Category: Gun Control

Injunction Sought in 1st Amend. “Tyrant Registry” Lawsuit

SACRAMENTO — Today, attorneys for two Second Amendment civil rights advocates have requested an injunction in a federal First Amendment lawsuit challenging a California statute that broadly restricts the Internet publication of the home address or telephone number of any “elected or appointed official.”

“In a time where government officials are actively passing legislation to criminalize law-abiding gun owners and eliminate Second Amendment rights, the First Amendment’s protection of political speech and protest by law-abiding gun owners is more necessary than ever,” said FPC President Brandon Combs.

Plaintiff Doe Publius, filing under a pseudonym due to a fear of government retaliation and the potential for criminal prosecution under the challenged law, runs a political blog under the alias “The Real Write Wringer” and writes extensively about California politics, civil liberties, and the Second Amendment. Publius (through their Web host, WordPress.com) was served a censorious takedown letter from the California Legislative Counsel threatening litigation if their “tyrant registry,” which was posted after Governor Jerry Brown signed six new gun control bills into law on July 1, wasn’t removed due to the “grave risk” that it supposedly posed to the safety of elected officials. Publius is a member of the civil rights advocacy organization Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), which lobbied against dozens of gun control bills this year.

Another plaintiff, Derek Hoskins, is the owner of northeastshooters.com, an online forum for discussing firearms issues and shooting sports activities, news, and politics a Web forum owner. Read more

Gun Control

CGF Issues Statement on 9th Circuit Decision in 10-Day Waiting Period Case

SAN FRANCISCO – In response to today’s Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision overturning the trial court in the case of Jeff Silvester, et al., v. Attorney General Kamala Harris, a federal Second Amendment civil rights lawsuit challenging the State of California’s 10-day waiting period laws, Brandon Combs, executive director of The Calguns Foundation, has released the following statement:

“Today, this panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has proven to be more interested in their own policy preferences than the Constitution and the text, history, and tradition of the Second Amendment.

In its decision, the Court bizarrely ruled that even a person legally carrying a concealed weapon as he buys another gun at retail needs to be ‘cooled off’ for 10 days before taking possession of another constitutionally-protected firearm.

That holding is not even rational, much less should it survive any kind of heightened constitutional scrutiny compelled by the Supreme Court’s Heller and McDonald opinions. Read more

Gun Control

California City Pays NSSF Legal Fees In Ordinance Lawsuit Settlement

NEWTOWN, Conn. – The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) announced today that it and co-plaintiff City Arms East, LLC have reached an agreement with the City of Pleasant Hill, California, to end a lawsuit challenging a 2013 ordinance that sought to impose burdensome and unlawful firearms and ammunition sales restrictions on local firearms retailers.

As a result of the settlement approved by the city council on Monday night, the City of Pleasant Hill will pay $400,000 to cover legal fees incurred by NSSF and City Arms in bringing the suit.

“We were successful in our goal to protect the ability of federally-licensed firearms retailers to open, operate and grow their businesses in the City of Pleasant Hill,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. “As we predicted when the city council made its unfortunate decision to go forward with an ordinance, which only put into place duplicative, unneeded regulation and did nothing to enhance public safety, it was very likely that taxpayers would be left paying the tab for what amounts to an unwarranted political decision to target law-abiding businesses.” Read more

Gun Control

Concealed Carry Permit Numbers Up

The election of Donald Trump, endorsed by the National Rifle Association and cheered by gun owners who were skittish over Hillary Clinton, has sparked an aggressive new effort to force liberal states to take down their barriers to concealed carry permits and gun ownership, reports the Washington Examiner.

National gun groups — such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Second Amendment Foundation and the U.S. Concealed Carry Association — are eyeing legal challenges to some 10 states that make it difficult for citizens to get a carry permit.

The emerging fight was sparked by Trump’s surprise victory over gun control advocate Clinton and increased concerns among Americans, especially women and millennials, about crime and terrorism.

“It’s pure self-defense that’s driving many,” said Tim Schmidt, president of the U.S. Concealed Carry Association, based in Wisconsin. “They see these terrorist attacks, and they put themselves in the shoes of those being targeted.” Read more

Gun Control, Self Defense

Gun Owners Take Offense at Remarks by Levis CEO

West Bend, WI – The United States Conceal Carry Association responded to Levi Strauss & Co. CEO Chip Bergh who posted an open letter to customers, asking law-abiding citizens to refrain from bringing their concealed carry firearms into Levi Strauss stores. Bergh said his letter represents a “request” rather than a “mandate” or all-out ban, but he hopes customers will honor the request and enter Levi Strauss stores unarmed. Bergh suggested that the recent terrorist attacks in Nice, Orlando and Paris played a role in the decision to make this statement.

The next day, the New York Times editorialized that the self-defense argument in favor of the right to carry a concealed weapon is nothing more than a “myth.”

United States Concealed Carry Association Founder & President Tim Schmidt has released the following statement in response:

“The statements made by both of these organizations are irresponsible and insulting. As responsible, law-abiding gunowners, we know the powerful deterrent effect that responsible gun ownership has on criminals looking to commit acts of violence. You may not need a gun to try on a pair of jeans, but you may need one if a criminal enters the store seeking to harm you and your family. In fact, the CEO of Levi Strauss is suggesting that his stores become voluntary “gun free zones.” We know that these areas can easily make innocent citizens the target of those who are hunting for unarmed victims to prey upon.”

“It is also simply false for the New York Times to describe as a myth the widespread use of concealed weapons in the name of self-defense. Many of our members owe their lives to the fact that they could defend themselves when threatened by a criminal wishing to do them harm. Ask the number of people saved because law-abiding citizens carried concealed weapons whether or not the New York Times is right.” Read more

Gun Control, Self Defense

California Appellate Court Reverses Dismissal of ‘Microstamping’ Lawsuit

NEWTOWN, Conn. – A California Appellate Court has reversed the Fresno Superior Court’s dismissal of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) lawsuit seeking an injunction to block enforcement of the state’s ammunition microstamping law and remanded the case back to the lower court to hear arguments.

“We are pleased by today’s ruling because it means we will now be able to prove in court that this ill-considered law must be enjoined because it is literally impossible to comply with its requirements, and the law never requires the impossible. We have long maintained that this nascent, unproven and unreliable technology should not have been mandated. When we ultimately prevail in this case, law-abiding consumers in California will once again be able to purchase new models of pistols this law currently prevents our industry members from selling in the state,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

Ammunition, Firearms, Gun Control

USCCA Statement on Ohio State Attacks

USCCA President Tim Schmidt Offers Condolences to Victims of University Attack

West Bend, WI – United States Concealed Carry Association Founder & President Tim Schmidt has released the following statement regarding today’s attack on the campus of Ohio State University:

“Our thoughts are with the victims of today’s cowardly attack on the campus of Ohio State University and we pray for their quick recovery. We also commend the quick and courageous actions of the armed campus police officer who engaged and neutralized the attacker. As all of us learn more about this latest attack and assess what can be done to prevent future injuries or loss of life, it should not go ignored that the students and faculty affected today were left without the right to protect themselves, since state law prohibits law-abiding citizens from carrying a concealed weapon on campus. While everyone is grateful that a law enforcement officer was quickly on the scene today, that is often not the case, and it is sadly too often that laws like these make innocent citizens in ‘gun-free’ zones the target of those with bad intentions. It’s our hope that lawmakers in Ohio and across the country will reconsider these irrational laws and give law-abiding Americans the opportunity to defend themselves and others.” Read more

Firearms, Gun Control, Self Defense

OSU Knife Attack Proves the Urgency of Passing HB48

GW:  This mission to end “gun-free zones” came to mind yesterday after the terrorists attack at Ohio State University.


COLUMBUS, OH – The attack at The Ohio State University today is yet another reminder that no-gun “victim zones” do not make anyone safer.According to The Columbus Dispatch, “Nine people were injured when a man ran into pedestrians with his car on the Ohio State University campus, then exited the vehicle with a butcher knife and started cutting victims.”

Fortunately, an OSU police officer was close by and able to shoot and kill the suspect to stop the attack. But even so, those being attacked were unable to defend themselves effectively because Ohio law forbids carrying a concealed handgun on school campuses, even if school authorities may be willing to allow it.

This is why it is vital that HB 48 is passed into law. This bill would eliminate many of Ohio’s no-gun victim zones, including schools and universities. Read more

Gun Control, Self Defense

NRA’s LaPierre Releases Commentary on Presidential Election

Transcript
On November 8, you—the 5 million men and women of the National Rifle Association of America, along with the tens of millions of gun owners all over this country who followed your lead—achieved a truly extraordinary, historic, even heroic, accomplishment. In northern Florida and Pennsylvania, throughout Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan, in small towns and communities all across America, you were the special forces that swung this election and sent Donald Trump and Mike Pence to the White House.

You did this. Don’t let anybody else tell you otherwise.

In the wake of this historic event, the same disgraced group of so-called experts, talking heads, pundits and pollsters that got everything wrong before the election are trying to deceive you once again. So let me remove all doubt: gun owners made this election happen. Hillary Clinton made her hatred for the Second Amendment a central issue of this campaign and as a result of that fatal mistake, she’s on permanent political vacation. Read more

Firearms, Gun Control

USCCA: Americans Voted To Protect the Second Amendment

In the wake of Tuesday’s election, pro-gun groups say voters sent a clear message once again that gun control is not a winning issue for politicians who seek to curb American’s Second Amendment freedoms.

The race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton shined a spotlight on the Supreme Court ruling in District of Columbia v Heller (2008) in particular and the Second Amendment in general. Clinton promised universal background checks, an “assault weapons” ban, a “high capacity” magazine ban, and numerous other gun controls. Trump promised to save the Second Amendment from “people like Hillary Clinton.” And he voiced direct opposition to expanding background checks or instituting “assault weapon” or “high capacity” magazine bans. In the end, the people voted to protect Second Amendment – and the Heller decision – during a historic November 8 election. Read more

Firearms, Gun Control
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