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GRNC Alert: School Safety Is Up To NC House Republicans

July 17, 2019 by

Rep. Larry Pittman (R-Cabarrus, Rowan) is planning to offer a substitute amendment to the NC Senate’s S 5 – School Safety Omnibus. It would create the position of volunteer school faculty guardian. Requirements would be a 16-hour training course from the NC Criminal Justice and Training Standards Commission, drug testing, and possession of a NC Concealed Handgun Permit. It would only apply to those who are either full or part-time faculty or staff of a school. The substitute is based upon his HB 216.

GRNC says, and I agree, that it is time to push Republicans in the proper direction on school safety.

From the alert:

SCHOOL SAFETY IS UP TO
NC HOUSE
REPUBLICANS


Pro-gun stalwart to offer full school protection bill as an amendment…

If you follow GRNC’s alerts, then you know that GRNC 4-star statesman, Rep. Larry Pittman
(Cabarrus,
Rowan), can always be counted on to stand for your gun rights. In fact,
he not only stands for them, he takes strides to advance them, and
advance a
pro-gun bill is exactly what Rep. Pittman intends to do, with your help.

Studies Show

Studies by the Crime
Prevention Research Center (CPRC), with respected researcher Dr. John Lott at its helm, have concluded that schools that allow educators and
administrators to be armed are much (much) safer than their gun-free counterparts.  To read more about the CPRC’s study, click here. Incidentally, thanks to GRNC’s hard-working volunteers, NC’s House Republicans have been made well aware of this
study and its results, so any legislator’s claimed ignorance of this truth is not viable.

Help Rep. Pittman
Help North Carolina
Rep. Pittman intends to offer House Bill 216 (H216) (School Self-Defense
Act), in its entirety, as an amendment to Senate Bill
5 (S5) (School Safety Omnibus), which is quite alive, but has just
been sent back to the Rules Committee. We must encourage the Rules
Committee
members and other House Republicans to either allow a full hearing for
H216 or to move forward with S5, with H216 as an amendment. 

Note that the addition of language
from H216 to S5 (or the passage of H216 by itself, in its entirety)
would make school protection complete—entirely practical and most
importantly: effective. The uniting of these two bills (or H216 alone)
would be a great development, however, Rep. Pittman needs your help if
this is
to happen.

Push Republicans in the Right Direction
Below,
see how you can easily contact the House Republican caucus to insist
they do the right thing. To give them the push they need, please use the
information provided below to send them a message.  (Note: GRNC will be
tracking legislators’ votes on this, and it will go down on
their gun-rights record—for better or worse).

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IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

  • EMAIL THE REPUBLICAN HOUSE CAUCUS: Apart
    from a few reliable pro-gun statesman, the copy/paste email list(s)
    below will allow
    you to send your message to all House Republicans. For the message body,
    use the copy/paste text provided in the ‘Deliver This Message’
    section, also below.

  • PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO GRNC: Help us fight gun control while we promote Second Amendment principles. Please CLICK HERE to contribute. Bear in mind that GRNC is an all-volunteer organization, so you can be sure your
    donations are put to the best possible use. Any amount helps, and any amount is appreciated.
NC House Republicans Copy/Paste Email *Lists(s):

Dean.Arp@ncleg.net;
Lisa.Barnes@ncleg.net; John.Bell@ncleg.net;
Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net; Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net;
William.Brisson@ncleg.net; Mark.Brody@ncleg.net;
Dana.Bumgardner@ncleg.net; Jerry.Carter@ncleg.net;
Debra.Conrad@ncleg.net; Kevin.Corbin@ncleg.net; Ted.Davis@ncleg.net;
Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.net; Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net; Jeffrey.Elmore@ncleg.net;
John.Faircloth@ncleg.net; John.Fraley@ncleg.net;
Edward.Goodwin@ncleg.net; Holly.Grange@ncleg.net; Destin.Hall@ncleg.net;

