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A term limited Jacksonville lawmaker is seeing his bid to become a judge come under fire from the NRA. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the lawmaker refused to allow an NRA priority bill come up in the final days of the legislative session.

In his role as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Charles McBurney had the power to call a hearing on a complicated bill that hanged the burden of proof in stand your ground cases. The legislation was a top priority for the NRA. McBurney declined to hold the hearing. Now he is seeking a judgeship, and Marion Hammer of the NRA is telling its members to email the governor asking him to say no to McBurney
“That was important because the prosecutors and the court reversed the burden of proof ins and your ground hearings” says Hammer.

The legislation had the support of public defenders but was hated by prosecutors. McBurney is a former prosecutor.

Now McBurney is one of six finalists for a judgeship in Jacksonville. The NRA hasn’t forgotten. It sent out an alert, urging its members to email the Governor opposing McBurney’s appointment.

“He put blind ambition before the rights of the people.”

Q:”How so?”

“As a favor to prosecutors, who’s help he needed in seeking a judgeship, he refused to hear the bill” says Hammer.

McBurney has a meeting here in the Capitol on Thursday about the judgeship.

We reached the term limited judicial hopeful by phone.

“Ms. Hammer and I had a disagreement on this bill. To me this bill would victimize victims” McBurney told us.

Three years ago, McBurney was the lawmaker at the center of what has became know as trooper gate. He complained and got a trooper fired after receiving a ten dollar ticket instead of a 250 dollar ticket for speeding.

Rep. McBurney told us he supported every other NRA supported bill d

bring his 9 years in the state House. Had McBurney allowed the bill to be heard, it would have likely passed, become law, and those using Stand Your Ground would have had an easier time proving their cases.