Syracuse, NY -- Democrat Eric Schneiderman promised this morning that if he is elected state attorney general in November, he will collaborate with other states to combat gun violence. Schneiderman joined Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, members of Mothers Against Gun Violence and the mayors from Utica and Albany in a campaign stop at City Hall. Schneiderman is a state...
Democratic Attorney General candidate Eric Schneiderman speaks this morning at Syracuse City Hall. From left to rigtht: Utica Mayor David Roefaro, Mothers Against Gun Violence member Helen Hudson, candidate Eric Schneiderman, Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner and Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler.Syracuse, NY -- Democrat Eric Schneiderman promised this morning that if he is elected state attorney general in November, he will collaborate with other states to combat gun violence.
Schneiderman joined Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, members of Mothers Against Gun Violence and the mayors from Utica and Albany in a campaign stop at City Hall. Schneiderman is a state senator from Manhattan.
His so-called "I-95 Coalition" is aimed at expanding statewide efforts to crack down on illegal guns by collaborating with other states who are combating similar problems. That includes Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey, Schneiderman said.
He cited a Mayors Against Illegal Guns figure that 40 percent of the gun crimes in Upstate New York are committed with guns from states with weak gun laws. Across the state, that number is 66 percent, he said.
He said his plan would not impact those who keep guns legally.
"You don't see shootings with legal guns," Schneiderman said. "It's very, very rare."
He said he would deploy the state's Organized Crime Task Force to combat gun violence. Federal authorities aren't doing enough to crack down on illegal guns crossing state lines, he said.