Pittman Playing Politics With Public Safety

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman is blaming concealed carry permits for an Arundel Mills incident. Where's his proof?

Anne Arundel County’s Accidental County Executive, Steuart Pittman, has been consistent in his disdain for the private ownership of firearms throughout his first term.

So it will surprise nobody that Pittman, the Wealthy Horseman, has taken the opportunity to blame the accidental discharge of a firearm at Arundel Mills Mall on the Supreme Court’s decision in NYSRPA vs. Bruen.

Pittman’s statement is problematic on many levels.

• Pittman’s idea that “malls are now more dangerous” belies the fact that gun crime in Maryland rose every time that Maryland passed a more restrictive gun law;

• Pittman’s claim that “malls are now more dangerous” ignores the fact that Arundel Mills has become a high crime area under his administration;

• Pittman’s implication that the SCOTUS decision was politically motivated instead of returning constitutional norms.

• The hyperbolic nature of Pittman’s comments about “Politicians glorify guns to get votes” while unironically being a politician demonizing guns to get votes.

So what’s missing from this entire case?

Proof.

No reports of what happened at Arundel Mills have mentioned the individual carrying the firearm in question being a permitted carrier. It seems logical that if the individual involved in the incident had a concealed carry permit that this would have been mentioned, as it often is stories involving gun crime. Here, it is not.

If Pittman has some sort of proof that the individual in question is a permitted carrier, he should probably present it now. Otherwise, it is what Pittman always toes. Pittman perennially plays politics with public safety.

One might say it’s dangerous and it’s stupid.