Kyle.Hall@ncleg.net; Bobby.Hanig@ncleg.net;
Jon.Hardister@ncleg.net; Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net;
Cody.Henson@ncleg.net; Craig.Horn@ncleg.net; Julia.Howard@ncleg.net;
Chris.Humphrey@ncleg.net;
Pat.Hurley@ncleg.net; Frank.Iler@ncleg.net; Steve.Jarvis@ncleg.net;
LindaP.Johnson@ncleg.net; Brenden.Jones@ncleg.net;
Donny.Lambeth@ncleg.net;
David.Lewis@ncleg.net; Pat.McElraft@ncleg.net; Chuck.McGrady@ncleg.net;
Allen.McNeill@ncleg.net; Tim.Moore@ncleg.net; Gregory.Murphy@ncleg.net;

Larry.Potts@ncleg.net;
Michele.Presnell@ncleg.net; Dennis.Riddell@ncleg.net;
David.Rogers@ncleg.net; Stephen.Ross@ncleg.net; Jason.Saine@ncleg.net;
Wayne.Sasser@ncleg.net;
John.Sauls@ncleg.net; Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.net; Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net;
Carson.Smith@ncleg.net; Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.net;
Larry.Strickland@ncleg.net;
John.Szoka@ncleg.net; John.Torbett@ncleg.net; Rena.Turner@ncleg.net;
Harry.Warren@ncleg.net; Donna.White@ncleg.net;
Larry.Yarborough@ncleg.net;
Lee.Zachary@ncleg.net

*
Spam filters and the limitations of some
email programs may require you to send this message to a smaller list of
recipients. If necessary in your case, the above email list is
conveniently
split into multiple parts to allow you to easily send this message more
than once—once to each list.

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
Suggested Subject: “Republicans Must Protect School Children Now”  
Dear Representative,

I’m delighted to have learned of the push to amend S5 (School Safety Omnibus) with the entirety of H216 (School Self-Defense Act).
The uniting of these two bills would be a wonderful development and is
exactly what is required to protect North Carolina’s school children in a
practical and effective manner. I have also been informed that S5 has
been sent back to the Rules Committee, which would allow for a committee
hearing for S5 in the coming days.

With the protection of the children in our state’s schools in
mind, I must insist that one of two things occur:

1) H216, in its entirety, should be heard on the House floor and receive a vote; or

2) SB5 should be heard in the Rules committee, and H216 should subsequently be allowed as an amendment.

Through the work of the Crime Prevention
Research
Center, with respected researcher Dr. John Lott at its helm, we now have
unambiguous, academic studies showing schools that allow teachers and
faculty
to be armed are much, much safer than their gun-free counterparts. There
is just no way around it, allowing adults who are on scene to protect
their
students in a practical, immediate manner is the only way to effectively
save the lives of school children, should the worst occur.

With this in mind, Representative,
whose
side are you on? I know which side I’m on, the side that puts children
under an umbrella of genuine protection, an umbrella provided by the
responsible adults who surround them.

Our state’s school children must be protected. To make this
good and proper sentiment a reality, I insist that you push for the
uniting of H216 and S5, or a full hearing and vote for H216, that you
vote for them in committee (where that may apply), and on the House
floor,
ultimately voting in favor of protecting school children.

I’ve been informed that GRNC will be
tracking votes on the amendment and on the amended bill. Of course, gun
owners will also be watching, but perhaps most importantly, concerned
parents will be watching.

I’ll be monitoring your actions on this matter through alerts from Grass
Roots North Carolina.

Respectively, 
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Tom Gresham On The NRA And LaPierre

July 16, 2019 by 6 Comments

Tom Gresham, host of Gun Talk Radio, has called for Wayne LaPierre to step down. He addressed the troubles with the NRA this past Sunday on his radio show. To anyone who doubts his credentials in service to the Second Amendment, I’d remind them he is on the Board of Directors for the Second Amendment Foundation and on the Board of Governors of the National Shooting Sports Foundation plus his long running radio show.

His comments start at the 2:08 mark and end at 11:54. It is worth spending the 10 minutes to listen to Tom’s entire commentary.

