Why Michael Bloomberg Might Be Plaxico Burress’ Greatest Problem

Over the weekend, New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress had the worst accidental shooting since Bluto killed the horse in Dean Wormer’s office with blanks. It was early Saturday morning when the police answered a call about Burress getting shot in the thigh, and upon arriving, actually found three separate issues. The first was that the former Michigan State Spartan shot himself at the Latin Quarter club in midtown Manhattan while drinking with teammates Antonio Pierce and Derrick Ward. Second is that he did it with an unlicensed gun, which we’ll get to in a second. Lastly, Pierce took the gun and stashed it somewhere in wilds of New Jersey. Yeah, all that’s not going to go over well with New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg.

Bloomberg last year pushed forward with a law that automatically gives time to people who are caught with an illegal loaded weapon. Like, Michael Vick time.

“Last year, our Administration succeeded in pushing through a law that gives New York the toughest penalty in the country for carrying an illegal loaded handgun,” said Bloomberg at the press conference (full release here). “Now, if you are convicted, you will serve a minimum of 3½ years behind bars – no exceptions. “

Ah yes, no exceptions… but Plaxico’s a big star and even though he’s totally guilty [Ed Note: although his lawyer says he's innocent until proven otherwise, whatever] of A) having an illegal gun in his possession and B) discharging it in public, he should get off right? Well, Bloomberg just got the okay to run for a third term, and he already got a lot of flack from gun groups about the law he put into place, and not doing anything about it last year when Ja Rule and Lil’ Wayne got into the same problem. So is this going to become a Law and Order episode where the Manhattan DA has to push for jail time to appease his mayor? We’ll have to wait for the second half hour.
COPS SEIZE PLAX’S GUN [NY Post]
Giants receiver Plaxico Burress, who shot self in leg, will talk to cops, DA on Monday [NY Daily News]
MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND CITIZENS CRIME COMMISSION UNVEIL GUNS=PRISON PUBLIC SERVICE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN [NYC.gov]
Image [NY Daily News]