Yes, David Gregory’s display of an empty high-capacity gun magazine during his December Meet the Press interview with the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre was technically illegal under D.C. law. However, it was announced on Friday, no one will be prosecuted for the broadcast because — as every semi-reasonable person agreed from the beginning — doing so would be a silly waste of public time and resources. D.C. attorney general Irvin Nathan wrote that, after considering the matter, his office “determined to exercise its prosecutorial discretion to decline to bring criminal charges against” Gregory and NBC. “Under all of the circumstances here a prosecution would not promote public safety in the District of Columbia nor serve the best interests of the people of the District to whom this office owes its trust.” He did add that Gregory should have used “legal means” to demonstrate his point about gun control, and we’re sure Meet the Press’s staffers will be extra, extra careful next time.