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Cam Edwards Is The New Editor Of Bearing Arms

July 15, 2019 by 1 Comment

With the closure of NRATV, Cam Edwards of Cam & Co., NRA News, etc. was free to seek new opportunities. He announced today that he is becoming the new editor of BearingArms.com. The site is part of the Townhall/Salem group of companies.

From the announcement:

This is a critical time for our right to keep and bear arms. Never before have American gun control activists been so emboldened. From gun bans and confiscation to the tracking of gun owners’ ammunition purchases (not to mention licensing and registration schemes), a constitutional right is being treated as if it is a privilege. Even worse, Americans who dare to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights are being otherized by the news media, politicians, celebrities, and anti-gun advocates. If they can’t repeal the right to keep and bear arms, they’ll do everything they can to de-normalize it.

As the new editor of BearingArms.com I want to expose those attempts at delegitimizing our constitutional rights and the Americans who exercise them, but that’s only half the battle. We need to tell the stories of the countless men and women who are fighting to not just keep our rights secure, but to make them stronger than ever. From courtrooms to boardrooms, in tree stands and in state capitols, there are millions of us who aren’t just bearing arms, but are bearing witness to the power of self-defense, of hunting, of competition, and even the therapeutic benefits of shooting. It’s up to us to tell and share these stories, and we will.

You can read the remainder of it here.

Congratulations to Cam. His Cam & Co. was the one part of NRATV really worth saving. I’m sure he’ll do a great job. Since the suicide of Bob Owens and the departure of Jenn Jacques, I have only read the site sporadically. I think I’ll be reading it more often.

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Larry Vickers’ Delta Force Colt 723 Carbine

July 15, 2019 by

Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons posted an interview with Larry Vickers. They discussed his Colt 723 carbine that he was issued when he was first with SOF-D aka Delta Force.

Ian says in the description for this episode:

Use of carbines like this one by Delta and other special forces groups set the stage for the adoption of the M4 Carbine and Aimpoint M68 optic by the US military at large, and it’s very interesting to listen to Larry’s first-hand experience of how and why it was put together.

By the way, if you want to duplex magazines like that, Matt Bracken (Enemies Foreign and Domestic) has an excellent “how-to” article on it here. I’ve done it with black duct tape and a thin dowel.

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The Old Guard Is Not Happy And Marion Wants Us To Know It

July 15, 2019 by 4 Comments

Marion Hammer, former NRA president and WLP supporter extraordinaire, sent out a public email today that was posted to Facebook. She takes the position that the purges are the prerogative of the president and that those who got purged were “not professional”. What an utter crock of bullshit.

Those purged – and especially those whose purge hasn’t been made public yet – are, on the whole, some of the most professional, most responsible, most cognizant of their fiduciary responsibility, and most serious about the Second Amendment on the whole board. That they are not toadies to Wayne and his posse says something about their dedication to the mission of the NRA which is the Second Amendment and not the preservation of Wayne’s job.

Since Ms. Hammer chooses to include bloggers as those that have suspect motives, let me tell you mine with regard to the NRA. As an Endowment Life member I want to see a stronger, more pro-active advocate for the Second Amendment. Moreover, while I am a conservative/libertarian, I want the NRA to focus exclusively on the Second Amendment and gun rights. I don’t care what your position is on abortion, I don’t care whether you approve or disapprove of the LGBTQ community, and I don’t care about hundreds of extraneous issues not related to the Second Amendment. I care about the Second Amendment. Period. Finally, as someone who has served as both an officer and on the Board of Directors of a non-profit organization, I want to see a Board of Directors taking their fiduciary responsibility seriously and making the hired management subservient to them and not vice-versa. Unfortunately, it seems that the Board is subservient to Wayne and not the other way around.

Read Ms. Hammer’s entire missive and make up your own mind. I’ve reprinted it below.

