Illegal Guns in NYC: July 8 forum covers ‘commerce of contraband’

DA Thompson, Others, Speak at Municipal Club Breakfast

July 1, 2016 By John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson. Photo by Cody Brooks

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llegal guns flowing into NYC and Brooklyn will be the subject of a forum hosted by the Municipal Club of Brooklyn on July 8. Speakers will include Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson and Leah Barrett, Executive Director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (nyagv.org).

Initiatives led by DA Thompson have recovered a startling number of illegal guns. But more startling is the vitality of the “commerce of contraband” that flows into our city in growing numbers across state lines, largely coming from southern states.

In a new effort to revive its series of forums on vital city issues, the Municipal Club of Brooklyn has started a new Civic Division to host monthly forums for leaders in business, law and politics. When space is available the public is also invited.

Forum Details

Breakfast on July 8 will take place at Friend of a Farmer, 76 Montague St., beginning at 9 a.m. Municipal Club Members and civic affiliates will have seating priority, but members of the public are invited and may inquire about seating at [email protected]. All Attendees must participate in the breakfast, which has a cover charge of $50.

History of Municipal Club

Founded in 1897 by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, the club originally served as a civic watchdog, examining issues “that make a great city work–or not work,” according to Dozier Hasty, current president of the club. The club has recently embarked on a more aggressive effort to discuss openly the civic issues affecting daily life and commerce.

At the time the club was formed, Brooklyn was still an independent city. There was a huge divisive issue about to come to a vote: whether or not the City of Brooklyn would merge with Greater New York – what we know today as the five boroughs. The vote was close and consolidation won.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, which fought for the independence of Brooklyn as a separate city, lost. But the Municipal Club and the founding purpose – pursuit of civic knowledge and accountability – never died. A dedicated membership made up of civic, business and professional leaders in Brooklyn, have kept the club alive for nearly 120 years, and it continues to flourish and remain vital in addressing and understanding civic issues that face the city today.

It was originally organized to accomplish a number of goals and pursuits that, even today, still benefit club members, as well as the Borough of Brooklyn.

The club’s three main goals are:

The pursuit of a broader civic understanding of how a great city like Brooklyn works by interaction with highly-placed city officials who address the club off the record;
Shared camaraderie of members at dinners including informative lectures, tours and travel, in Brooklyn, outside of Brooklyn and abroad;
Members with varied backgrounds networking with each other in a casual, enlightened environment.

Recent local events the club has undertaken include tours of the New York Police Academy, the Department of Transportation headquarters in Brooklyn, the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and Fort Hamilton Army Base in Bay Ridge. Club members also visited the Brooklyn House of Detention and the New York Historical Society.

Former Municipal Club president George Vail explained that the club has sponsored numerous trips throughout the U.S., including a Mississippi riverboat cruise from Memphis to New Orleans and a tour of U.S. western national parks. International journeys have taken members to Ireland, France and an unforgettable cruise down the Danube River.

Hasty explained that the club’s mission “is to become even more engaged in civic enlightenment programs that will continue to allow its members to truly make a difference in what is happening in Brooklyn today.” The Municipal Club enjoys an unparalleled, and prestigious, historic origin, and looks forward to keeping its rich legacy alive for another hundred years.