Little of this and that. Why is Deldot supervising animal shelters? Yes, finally, I will discuss my friend Matthew Opaliski and those silly gun charges.
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Bartending Challenge?
WHAT: Democrats vs. Republicans Legislative Guest Bartending Event
WHEN: Thursday, March 5th, 5:30-7:30 pm
WHERE: NEW LOCATION Sheraton Wilmington South Hotel–365 Airport Road, New Castle, DE 19720–the hotel just off I-95 North.
For more information, contact Laura Becker at 302.221.2065 or email lbecker@esdel.org.
The Legislative Guest Bartending event is just a preview of the fierce competition that can be witnessed when the two political parties face-off for the 10th year at the CAI/Easter Seals Volleyball Challenge on March 21st at 9 a.m. at the Delaware Orthopaedic Sportsplex, at 326 Ruthar Drive, Newark. The Republicans are currently in the lead, 6 to 3.
Well I think this is cool.
More info:
Leading the Democrats will be: House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, Sen. Nicole Poore and Rep. Quinn Johnson and Sen. Greg Lavelle, Rep. Mike Ramone and Rep. Kevin Hensley will pour it on for the Republicans. Each team will be competing for the most tips to see which side can raise more money for their political volleyball team in the 10th annual Democrats vs. Republicans Volleyball Challenge in March.
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What’s a Dept. of Transportation Got to do with animal shelters?
It’s too late for yon reader to make the hearings and I must suppose that just because it’s held at DELDOT headquarters it’s not necessarily the purview of that agency to control animal shelters.
State officials are accepting public comment on proposed new rules governing animal shelters in Delaware.
The regulations proposed by the Office of Animal Welfare will be the subject of a public hearing today (Monday) at DelDOT headquarters in Dover.
I’m going to take a look at these new rules governing animal shelters in Delaware and will get back to yon readers.
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Matthew Opaliski-A Curmudgeon Tea Party Right Winger….damn right he should be in jail!
For three days I’ve been sitting and pondering what to write about Matthew Opaliski and I have decided that I shall write the truth.
The truth is always pretty. It’s not always easy, however, but I shall be gentle.
I met Matthew (and he does not like to be called MATT, he says his name is Matthew) back in 2005. We were both charged with working the state fair for the Delaware GOP. One of my fonder memories of that day involved, of all people, Beau Biden.
For I did not know that the guy waltzing down the aisle to the Democratic party table, directly across from ours. “That’s Beau Biden,” Matthew told me.
At some point I ended up outside with Beau, both of us secretly lighting up a cigarette. Beau entertained me with funny stories of his father and hey, I did not have a camera, recorder, damn I hardly knew who the hell Beau Biden was in those days.
Matthew and I rode the fair jitney bus all over the parking lot and we did a lot of talking; he a young man with four young children, me an older woman fresh from Maryland and new to all of it.
I interviewed Matthew when he ran against State Senator Simpson, the first time, for my former site, delawarepolitics.net.
Matthew Opaliski is a fascinating and knowledgeable man.
He is just such a guy, riding a motorcycle and selling guns.
Heh.
Matthew is charged with:
According to the indictment, Opaliski allegedly sold, traded or gave a Smith and Wesson .357/9mm-caliber revolver and a Springfield Armory 9 mm pistol to another person who was not a resident of Delaware in early December. A similar transaction earlier this month involved two Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 5.56-caliber semiautomatic rifles, authorities allege.
The state GOP responds:
Matt is part of the Sussex County Party structure and elected by folks in his local area,” said Delaware GOP executive director John Fluharty. “I’m sure the Sussex county executive committee will respond to this very difficult situation with the best interests of the party first and foremost.”
None of this is to say that I didn’t have issues with Matthew and one example is a perfect way to describe the problems many have with Matthew, including me.
Two church friends of mine came to a Sussex county GOP meeting. I was real pleased that they came, a husband and wife, and when Matthew stopped by I grabbed him and introduced him to my friends. It would seem, ahem, that Matthew has some sort of grudge against Senator Lopez, who is my friends’ state senator. My friend mentioned the good senator and I don’t know how it came down but when Matthew is disgusted he does not try to disguise it. He called Lopez a “tool” and chastised my friends for touting such an obvious Communist.