—–Original Message—–
From: mphammer1
To: MPHammer1
Sent: Sun, Jul 14, 2019 12:06 pm
Subject: Committee Assignments

DATE: July 14, 2019
TO: NRA Board Members and Friends
FROM: Marion P. Hammer, NRA Past President
RE: Committee Assignments

Committee assignments are the prerogative of the President of the National Rifle Association of America. The assignment process is taken very seriously with meetings in person and even more meetings over teleconferences. I don’t know of any NRA President who hasn’t consulted with other officers and leaders before making the final selections.

This year the process took longer because there were numerous discussions. To say that this year is unlike any other would be an understatement. The NRA finds itself under attack. These attacks are well funded. They are well coordinated. They come from noteworthy and powerful gun control advocates.

But, they are not the only ones attacking the NRA. We are also under attack by one of our former vendors. These attacks have been particularly nasty and have played out in the press.

And, it doesn’t stop there. Some within our ranks – members of the NRA Board of Directors – have joined in these attacks. There have been leaks of proprietary and confidential information to the front pages of newspapers, websites and social media pages.

Members of the board have a fiduciary responsibility to act in the best interests of our Association. Yet, some have chosen not to do so. When given the opportunity to speak their minds, silence was chosen. And now, after the time to be heard in an appropriate setting has passed, the agitation continues. That is truly unfortunate.

We must now move on. Those who truly care about the Second Amendment and Freedom will move on. The NRA has real work to do. We have significant challenges – the 2019 elections and of course the pivotal 2020 elections. Let’s not forget, we must get through these politically motivated witch hunts in New York and now the District of Columbia.

Some board members were, in fact, stripped of their committee assignments. I know that was a hard decision. But, we stand behind it. I went through it myself in 1997 and it was the right thing to do. Some have made reference to a “naughty” and a “nice” list. But it’s actually more of a “professional” and “not professional” list. There are 76 of us. We don’t expect all of us to march lockstep. But, we must will hold steadfast that board members must act in a professional manner. That is a non-negotiable.

To those who are seeking facts, it is recommended that you review our legal documents – including the attachments – all available in the public arena. If you have trouble accessing these documents, simply request them and they will be emailed to you. Using news stories, a blog or social media post or relying on leaks to form your judgements only means that you’re forming your opinions based on the viewpoint of the author. Who knows what their motives may be?

There are also numerous well-informed board members who have taken the time and made the effort to learn the facts rather than rely on falsehoods and gossip. Reach out to them – it is your duty and in the NRA’s best interests that you inform yourself of what the NRA is really facing and what the NRA is really doing about it.

As I said earlier, these committee assignments are – and always have been – the prerogative of the President. Those who didn’t get an assignment might want to consider whether or not they want to help us save the Second Amendment or continue on a course detrimental to NRA and our mission. The decision is ultimately theirs.”

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The Purges Continue, Part IV

July 14, 2019 by 1 Comment

In my Facebook feed this morning I saw another member of the NRA Board of Directors got cut off from his committees. This time it is LTC Robert Brown who has been a board member for a long time and has been outspoken about things including AckMac for years. Brown is the founder and publisher of Soldier of Fortune magazine.

From his Facebook post:

FYI, all SoF’ers… I also have been dropped off “Grassroots Development Committee,” “Veteran’s Affairs,” and “Legislative Policy.” No body in the NRA power structure has the guts to explain to me why this was done. NRA leadership lacks any moral character and basically falls under the label of loathsome toads.

I don’t know if this represent all committees that Col. Brown served on or not. I do have a message into him asking about that.

UPDATE: Col. Brown was reappointed to the Publications Committee and the Special Contributions Committee but dropped from those mentioned above. He was kind enough to respond to my Facebook messenger question.

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A Brief History Of Rye Whiskey

July 13, 2019 by 1 Comment

This is a somewhat wry look at the history of rye whiskey. My pun is fully intended.

In terms of the rye whiskeys that I’ve actually tried, they include Bulleit, Wild Turkey (not a fan), Woodford Reserve, Old Henry Clay, Sazerac, and Michters. I really am not sure if they are Maryland ryes or Pennsylvania/Monogahela ryes.

