REPUGNANT OBTUSENESS: Democrats Ask Manufacturers of High Capacity Magazines to Stay and Make Their “Baby-Killing” Products Here, Only Sell Them Somewhere Else

2/19 UPDATE: Magpul responds regarding the Udall donation:

2/18 UPDATE 2: According to OpenSecrets.com, Magpul CEO Richard Fitzpatrick has made only one political donation to a Colorado politician: $500 to Senator Mark Udall in September 2012. Wonder if he’ll be seeking a refund?

2/18 UPDATE: Magpul recently posted to its Facebook page that their pull out threat is not a bluff.

UPDATE: Alfred Manufacturing, based in Denver, announced if HB1224 passed it would be forced to leave Colorado. From the Post‘s Kurtis Lee:

“We are a third-generation Colorado company that has been committed to this state since my grandfather founded the company in 1948,” Greg Alfred, the company’s chief executive, writes in the letter. “However, if House Bill 1224 passes, we will plain and simply have no choice but to relocate part or all of our operations to another state.”

Shortly thereafter, House Democrats passed HB1224 on a voice vote. Because….jobs.

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During the debate over HB1224, which would ban magazines that hold over 15 rounds, State Rep. Joe Salazar (D-Thornton) pushed an amendment too clever by half. An amendment which in effect said “we think that these magazines are immoral baby killers, but hey, feel free to sell your baby killing devices to other states.”

It was targeted at high capacity magazine manufacturer Magpul, which has threatened to leave Colorado if HB1224 passes, taking with it nearly 1000 jobs.

Reports The Denver Post‘s Kurtis Lee:

Under the legislation, manufacturers would be required to engrave each magazine with a serial number and date upon which it was produced — something Smith said is “burdensome and unnecessary.” On Friday in initial debate over the bill, state Rep. Joe Salazar, D-Thorton, still offered an amendment that clarifies manufacturers could still sell high-capacity magazines to out-of-state vendors that range from the U.S. military to law enforcement. “I want it to be clear that manufacturers can still do business here in Colorado,” Salazar said. Republicans contested the amendment, calling it an “oops amendment,” and argued that it’s unfair that a company can produce the device, but can’t sell it in Colorado.

As we noted on Twitter:

You know what people intent on mass murder will never do? Drive to a neighboring state to buy weapons. #COleg — Colo Peak Politics (@COpeakpolitics) February 15, 2013

There is a certain repugnant obtuseness in Salazar’s amendment. A disgusting arrogance, really, manifested by Salazar on behalf of the overlords in state government who, in effect, call companies like Magpul killers, while expecting them to just sort of take it and stay and do business.

Why would a company stay in a state whose very government impugns their product?

Salazar should apologize for such stupidity. High capacity magazines are either inherently evil or they are not. Trying to have it both ways is the latest proof that Democrats in the legislature are flying blind, pulled by the ears of high powered lobbyists funded by knucklehead mayors from far-away places.