By Dave Workman | Senior Editor
A proposed editorial project, uncovered by the Buckeye Firearms Association (BFA), that would have examined the “explosion” of concealed carry permits and licenses across the country by building “a state-by-state database” of permit holders has been shelved by a newspaper chain because many states have laws that prevent release of that information.
TGM has reported frequently about the sharp increases of concealed pistol licenses in many states, a phenomenon that shows no sign of slowing, especially now that Illinois has adopted a carry law and hundreds of thousands of citizens are expected to apply during the next 12 months.
The Ohio-based BFA revealed a Jan. 19 internal memo this morning outlining the project that was suggested by Jim Lawitz, director of content for the North Carolina-based Civitas Media group. But in a telephone interview with TGM and Examiner.com, Lawitz said Civitas, which owns newspapers in several states, discovered that in many states, this information is protected by state law, so the project is off the radar and will not be pursued.
In a statement to TGM via e-mail, Civitas CEO Michael C. Bush said, “Civitas Media never had any plans or intentions of publishing in print or online lists of holders of “conceal and carry” permits. Nor will Civitas Media develop databases of permit holders. A poorly crafted internal memo meant to highlight editorial discussions and planning incorrectly indicated that such a database was being planned; it has been considered and rejected.”
“In news organizations,” said veteran newsman Lawitz, “a variety of ideas are routinely discussed, researched and planned, which may or may not result in published works. Typically, we do not publicly comment on internal private communications. However, Civitas has no plans to publish any lists of any people.”
After BFA obtained a copy of the internal memo, the organization broke the story early Friday and it was quickly picked up by the Daily Caller and AmmoLand.
Lawitz, who joined Civitas in September, spent more than 30 years in newspapers as a reporter, editor and news executive, in Arizona, Alaska, California and New Mexico.
Public disclosure of the names, and sometimes even addresses, of concealed carry license holders in the past has made gun owners very sensitive to what they believe is a serious privacy invasion. Publication of gun permit holders in two New York counties by a Westchester newspaper following the December 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy, caused a nationwide backlash against the newspaper editor and publisher, and compelled New York state lawmakers to pass legislation making that information private. Similar legislation has been passed in Ohio, where Civitas owns some newspapers, and concealed pistol license information has been private in Washington state for many years.
From all indications, the decision to shelve the project was made before BFA broke the story.
