Mr. Brinkman came to testify in favor of a motion, sponsored by Republican Chris Monzel, that would have killed the city's lawsuit against the gun industry.

        There are few state lawmakers more pro-gun than Mr. Brinkman. He carries an amendment that would allow virtually every law-abiding adult to pack heat, and is just waiting for a gun bill — any gun bill — to amend it to.

        Though he told the law committee he couldn't remember what bills he's sponsored, Mr. Brinkman has also introduced a bill (House Bill 303) that would prohibit cities from enacting any gun-control legislation.

        Mr. Cranley, a law school instructor by day, cross-examined Mr. Brinkman.

        “Do you believe that the government that's closest to the peo ple is best?”

        After some testy back-and-forth, Mr. Brinkman conceded that he generally opposes big government intervening in local affairs. But “sometimes a higher power must step in when a local authority is abusing someone's rights,” he said.

        Council eventually decided to continue the gun lawsuit.

        Chin music: Some at City Hall will have you believe that new rules drafted by freshman Councilman David Pepper have transformed council chambers from the rough-and-tumble rivalry of a football gridiron to the more collegial comportment of a baseball diamond.

        But even baseball has its brawls.

        The council's last meeting before summer recess last week ended with the Democratic and Republican camps hardly on speaking terms.

        The donnybrook started when Mr. Monzel blew the whistle on the school board's failure to adequately accommodate athletic fields in its new facilities plan. That infuriated Democrat David Crowley, who has urged city-school cooperation.

        Then Councilman Pat DeWine voted not to suspend the rules on an ordinance by Mr. Pepper and Mr. Cranley. Their proposal, which would favor union and minority contractors on private projects receiving city money, clearly has the votes to pass.

        Without suspension — usually but a formality — the ordinance must get three readings — meaning it can't be passed until September.

        In retaliation, the Democrats had Minette Cooper move to discharge Mr. Monzel's motion on the gun lawsuit from the Law Committee, and vote it down right then and there.

        Dick Hammersmith, Mr. Monzel's chief of staff, compared that move to a high-and-tight fastball, and suggested that it could end up in a bench-clearing brawl if things don't cool off before September.

        Update: Visitors to the city's Web site can now read its contents translated into Spanish, French, Russian, German, Korean and Chinese.

        But the translations are still loose, and can lead to some amusing results when the proper names of city officials are translated too literally.

        Thus, Councilman Paul Booth becomes “Cabine de Paul” (Paul's cabin) in French.

        Minette Cooper becomes “Fabricante de vinos De Minette” (winemaker of Minette) in Spanish.

        And Pat DeWine becomes “Klaps DeWine” (Spank DeWine) in German.

        City Hall reporter Gregory Korte can be reached at 768-8391 or gkorte@enquirer.com.

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