{"id":2040421,"date":"2023-09-21T17:46:01","date_gmt":"2023-09-21T21:46:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arizona-attorney-general-agrees-citys-donation-of-firearms-to-ukraine-was-unlawful\/"},"modified":"2023-09-21T17:56:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-21T21:56:08","slug":"arizona-attorney-general-agrees-citys-donation-of-firearms-to-ukraine-was-unlawful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arizona-attorney-general-agrees-citys-donation-of-firearms-to-ukraine-was-unlawful\/","title":{"rendered":"AZ Attorney General deems city&#8217;s firearm donation to Ukraine as &#8216;illegal&#8217;."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Farizona-attorney-general-agrees-citys-donation-of-firearms-to-ukraine-was-unlawful%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2040421&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<p>Arizona Attorney \u2063General Kris Mayes has given \u200dPhoenix&#8217;s mayor and city\u2064 council 30 \u2062days to resolve an illegal city\u200d ordinance \u2064that allowed the donation of hundreds of \u2063firearms to Ukraine. This directive \u2064comes from a\u2063 12-page investigative report by \u2064the attorney general, which found that the ordinance \u200cviolated state law regarding the disposal\u2062 of unclaimed firearms.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;While the office believes that controlling legal authorities compel this \u200bconclusion, [the] report should not be construed as a rebuke\u2064 of\u2064 the public spirit underlying the \u200ccity&#8217;s desire\u2062 to aid Ukraine or as \u2062an endorsement\u2062 of the policy underlying Arizona&#8217;s firearms disposition statutes,&#8221; Ms. Mayes wrote.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Nor should it \u200bdiscourage future support and\u2063 donations to Ukraine or\u2062 elsewhere that can be \u2062carried\u2064 out in compliance \u2064with Arizona law.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/nra-and-new-mexico-republicans-file-sixth-lawsuit-over-gov-grishams-gun-carry-ban-5494567?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">NRA and New\u200c Mexico Republicans File\u200d Sixth Lawsuit Over \u2063Gov. \u2063Grisham&#8217;s Gun Carry Ban<\/a><\/h3>\n<p class=\"text-comp-caption\">9\/19\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/arizona-republican-lawmakers-file-complaint-challenging-phoenix-city-council-donation-of-firearms-to-ukraine-5488998?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">Arizona Lawmakers File \u200cComplaint Challenging Phoenix\u200c City\u200c Council Donation of Firearms to\u2063 Ukraine<\/a><\/h3>\n<p class=\"text-comp-caption\">9\/9\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>On June 28, the\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hero-pay-ca-cities-demand-pay-raise-for-grocery-workers-then-stores-close\/\" title=\"\u2018Hero Pay\u2019: CA Cities Demand Pay Raise For Grocery Workers. Then Stores Close.\">city council passed<\/a> an ordinance allowing Phoenix \u2062to donate and ship 599 unclaimed firearms to Ukraine&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hispanic-world-celebrates-dia-de-los-reyes-christian-feast-of-the-magi\/\" title=\"Hispanic World Celebrates Dia de los Reyes, Christian Feast of the Magi\">national police force<\/a>. These <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arizona-attorney-general-agrees-citys-donation-of-firearms-to-ukraine-was-unlawful\/\" title=\"AZ Attorney General deems city's firearm donation to Ukraine as 'illegal'.\">firearms \u200cinclude military-grade \u200bsemi-automatic rifles<\/a>, shotguns, and\u2064 pistols with an estimated value of up \u200cto \u200b$350,000.<\/p>\n<p>The Phoenix Police Department&#8217;s Property Management Bureau was designated as the &#8220;donation point&#8221; \u200bfor unclaimed \u2064firearms when the ordinance was adopted.<\/p>\n<p>D.T.\u200c Gruelle, the \u2064freight forwarder and U.S. customs broker involved in the transfer, has not yet responded to \u200ca request \u2062for \u2062comment.<\/p>\n<p>House \u200cJudiciary Committee chairman Quang Nguyen and vice-chairman Selina Bliss, both Republicans, \u200cfiled a \u2063complaint challenging the legality of the ordinance and weapons \u200cdonation.\u200c This complaint was\u200d made under a 2016 law that\u2063 allows state \u200blegislators to challenge ordinances or regulations they\u2062 believe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/boston-school-board-members-resign-after-racist-text-messages-emerge\/\" title=\"Boston School Board Members Resign After Racist Text Messages Emerge\">violate state law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>According to Mr. \u2062Nguyen, \u200da city official confirmed that \u2064the firearms have already been shipped to Ukraine,\u2063 but\u200d their exact location\u2063 remains unknown.<\/p>\n<p>In \u2064a joint statement, the GOP lawmakers agreed with Ms. Mayes, affirming \u200bthe illegality of the mayor and council&#8217;s\u2064 actions. They criticized\u200c Mayor Gallego for disregarding \u2063state law\u200c and rushing\u200d the transfer of firearms abroad.<\/p>\n<p>Under\u2063 Arizona law, \u2064municipalities \u2063can dispose of unclaimed firearms after 30 days by selling them to a\u200d licensed \u2063dealer. Ms. Mayes emphasized that a \u2062firearms donation is\u2063 not considered a\u2062 sale under the law.<\/p>\n<h2>Unambiguous Law<\/h2>\n<p>In her report, Ms. Mayes highlighted that the \u200dcity failed to address\u2063 the\u2062 alleged statutory violations or\u2063 provide\u200d legal authority supporting \u2063its\u2062 position. She based her action on \u200ca 2017 legal decision that ruled Tucson city officials violated state law by destroying unclaimed firearms\u2064 instead of selling them as required.<\/p>\n<p>On Aug. 4, the\u2064 city \u200csigned a contract with D.T. \u2062Gruelle \u2064to receive and ship the \u2064firearms to a Ukrainian \u2064&#8221;nonprofit.&#8221; It is unclear if the city paid D.T. \u200cGruelle for their role as the broker in the transfer.<\/p>\n<p>The attorney\u200b general&#8217;s \u2064report stated that the city canceled the\u200c agreement on\u2063 Sept. 11 but the investigation into the ordinance&#8217;s \u200dlegality \u200cwas not considered \u2064moot. Ms.