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The Purges Continue, Part III

July 12, 2019 by 1 Comment

Another day and another NRA Board member reports that he has been removed from all his committees. In this case, it is Sean Maloney of Ohio. He, along with Tim Knight, are two of the stalwarts of the grass roots in the NRA. When the recall campaign began in Colorado a few years ago, both he and Tim answered the call and went to Colorado to help in the successful effort.

You may also recall that when CarryGuard was introduced, a number of companies that offered legal protection services for concealed carriers were summarily disinvited to the NRA Annual Meeting and Expo in Atlanta. Sean Maloney’s Second Call Defense was one of those organizations.

Below is the form letter that Sean received from NRA President Carolyn Meadows.

Sean responded to Mrs. Meadows with this letter:

July 12, 2019


Carolyn D. Meadows
President NRA
National Rifle Association of America
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA 22030


RE: NRA Committee Assignments for 2019-2020


Dear Madam President,


I recently received notification from you, that you removed me from all my NRA Board of Directors Committee Assignments, with no explanation. Even after repeated phone calls to you, which resulted in voicemails asking for a return call, I still have not received a return phone call, letter or email of explanation.


Shockingly, you even removed me from the NRA-ILA Grassroots Development Committee, after many years of serving on that committee with perfect attendance. After years of volunteer grassroots activism, I was recognized in 2010 with the NRA-ILA Jay M. Littlefield Volunteer of the Year Award and recognized on the floor of the Ohio House of Representatives for my work as an Election Volunteer Coordinator for NRA-ILA in Ohio.


In 2012, I was inducted into the NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coordinator Hall of Fame, resulting from my time and dedication to the Grassroots Division as an Election Volunteer Coordinator.


Over the years, as a Volunteer for the NRA, paying my own way for travel expenses, and receiving no compensation from the NRA, I have continued to dedicate myself to grassroots activism.


In 2013, I traveled to Colorado to participate in the successful recall election effort of two anti-gun Senators. Again, in 2013, I traveled to Virginia under the direction of NRA-ILA Grassroots Division to campaign on behalf of pro-gun Gubernatorial, Senate of Virginia and Virginia House of Delegates Candidates.


In 2014, I traveled to Connecticut, Iowa and Ohio, under the direction of NRA-ILA Grassroots Division and campaigned on behalf of Federal State and Local pro-gun candidates during Primary and General Elections.


In 2015, I traveled to Virginia under the direction of NRA-ILA Grassroots Division to campaign on behalf of Senate of Virginia and Virginia House of Delegates pro-gun Candidates.


In 2016, I traveled to Florida to assist in the General Election; that same election cycle I returned to Ohio where I volunteered for the top NRA-ILA Campaign Field Office in the Country, in support of Donald Trump, and other Federal, State and Local candidates.


In 2018, I campaigned in Ohio under the direction of NRA-ILA Grassroots Division on behalf of Federal, State, and Local candidates. I also hosted a pro-gun meet and greet Ohio Candidate Forum for all Federal, State, and Local pro-gun candidates up for election in Ohio. In Ohio, under the direction of the NRA-ILA, I assisted in successfully electing a 100% pro-gun Executive Slate.


Earlier this year, in May, I co-hosted a shooting event for my pro-gun Congressman Warren Davidson. Most recently, I traveled to Sandusky County, Ohio, and spoke to a “100 NRA Club” considering ending its affiliation with the NRA, because of recent concerns. I successfully persuaded them to remain an NRA Club.


Yet, after all I have done in support of the Grassroots Development Committee, and all the other NRA Committees of which I faithfully served, I was blacklisted. I can only surmise, that I was blacklisted for taking actions to obey my oath as an NRA Board Member, and follow the Code of Ethics for Directors of Nonprofit Corporations; which required me to exercise my fiduciary duty of care; which caused me to question management decisions within the NRA, and to further investigate matters of which I was made aware.


I respectfully request that you reconsider your decision to remove me from all Committees, particularly the Grassroots Development Committee, and reappoint me to the Grassroots Development Committee, and further communicate to me your rational for removing me from all my Committee assignments.


