take the perpetrators off the streets, he is blaming guns.
It is hardly the first time the Democrat mayor has called on state lawmakers to toughen gun laws. Last year about this time, he was making the same plea, as reported at the time by TheGunMag.com.
However, this year, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s homicide database, homicides have declined dramatically from the same time in 2023. So far this year, the database is reporting, the city has suffered 65 slayings, which is “45 fewer than last year at this date.” Also, non-fatal shootings are down from the same period last year, according to Milwaukee Police data.
The question arises: Is Johnson doing this in the interest of public safety or to make a political statement as the Republican National Convention looms in his city in two weeks?
As reported by WPR, last week there were at least 15 people shot in the city over the course of two days (Wednesday and Thursday). According to this report, “Johnson said the violence from a ‘small segment’ of the city’s population has a lasting impact on the entire community.”
If that is the case, why should the violence in Milwaukee be used as an excuse to ratchet down on the rights of law-abiding Badger State residents living across the rest of the state?
In remarks reported last week, Johnson told reporters, “We need stronger laws, particularly laws at the state and federal level, to circumvent that, so that we don’t see more bloodshed on the streets of Milwaukee.”
According to the Milwaukee homicide database, so far this year, 95 percent of murder victims have been shot, the other 5 percent have been fatally stabbed. In 35 percent of those cases, charges have been filed, but in 65 percent, charges have not been filed, at least so far.
By no great surprise, state Republican lawmakers do not concur with Mayor Johnson’s proposed solution.
The WPR story quoted State Rep. Bob Donovan (R-Greenfield), who contends, “Milwaukee doesn’t have a gun problem, it has a criminal problem. Until our elected leaders — and I’m including the police chief, the mayor, the district attorney and the judges in Milwaukee — start holding people accountable for their crimes, this will continue.”
Likewise, Assembly Speaker Robin Vox said in a prepared statement quoted by WPR, “New laws will not make criminals behave better, only enforcement of the current laws can do that.”
Thousands of GOP members will converge on Milwaukee July 15-18 to nominate candidates for president and vice president and adopt a party platform. Former President Donald Trump is expect to be the nominee especially after soundly trouncing President Joe Biden in the June 27 debate in Atlanta. Republicans have been far more protective of the Second Amendment and America’s gun owners than Democrats, especially over the past three decades. That is not likely to change.
NPR is reporting that Trump’s team wants to “pare down” the party platform ahead of the convention.
Trump will come to Milwaukee with a considerable burden lifted from his shoulders following Monday’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court—reported by Fox News and other media—that the former president “has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office, but not for unofficial acts.” The matter was remanded back to the lower court for further action.
According to Everytown for Gun Safety, Wisconsin ranks 21st in the nation for gun law strength. Residents are still required to obtain a concealed carry permit and it’s gun death rate per 100,000 is slightly lower than the national average, Everytown says on its website.
According to the World Population Review website, approximately 45.3 percent of Wisconsin residents own firearms, putting it just behind Texas (45.7%) and just ahead of Nebraska (45.2%). That is a lot of gun voters who would be facing further restrictions on their rights if Johnson’s gun control demands were met. Article 1, Section 25 of the Wisconsin state constitution reads, “The people have the right to keep and bear arms for security, defense, hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose.”
About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
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