My friends left and have never came back. I wanted to slap Matthew silly but Matthew, he’s just Matthew and fine-tuning words is not his strong point.
I consider Matthew Opaliski the fellow who stands in the back of the room and whose job is to gently tell us how it ought to be.
An example would be the endless complaints about the IRS getting all nosy about organizations and what they do. Matthew stated, during such a discussion at some event or another, “Just don’t apply for any kind of special status,” Matthew said. “The only reason the IRS gets away with this is because of seeking a non-profit status. Forget their rules and form your own organization.”
I paraphrase Matthew, of course, but he made the point. Sometimes we get all busy getting down and dirty with bureaucracies and regulations we forget that it IS possible to avoid them all together with a little Yankee ingenuity.
Maybe Matthew isn’t the guy you want in charge of a room full of new Republican recruits, but put him in front of a bunch of folks who need some reminding about where it all begins and Matthew Opaliski is your man. Whenever I need detailed information, Matthew is the guy I go to.
It’s no secret that Matthew buys, trades and sells guns. My little experience with Matthew and his gun merchandising had me thinking he was quite aware of all applicable laws.
Matthew Opaliski is married and has four kids. I seriously doubt he’d risk jail although I don’t know, I suppose it’s possible he made some kind of mistake but I seriously doubt he intentionally broke federal laws. And note this is a federal grand jury that handed down this indictment. Somebody had to clue in the federal authorities, Sussex county being a bit of a berg and not filled with federal revenooers.
The charges seem to indicate that he sold a gun to someone NOT a resident of Delaware and I must suppose this is illegal? Of course someone could lie to Matthew and declare themselves a citizen but I suppose the argument could be made that if you’re going to engage in the activity you should know the rules.
Let’s see, we have Eric Bodenweiser arrested the day AFTER he got elected. The circumstances of Vance Phillips’ arrest (trial about to begin soon) for an alleged rape that had the victim showing up voluntarily….and now we have Matthew Opaliski indicted for what, come on guys….is this really the thing we should be spending our money and time ojn?
Anybody who thinks it’s a good thing to have folks who disagree with you arrested and jailed….well that’s hardly American or justice being done fairly.
Still and so, though I’ve messaged Matthew, he hasn’t answered me. I am keeping a close eyeball on these proceedings because I would not even want a milquetoast RINO to be treated so unfairly.
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I do not respond to comments on my posts. I certainly have no problem with such commentary and, indeed, encourage it. But I’ve written my piece and I don’t want to argue it further.
Please feel free to email me at patfish1@aol.com if you want to send me a special comment or have any ideas or information you want to share.
NEXT :The Sussex county council
Selling firearms illegally is NOT some funny little thing. Selling handguns across state lines is illegal unless the transaction goes through a FFL gun dealer. Selling firearms to someone in a state where the type of firearm is banned is illegal. Buying firearms privately by a person who does not have their DE CCW permit (it is rumored Matthew’s expired last year and was not renewed) requires all gun transactions to go through a FFL gun dealer.
As you say it was a well known fact that Matthew was buying , selling, and trading guns it sure sounds like he was a “dealer”. Also it was well known and no secret that Matthew ran ads on Armslist.com and Gunbrokers.com so I don’t think it is very hard for the Feds to monitor anyone using the Internet for gun sales. I would hazard to guess they are monitoring people who sell firearms on a regular basis that goes beyond the scope of a casual seller or private collector.
It comes down to the question did Matthew knowingly violate federal firearms laws concerning sales by a non licensed firearms dealer. The long and short answer is this. Matthew made it well known that he did not agree with all the laws concerning firearms sales, he felt many were unconstitutional and violated the 2nd amendment.
It is fine to have those views, but one has to still follow the current laws concerning the sale of firearms, lest one wants to be in the same place Matthew is right now.
Matthew’s indictment in this person opinion has nothing to do with his numerous comments about constitutional matters. The Federal government presented evidence of the illegal selling of firearms to a grand jury. Based on the evidence presented they handed down the indictment against Matthew. In answer to your question should we be wasting time or money on Matthew’s case I will let this statistic provide the answer 40% of firearms used in crimes are obtained illegally.
DOT? Dogs On Transportation? “what’s all this I hear about violins on TV?, oh never mind”.
