Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. letter to the editor, 2000?

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Rood, Suite 304 3 1 5 Cannon House Lutherville, Maryland 2 1 093 Washington, D.C. 205 1 5 Project Exile: Tough Enforcement of Gun Laws Good for Business , Good for Maryland Your recent editorial, "CareFirst’s Departure Could Spark Imitation," discussed possible ripple effects to CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield’s decision to follow other former downtown companies in moving to the suburbs. I share the concerns of your publisher, James Breiner, about other companies following suit and believe businesses, citizens, and government officials must address the reasons why companies are fleeing in the first place. Unfortunately, we need only listen to the news or check the latest statistics to realize Baltimore’s crime and gun violence epidemic is driving businesses and residents to safety in the suburbs. What can be done? One solution is to implement a program with proven results for reducing crime - Project Exile. The enforcement of existing federal and state laws is the most effective means of combating gun violence. Proof can be found in the success of Project Exile in Richmond, Virginia. This gun initiative is based on the simplest concept: vigorous and uniform enforcement of existing gun laws. Felons found in possession of guns are prosecuted under harsh federal laws and "exiled" to out-of-state federal prisons. There is no added burden on busy state prosecutors and state correctional systems. In 1997, Richmond had the second highest per capita murder rate in the country. While national rates were dropping, Richmond’s was increasing. In response to the escalating gun violence, the U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Helen F. Fahey, developed and initiated Project Exile. Ms. Fahey describes the program as "simple and relatively straight forward in its execution, and requires relatively limited prosecution and enforcement resources." The consequences for criminals carrying guns are certain, severe, and swift. The message is clear — "An illegal gun gets you five years in a federal prison." The results have been dramatic. In 1998, Richmond’s homicide rate dropped 33% below 1997, the lowest since 1987. Armed robberies dropped 30% during the same period. The numbers for 1999 indicate a continued decrease. Federal prosecution has been so successful that the Virginia legislature passed new laws with severe penalties that mirror federal statutes. In Virginia, gun toting criminals are dealt with harshly. Anecdotal evidence indicates the bad guys are getting the message. A recent U.S. Attorney’s report on the Richmond program listed a number of cases where an otherwise violent criminal chose to remain unarmed. In one case, after a search and seizure warrant and an arrest