Very truly yours,


/s/ Sean Maloney


Sean Maloney


enclosure

Sean is only the latest Board member to acknowledge his removal from committees. There will be more to come. Of that you can be sure.

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Another AG Gets Into The Act (Against The NRA)

July 12, 2019 by 2 Comments

First it was NY Attorney General Letitia James who issued subpoenas to the National Rifle Association as part of an investigation to see whether they are violating New York’s non-profit organization laws. Now it seems that Karl Racine, Attorney General for the District of Columbia, wants to get into the action.

From the Washington Post which first reported it:

The office of Attorney General Karl A. Racine is seeking financial documents from the NRA and its foundation. The NRA Foundation is chartered in the District and the NRA is registered as a nonprofit and does business there.

“The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia has issued subpoenas to the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and the NRA Foundation, Inc., as part of an investigation into whether these entities violated the District’s Nonprofit Act,” Racine said in a statement.

He continued: “We are seeking documents from these two nonprofits detailing, among other things, their financial records, payments to vendors, and payments to officers and directors.”

The Code of the District of Columbia gives the Attorney General significant powers when it comes to non-profit corporations. The Attorney General can seek the dissolution of a non-profit, can impose “a constructive trust” on compensation for directors, officers, and managers, and can seek other equitable or injunctive relief as the courts deem necessary. The language of the code gives him great leeway in bringing such actions. For example, if he deems that the corporation has “continued to act contrary to its nonprofit purposes”, this give his office grounds to bring actions in court. That language is so wide open that virtually any non-profit could be taken to court if the Attorney General has an axe to grind. Racine has used these laws against the Trump inaugural committee and the Catholic Church.

How many more of these type actions will it take for the Wayne LaPierre loyalists on the NRA Board of Directors to realize that they have a serious problem on their hands? I fear that unfortunately all we will get is another “ignore the man behind the curtain, all is OK” statement from the Meadows-Cotton-Lee cabal as opposed to the concrete actions needed to shore up the NRA.

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The Purge Continues, Part II (Updated)

July 10, 2019 by 2 Comments

More NRA Board of Directors are announcing that they’ve received notification of being removed from their prior committees. The latest is Duane Liptak. In addition to being a board member, he is the Executive VP of Magpul Industries as well as a veteran of the US Marine Corps where he served as both an infantryman and as a F/A-18 pilot.

From his Facebook post:

I’ve been out of the office, but I’m back now. Last year, I was chairman of the education and training committee, I was on military and veterans affairs, and I was on sport shooting and action shooting. I’ve repeatedly requested finance and legislative policy since I started my involvement with the NRA, and I have attended those meetings whenever I could. I guess I’ll have less schedule conflicts to worry about when attending other meetings since I’ve been stripped of all my formal committee assignments except action shooting. I guess at least Julie A. Golob still likes me. 😁 Despite a lot of effort on my part to promote the importance of the organization and remind folks of the capabilities of the NRA that we must preserve as we move forward, I have landed on the “naughty list”. This needs to get sorted out, now.

Duane is correct about his role in promoting the importance of the NRA. A quick Google search shows open letters from him as well as an op-ed stressing the role of the NRA in promoting and preserving gun rights.

You can see his committee assignment below.

I guess since Duane is assigned to at least one committee, he is only on the slightly naughty list unlike Tim, Allen, and Esther who are on the really naughty list. I’m not sure what he said to run afoul of Wayne and his toadies but he must have said something.

UPDATE: It was confirmed to me today that Tiffany Johnson was removed from the Outreach Committee. Given she is an attorney, a trainer with Rangemaster, a woman, and not the least a person of color, removing her from that committee in retribution for her open letter to the Board of Directors was both stupid and vindictive. As she says in her blog post about her service on the committee, her suggestions and comments were well received until “the letter”.  Just when the NRA needs to be broadening its base and have the ideal person to help in Tiffany, they do something like this. Stupid, stupid, stupid!