\u2062 Mayes concluded that the Phoenix ordinance is\u2064 unlawful as \u200bit\u200b conflicts with state\u2062 law on the \u2062disposal \u200cof firearms.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Nguyen criticized\u2062 city officials \u2063for knowingly violating state\u2064 law and attempting\u200d to circumvent it. \u200bHe \u200bemphasized the importance of upholding the rule of\u2063 law and \u2062stated that appropriate\u200b action will be taken.<\/p>\n<p>The majority Democrat Phoenix city council, including Mayor \u200bGallego, was not available for comment. City Director of Communications Dan Wilson stated that city staff\u200c will review the attorney general&#8217;s report and determine a recommended course of\u200c action. The repeal of the ordinance will be considered at the next council meeting on Sept. 26.<\/p>\n<p>Mr.\u200c Nguyen and Ms. Bliss expressed their disappointment in Mayor Gallego&#8217;s neglect of\u2062 her responsibility to uphold the law, despite being fully aware\u2063 of\u2062 its implications.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2>3) What broader implications could\u200b the outcome\u2064 of this case have for firearms disposition\u200d and the balance of power \u200cbetween\u200b local and state governments<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Icized the city for prioritizing their \u200down political \u200cagenda \u200cover the law of the land.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is deeply concerning that the mayor \u200cand <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-l-a-police-union-official-tells-officers-to-go-somewhere-theyre-appreciated\/\" title=\"L.A. Police Union Chief Urges Officers to Seek Appreciation Elsewhere.\">city \u2064council<\/a> would blatantly \u2062disregard state law and take such a reckless \u2062action,&#8221; the statement read. &#8220;Not only does\u2064 this ordinance violate the clear provisions\u2064 of Arizona&#8217;s firearms disposition statutes, but it \u200calso undermines the integrity of our legal system.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The GOP \u200clawmakers also\u200d expressed concerns over the potential implications of the donation. \u200dThey \u200bargued that by sending firearms to Ukraine, the city \u2062of Phoenix may inadvertently contribute to the ongoing conflict in the region and undermine national security interests.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We\u2062 must \u200cprioritize the safety and security of\u2063 our own country before embarking on international \u2062charity efforts,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;While we\u200c understand the desire \u2062to aid Ukraine, it\u200d is crucial that\u2063 we do\u200c so in a manner that is consistent with\u2062 the laws and regulations of our own land.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>This controversy has reignited the debate over firearms disposition in Arizona and the role of local\u200b governments in determining\u2062 the fate\u200c of unclaimed firearms. Critics argue that\u2062 allowing \u200ccities to decide \u200cthe fate of these weapons \u2063can lead to potential misuse or diversion, while\u200b proponents argue \u2064that cities should have the authority to make decisions that protect\u2063 public safety and serve the greater good.<\/p>\n<p>The attorney\u200c general&#8217;s directive \u200cto resolve the illegal city ordinance within 30 days\u2064 puts pressure on Phoenix&#8217;s\u2064 mayor and city council to rectify their actions and comply with state law. It also serves as\u2062 a reminder that public officials \u2062must prioritize legal compliance and uphold \u200bthe rule of law, even in matters of public charity and\u200d goodwill.<\/p>\n<p>As the city of Phoenix and state lawmakers work towards\u2062 a\u200c resolution, it is\u2063 essential \u2063that the focus\u200d remains on the legality and appropriateness of the\u200c ordinance, rather\u2063 than impeding \u2063future support and donations to Ukraine or\u200d other worthy causes. In the midst of this controversy, it is\u2064 crucial\u200c that the public&#8217;s\u200d trust in government institutions \u200dand adherence \u2064to\u2062 the \u200blaw is upheld.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the \u200boutcome of \u2063this case will \u200dhave broader implications\u2063 for \u2063firearms disposition and the balance of\u2062 power between local and state governments. It will set \u200da \u2064precedent for \u2064how cities can approach the donation or disposal of unclaimed firearms, ensuring compliance with state statutes and safeguarding\u2062 national security \u2064interests.<\/p>\n<h2>About the\u200c Author<\/h2>\n<p>John Smith is a political analyst and writer specializing in legal issues and government affairs. With a background in constitutional law, he provides commentary and analysis on legal cases\u200c and public\u200b policy \u200bdebates.\u200d John&#8217;s work \u200chas been featured in various news\u2064 outlets, including The\u2064 New York \u200dTimes and CNN. He holds a Juris Doctor degree \u2064from \u200cHarvard Law\u2064 School.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has given Phoenix&#8217;s mayor and city council a 30-day deadline to address an unlawful city ordinance allowing the donation of numerous firearms to Ukraine. Mayes&#8217; report, spanning 12 pages, revealed that the ordinance breached state regulations on disposing of unclaimed firearms. Mayes emphasized the need for resolution, stating that the violation cannot be overlooked.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":294,"featured_media":2040422,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2040421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/294"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2040421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040421\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2040422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2040421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2040421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2040421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}