Category: Gun Control

CCRKBA Supports New School Safety Initiative

BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today threw its support behind a new effort by President Donald Trump’s administration aimed at improving school safety with the launch of a dedicated website to provide information to help local school districts shape their own strategies.

The SchoolSafety.gov website is described as a “one stop shop for resources, best practices, federal programs, and grants for school safety.” President Trump met with families of students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who died in the tragic Feb. 14 shooting almost two years ago.

“We think this is a step in the right direction,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, “because it focuses on actual school security without proposing restrictions on law-abiding firearms owners that would not improve school safety, nor would they have prevented the tragedy in Parkland. Read more

Gun Control, Self Defense

SAF Joins Amicus Brief in Calif. Gun Ban Challenge

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation is joining several other rights organizations in an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in support of a case challenging California’s ban on so-called “assault rifles.”

SAF is joined by the Firearms Policy Coalition, Firearms Policy Foundation, Madison Society Foundation, California Gun Rights Foundation and Independence Institute in the brief. They are represented by attorney Joseph G.S. Greenlee of Sacramento.

The case is known as Stephen Rupp, et. al. v. Xavier Becerra.

Plaintiffs/appellants are challenging the California ban on firearms in common use, asking the court whether that ban violates the Second Amendment, which was incorporated to the states via the 14th Amendment almost ten years ago in a landmark Supreme Court ruling known as McDonald v. City of Chicago, a SAF case. Read more

Gun Control

SAF, ISRA File Suit against Illinois State Police

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation and Illinois State Rifle Association have filed suit in U.S. District Court against the Illinois State Police, ISP Director Brendan Kelly and Jessica Trame in her official capacity as Bureau Chief of the Illinois State Police Firearms Services Bureau, alleging they have allowed Firearm Owner Identification Card and Concealed Carry applications to languish for interminable periods, thus violating the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Illinois citizens.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Illinois residents Ryan A. Thomas and Goran Lazic. Plaintiffs are represented by attorneys David G. Sigale of Wheaton and Gregory Bedell of Chicago. The lawsuit is known as Thomas, et.al. v. Illinois State Police, et.al.

The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division federal court, says ISP “has swept or transferred funds totaling more than $29,500,000.00 from the State Police Firearms Services Fund, the State Police Operations Assistance Fund, and the State Police Services Fund away from these funds and into other accounts.” According to the complaint, “The money was to be used for three purposes: administration of the Firearm Owners Identification Card (“FOID Card Act”), background checks for firearm-related services, and concealed carry licensing pursuant to the Firearms Concealed Carry Act (“FCCA”). Instead, the more than $29,500,000.00 has been subject to interfund transfers which are ostensibly to be repaid but which have not been, or swept into other accounts without an obligation to reimburse the funds at all.” Read more

Gun Control

CCRKBA: Bloomberg Bought Va., Now He’s Trying to Buy the U.S.

BELLEVUE, WA – Anti-gun billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety lobbying group will spend at least $60 million to support gun control candidates in 2020, leading the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms to declare “Last year he bought Virginia, now he’s trying to buy the United States.”

“Virginia was a test of Bloomberg’s buying power,” CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb observed, “and look how that has worked out. Now his gun prohibition lobbying group is promising to roll out the big bucks to buy state legislative and congressional races nationwide. He is weaponizing his wealth in an attempt to purchase the presidency, along with Capitol Hill and every state legislature in hopes of forcing every American to live under his dictates.” Read more

Gun Control

NSSF Campaign Highlights Gun Owners’ Concern for Safety

NSSF Launches Campaign to Highlight Gun Owners’ Contributions and Concern for Safety and Community

Gun Owners CareSM Pushes Back Against Shaming Good and Responsible Citizens

LAS VEGAS — With gun owners increasingly the target of efforts to shame and disrespect them simply for exercising their constitutional right to own a firearm, the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) is responding with a campaign to educate the public about the care gun owners have for their neighbors and communities.

NSSF has launched the Gun Owners Care initiative because it believes members of the firearms-owning community deserve respect for being good, concerned citizens and proud defenders of a unique American heritage.

“Gun owners are your neighbors, co-workers, parishioners, community leaders, politicians, doctors and others you interact with in everyday life,” said NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi. “Gun owners are not uncommon—we number 100 million in America—and we’re certainly not on the fringe of society, as some try to make people believe. Gun owners abhor the misuse of firearms as much as anyone, and they work to promote firearm safety and to better their communities as much as anyone. In short, gun owners care.” Read more

Firearms, Gun Control

Los Angeles Backs Down, Repeals Ordinance Targeting NRA

City is the Latest Governmental Body to Face Legal Reckoning Over Unlawful Attack

The Los Angeles City Council today voted to formally repeal a controversial city ordinance requiring contractors seeking to do business with the city to disclose ties to the National Rifle Association (NRA). The decision is another legal victory for the Association, which argued that the ordinance violated its First Amendment right to free speech in court and won an injunction blocking the law.

