WASHINGTON, D. C. – Sen. Charles E. Schumer (NY) and seven gun-grabbing colleagues got the Civil Liberties Infringement Prize (CLIP) over the weekend, John Michael Snyder, Public Affairs Director of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, announced here this morning.

Snyder, named Dean of gun lobbyists by national media, said 

“Schumer and seven cosponsors last Thursday introduced a bill to overturn Attorney General John Ashcroft’s plan to protect the privacy of law-abiding firearm purchasers. That’s why they’re getting this mock award.”

The seven dwarf cosponsors of the measure are Sens. Barbara Boxer (CA), Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY), Jon Corzine (NJ), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Edward M. Kennedy (MA), Jack Reed (RI) and Robert G. Torricelli (NJ).

The bill, S. 1253, has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Attorney General wants to limit to one day the time the government maintains instant background check records of approved gun purchasers. Schumer and the seven cosponsors want to mandate the keeping of the records for 90 days, a period set by the anti-gun Clinton Gore Administration.

Justice Department officials said last month that the FBI and the BATF provided ideas to improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) in developing the Attorney General’s plan.

Snyder said that, “while we believe the records of approved purchases should be destroyed immediately, we regard the Ashcroft plan as a definite step in the right direction. We commend him for his action and oppose the anti-gun legislative activities of Chuck Schumer and the seven dwarfs.”

Snyder also is Washington Liaison of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, Treasurer of the Second Amendment Foundation, and National Vice President for Public Relations of the American Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens.