Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto and Allegheny Co Chief Executive Officer Fitzgerald Disgustingly Conspiring to Unseat Judge James for Pittsburgh Decision

Posted on by Joshua Prince, Esq.

I was just informed that Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald are conspiring to unseat Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge Joseph M. James because of his decision this week ruling – consistent with Article 1, Section 21 of the Pennsylvania Constitution and the binding precedent – that the City of Pittsburgh’s firearm ordinances were unlawful.

Apparently, Mayor Peduto and Chief Executive Fitzgerald will be filing a frivolous ethics complaint and taking other action against Judge James, in a disgusting attempt to unseat him, for upholding the Pennsylvania Constitution and binding precedent, even after Mayor Peduto, on December 14, 2018, acknowledged publicly that the City of Pittsburgh lacked the legal authority to enact Ordinances 2018-1218, 2018-1219, and 2018-1220. Likewise, on January 7, 2019, City Councilwoman Strassburger declared

My council colleagues and the mayor and I are aware of the state laws that are on the books, and we happen to strongly disagree with them [referring to Pennsylvania’s preemption law prohibiting municipalities from regulating firearms]. If there’s not political will to make change, we’re ready and willing to make changes through the court system

As these actions by Mayor Peduto and Chief Executive Fitzgerald are beyond the pale, we are calling upon District Attorney Zappala to open an investigation into this matter and are requesting that everyone show support for Judge James upholding the rule of law by sending letters of support to his Chambers, while letting Mayor Peduto and Chief Executive Fitzgerald know that the citizens of this Commonwealth will not tolerate such abuse of the judiciary and legal process. We are also asking that you contact your state representatives, inform them of this disgusting attempt, and demand that they immediately enact HB 1066 – enhancing our state firearms and ammunition preemption statute to provide for attorney fees and costs, where a municipality violates the law – and support HR 426, the resolution calling for the impeachment of Mayor Peduto. Lastly, please consider contacting District Attorney Zappala and demanding that he open an investigation into this matter.

You can reach Judge James at the following:

The Honorable Joseph M. James
City Council-Building
707 City-County Building
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

You can reach County Executive Fitzgerald at the following:

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald
101 County Courthouse
436 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
executive@alleghenycounty.us
Or on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook 

You can reach Mayor Peduto at the following:

Office of Mayor William Peduto
414 Grant Street, 5th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

You can reach District Attorney Zappala at the following:

District Attorney Stephen Zappala
Room 303 Courthouse
436 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Twitter and Facebook

If you or someone you know has been the victim of an unlawful municipal firearm or ammunition regulation or ordinance, contact FICG today to discuss your options.

Firearms Industry Consulting Group® (FICG®) is a registered trademark and division of Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C., with rights and permissions granted to Prince Law Offices, P.C. to use in this article.

Published by Joshua Prince, Esq.

With our 2nd Amendment rights being attacked at both the Federal and State level, and the ATF (Burea of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives) trying to close down FFLs (Federal Firearms Licensees) for minor infractions while making FFLs the scapegoat when the ATF's records are inaccurate, I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am one of only a handful of attorneys across the US that practices in the niche area of law known as firearms law. I decided to concentrate my legal practice on firearms law not only because I am a shooter and firearms enthusiast, but also to ensure that our inalienable Right to Keep and Bear Arms is never encroached upon. I handle cases at the Federal and State level for both FFLs and individuals. At the federal and state levels for individuals, I actively defend the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution and Section 21 of the PA Constitution, as well as, help individuals with: - License to Carry Firearms Denials; - Challenges to Erroneous PICS Denials; - Relief from Firearms Disabilities; - Estate Planning Advice; - Gun/NFA Trusts; and - 42 USC 1983 Actions for Deprivation of Civil Rights At both the state and federal levels, I represent FFLs and SOTs throughout Pennsylvania and the US regarding: - ATF Compliance Inspections; - Warning Letters and Hearings; - FFL Revocations; - Corporate Structure Advice - Indoor/Outdoor Range Implementation; and - Forfeiture Proceedings In following my love for firearms and firearms law, I have taught several Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars on Firearms in Estates and Trusts and Firearms Law 101 for several Bar Associations, including Berks, Cumberland, and Dauphin Counties. I also planned and taught several Firearms in Estates CLE classes for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI). While at Widener Law School, I was a member of the Widener Law Journal. I wrote an article on the Inaccuracy of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). I also had an article published on Fee Disputes in Workers Compensation cases in the Widener Law Journal, Volume 18, No. 2. You can often find me posting on several internet forums, including Subguns, Uzitalk, AR15, and PAFOA. I also hold PA Firearms Law classes for local ranges to inform the public on the firearm laws of the Commonwealth. Following in my father's footsteps, I am also a Board member for the Pottstown Police Athletic League (PAL).

19 thoughts on “Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto and Allegheny Co Chief Executive Officer Fitzgerald Disgustingly Conspiring to Unseat Judge James for Pittsburgh Decision”

  3. Q?: Is it a PA law that establishes preemption or is it in the PA constitution? I’ve wondered for a while and expect you’re the man who can tell me…?

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  4. I wrote The State Attorney General, Josh Sapiro, some time ago to prompt legal action(s) against the elected officials there for knowingly breaking the law. They all took oaths to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the Commonwealth, as did he, and I felt he had a professional obligation to pursue the matter by virtue of his official position in the Commonwealth. He said at the time that the courts had to settle it. The law is very clear in this regard., but perhaps there are legal reasons that I am not aware of. The laws should apply to all of us equally. His inaction is inexcusable unless there is a legal basis for it. Selective enforcement is unfair at best.

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    1. I’d say write him back now (I’m going to) and say “OK, the court ruled they DID break the law, are you going to prosecute them now?” And when he says No, ask “Why, SPECIFICALLY, not?”

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    1. Because ignoring the state constitution is not a criminal offense. At least not yet, nor should it be. The remedy for those who violate the constitution is ouster from office. Remember that at election time.

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  6. Pingback: Another Monumental Win: FOAC and FPC Defeat Pittsburgh in Preemption Battle; Peduto Plans Revenge on Gun Owners - FIVE POINTS HUNTING CLUB
  7. Pingback: Targeting Judges for Following the Law | Shall Not Be Questioned

  8. Peduto, Fitzgerald and Zappala are all friends and are aligned with extremely liberal agenda’s. Erika Strassburger is the spouse of Jordan Strassburger of the law firm McKenna, Strassburger, Gutnick & Gefsky. She is quoted in Mr. Prince’s blog stating her total disregard for the law. Her website promotes her extremely liberal agenda.

    Judge Eugene Strassburger, her husband’s uncle, is also a very liberal PA Superior Court judge. If you Google Yale Gutnick, PNC Bank and the Richard Scaife Estate, Yale Gutnick, Richard Scaife’s personal attorney,(who had power of attorney for his billion dollar plus estate along with PNC Bank and another family member) drained the 1935 Sarah Mellon Trust intended for Scaife and his children to zero. At one point, the trust was supposedly valued at $450 million. The Scaife children were unaware of their inheritance being depleted and did file an action, in Allegheny County, for which Common Please Court has sealed it. Jennifer Scaife, Richard’s Scaife’s daughter is deceased leaving David Scaife, his son, to fight this case.

    The trust was drained to support Scaife’s newspaper the Tribune Review. Yale Gutnick was a board member of the Trib, and was its legal counsel. David Strassburger is his attorney.

    PNC Bank is headquartered in Pittsburgh. Allegheny County owes substantial debt to PNC Bank.

    It took great courage for Judge James to uphold our rights. Allegheny County politics has destroyed others who sought to fight for our rights.

    Therefore, I would not recommend anyone to contact the Allegheny County DA, Stephen Zappala, to investigate this matter. Pittsburgh has an office of the PA Attorney General’s Office. The address is 564 Forbes Avenue #6, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. The telephone number is 412-565-5135. They are a much better choice to contact.

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  9. We went to law school together and I just wanted to tell you to go fuck yourself. Fuck you, you piece of fucking shit. People will die because of this. People will die because of what you chose as your vocation. Put that fucking sharp intellect to better use. Once a gunner, always a gunner— for the wrong fucking thing. Fuck you.

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    1. A measured and intelligent response. Are you a lawyer, by any chance, because I want to make sure people know who to NOT hire?

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      2. Dude, you came to a lawyer’s blog and asked him if he’s a lawyer, only to find out that he’s the lawyer who won the case. I’d say you should be embarrassed, but you’re probably not smart enough to understand what just happened.

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  10. The biggest concern for this retired lawyer is that anyone would attempt retaliation against a judge for being a judge, and making a decision. This is outrageous in the extreme. That is why we have appeals courts. Please remember this when these idiots come up for reelection. Gun violence is indeed a big problem. But, combating it with illegal governmental actions is not the answer. If you do not like the law upon which the court decision was based, change the law. Attacking the judge is un-American in my opinion.

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