“The same City officials who vowed to defend this ordinance are on the run,” said Jason Ouimet, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “In addition to the NRA members they wronged, city officials must now answer to voters and taxpayers for their failed experiment, and explain why they recklessly subjected the city to legal and financial exposure.”

Initially approved on February 12, 2019, City Ordinance No 186000 took effect on April 1, 2019. The NRA filed suit against the city on April 24, 2019. The NRA argued that the ordinance would unjustly cut off “revenue streams necessary for the NRA to continue engaging in protected speech and association” by discouraging membership and stigmatizing business relationships and sponsorships.

The Court agreed. On December 11, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen V. Wilson granted a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the ordinance, stating that the NRA was likely to show that the law violated its rights and would cause irreparable harm. Read more

Gun Control

New Jersey Fails to Strike Down Challenge to Magazine Ban

Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit denied a motion made by the State of New Jersey to dismiss and end ANJRPC’s case challenging NJ’s ban on magazines holding over 10 rounds of ammunition. The decision means that New Jersey’s rush to end the case has been defeated and that the case will proceed.

New Jersey officials prematurely declared victory in press releases very early in the case, when the lowest federal court declined to hear it. On appeal to the Third Circuit (middle-level federal appeals court), NJ urged the court to dismiss that appeal as well, but the court has now refused. That means that the appeal will proceed, and New Jersey will be forced to defend its unconstitutional law on appeal.

Gun Control

CCRKBA: “Hidden Agenda” Behind Impeachment

BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today declared there is a “hidden agenda” behind the impeachment efforts of House Democrats led by Nancy Pelosi and it is designed to tie up the U.S. Senate and derail efforts to confirm more pro-Second Amendment judges to the federal courts.

“It is clear to us that Capitol Hill anti-gunners are doing everything in their power to prevent confirmation of conservative judges who will adhere to the Constitution,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “By burdening the Senate with this nonsense, Democrats believe they can prevent confirmation of pro-Second Amendment judicial nominees during the final year of President Donald Trump’s first term.”

Gottlieb noted that the president is fulfilling perhaps his most important campaign pledge, which was to bring balance back to the federal courts. Restoring that balance could be the president’s greatest legacy, he said. Read more

Gun Control

USCCA Celebrates Defeat of Pittsburgh Gun Laws

USCCA Update: America’s Responsible Protectors Win Their Day in Pennsylvania Court

The USSCA is hailing a long overdue decision by a Pennsylvania judge this week for striking down all three of Pittsburgh’s restrictive and unlawful gun ordinances that were passed by the City Council earlier this year. Calling it “a huge victory for self-defense and gun rights advocates,” the USCCA has been a vocal opponent of the Pittsburgh ordinances since they were first announced last December.

USCCA’s President and Founder Tim Schmidt made the following statement today:

“Of course, we’re thrilled with the decision. It’s just not every day you see a victory like this for responsibly armed Americans. A huge part of the problem is that many people simply don’t understand this simple fact: Responsible gun owners are amongst the most law-abiding citizens in the country. At the end of the day, we’re focused on protecting the people we love.” Read more

Gun Control

NSSF Welcomes Federal Court’s Dismissal of Case Against Firearms Manufacturers

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) welcomes the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio Eastern Division’s dismissal with prejudice of the Primus Group v. Smith & Wesson, et. al. case. The decision was delivered Oct. 9, brushing aside the frivolous claims against several AR-15 firearms manufacturers, including Smith & Wesson, Remington Arms Company, Sig Sauer, Sturm, Ruger & Company, Colt’s Manufacturing and Armalite.“This decision by the federal judge to dismiss with prejudice this frivolous case is pleasing, if not unexpected,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs and General Counsel. “These are lawful and federally-regulated AR-15 modern sporting rifle manufacturers that make semiautomatic rifles for lawful purposes. The judge was absolutely correct to assert that the proper venue to establish public firearms policy is through the legislature and not the courts.”

Primus Group, LLC, is an entertainment venue in Columbus, Ohio. The limited liability company filed suit after the tragic murders in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio. They claimed racketeering, intentional misrepresentation claims and “a clear and present danger” of all American lives due to “assault weapons.” The modern sporting rifles manufactured and sold by the companies named as defendants are semiautomatic rifles, meaning one round is fired for each trigger pull.

The court found the plaintiffs had no standing to bring the case against the defendants. This decision rightfully asserts that those who purposefully and criminally misuse firearms are the ones who are responsible for those crimes. It further affirms that activist lawsuits to prompt judicial action are not the proper avenue to establish policy. Read more

Gun Control
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