“Let’s see, we have Eric Bodenweiser arrested the day AFTER he got elected. The circumstances of Vance Phillips’ arrest (trial about to begin soon) for an alleged rape that had the victim showing up voluntarily.”
First off, Bowdie was NOT elected. He won a primary.
Second, Phillips was NOT arrested.
Third, the trial is NOT about to start soon. It was supposed to have started earlier this month but the original trial dates have been cancelled and have not been re-scheduled. The judge will hear oral arguments on motions for summary judgment in April.
Get your facts right and pay your 2014 property taxes, due last September. I see the county sent you and your daughter a fourth notice on Feb 20, 2015.
The ammosexuals obsession leads to lots of straw purchases and getting guns into the hands of violent thugs. Gun nut have bllod on their hands with their paranoid bellicose obsession
“Gun nuts” don’t have any blood on their hands at all. Neither do gun manufacturers. Guns are inanimate objects, just like a brick or a shovel.
However, there are some individuals who choose to live like animals, and they eventually end-up in cages- or, dead.
Do you blame the car when a drunk runs-over a pedestrian?
Nope. We blame the car nuts who drive irresponsibly. I’ve never blamed a gun for nothing, just the people who play with them.
From Dan Gaffney’s fb page:
The local republicans just sent this about Matt Opaliski
Laurel, DE – Sussex County Republican Committee Chairman Vince Calabro has accepted the resignation of 35th Representative District Committee Chairman Matthew Opaliski.
Opaliski’s resignation is effective immediately.
An election will be held, prior to the next scheduled meeting of the Sussex Republican Executive Committee, to fill this vacancy. Any registered Republican who resides in the 35th Representative District, comprising the northwestern portion of Sussex County, may run for this position in the Sussex Republican Committee.
Registered Republicans interested in running for Chairman of the 35th Representative District may contact the Committee Secretary, Linda Creasy through the Committee website.”
Guns are designed for one purpose, to kill. If we had some reasonable trace back and full background checks of all gun purchases, perhaps fewer crazy sociopaths would be playing with guns and causing endless carnage. People killed with guns out numbers people saved by guns by orders of magnitude. Gun crime has destroyed civility in many many cities. No one wants to take the guns of law abiding citizens, it’s a matter of stopping the carnage. A few more safe guards isn’t a threat to anyone besides psychotically paranoid and selfish people hording bullets and hiding in their shelters waiting for Obama to put them in FEMA camps and take their guns lol..
Guns are designed for one purpose, to kill.
Exactly. And someone who breaks-in to my house at 2 am is going to die. If you prefer to reley on the police, that’s your business. Just remember, they may arrive just in time to draw a chalk outline around your prone body.
People killed with guns out numbers people saved by guns by orders of magnitude.
Really? How do you determine the number of people “saved by guns?” For example, there are houses on Rt 30, north of 16, that are dark and solitary on a quiet winter’s night. But, they are not robbed. Why? Because criminals know that there is a high likelihood that the owners are armed. This scircumstance is not reflected in statistics.
Gun crime has destroyed civility in many many cities.
“Civility” is a state-of-mind. Disarmed, the uncivil will simply use a baseball bat or a knife. Either way, the victim dies.
No one wants to take the guns of law abiding citizens…
Really? “No one?” Then why did they ban guns in Washington DC (overturned by courts)?
A civilized man uses a gun to protect himself, his family and his property. He may also use a gun to resist tyranny, as happened in 1776. A civilized man cannot have his constitutional right to “keep and bear arms” infringed simply because the uncivilized who dwell in the urban centers are incapable of living in a civil manner.
@Rick: “Civility” is a state-of-mind.
Civility is a behavior–not a mood, attitude, disposition or condition. Behaviors can reveal a state of mind however. For example, you may call me a “pathetic coward” (most uncivil behavior) and that action might reveal your state of mind at the time (e.g., manic, muddled).
Yeah, I pretend I’m not home in excited sexual anticipation of when I can kill someone with my 30-30 who breaks into my house.
@Rick: “Civility” is a state-of-mind.
Civility is a behavior–not a mood, attitude, disposition or condition.
And where does one’s “behavior” come from- the pancreas?
Yeah, I pretend I’m not home in excited sexual anticipation of when I can kill someone with my 30-30 who breaks into my house.
Do you wear rubber pants?
Lol, adult diapers