Marty Daniel of Daniel Defense just endorsed the ElectANewNRA slate of candidates in a video message. I had heard many in the firearms industry were coming around to the reform side. That said, this is huge and I very grateful for the support from Marty.
You can view the whole 1:30 video below:
Pamela Hicks, ATF Chief Counsel since September 2021, was fired yesterday by Attorney General Pam Bondi. Hicks, a graduate of Duke Law, had served at ATF for a total of 14 plus years with additional service at the Department of Justice and Department of the Treasury. She had been promoted to Chief Counsel from the Deputy Counsel position. At the time of her promotion, an article by John Crump pointed out that Hicks had donated to Democrat candidates including Hillary Clinton along with Emily’s List. I’m sure that helped confirm her bona fides to the Biden Administration.
According to ABC News, Hicks was escorted out of her office upon being fired. Hicks posted a note on her LinkedIn page that said she had been fired but did not specify the reason.
Earlier today, I was served official notice from the Attorney General of the United States that I was being removed from my position as the Chief Counsel of ATF and my employment with the Department of Justice terminated. I have had the privilege of serving in the federal civil service for almost 28 years, including 23 as an attorney for the Department of Justice. Serving as ATF Chief Counsel has been the highest honor of my career and working with the people at ATF and throughout the Department has been a pleasure.
As The Firearm Blog notes, Hicks had a mixed batting record given the Biden-era rulings coming out of ATF such as the pistol brace rule.
Over the past few years, the ATF has been involved with cases such as the Pistol Brace Flip-Flop, where the feds were in the odd position of saying pistol-stabilizing braces were illegal and then saying they weren’t, and then saying they’d decide on a case-by-case basis with no real guidance.
These and other Second Amendment-suspicious situations do not indicate strong leadership or solid legal groundwork, and whether you were looking at the situation from an anti-gun or a pro-gun viewpoint, it is no surprise to see Hicks punted a few weeks after ATF Director Steven Dettelbach left. With a new director incoming, whoever that may be, the agency will also likely want to clean house of previous personnel and policies.
ATF quickly erased her from their page devoted to the bureau’s leadership. She still can be found on the older page which featured Steve Dettelbach as Director.
Of course, the gun control industry is upset by this.
Brady United President Kris Brown called the firing “chilling” and said “we are all at greater risk.” Everytown and The Cult of Personality known as Giffords have not posted anything as of yet concerning her firing. The latter seems more concerned with Kash Patel winning confirmation as the Director of the FBI.
As for me, I say it is a good first step. I hope more firings are to come.
Update: Hicks first job after graduation from Duke Law was with the law firm of Crowell and Moring. I was just reading an article by 2A scholar David Kopel on the Volokh Conspiracy regarding an amicus brief submitted by the NRA, FPC Action Foundation, and the Independence Institute in Smith & Wesson Brands v. Mexico. It was authored by he and NRA-ILA’s Joe Greenlee. The response attacking this brief came from none other than lawyers affiliated with Crowell and Moring.
Why am I not surprised? One must wonder if former Chief Counsel Hicks was involved in recruiting her former firm to submit the response brief.
This is also another case of Big Law wanting subvert gun rights.
Grass Roots North Carolina has issued an alert about the actions of the Pitt County (NC) County Commissioners. The commissioners have passed a firearms ordinance that makes discharge of a firearm between certain hours a misdemeanor. In the meantime, they are also considering a change to their zoning ordinances that make the discharge ordinance a moving target. I guess one should not be surprised that this is coming from a county named after a British prime minister.
From the GRNC Alert:
| PITT CO. CONTINUES ITS OVERREACH ITEMS ON AGENDA FOR 2/24/2025 MEETING |
“In Pitt County’s desperate attempt to “do something” about their imported criminal problem, they can’t seem to accurately define exactly what needs to be prohibited… In their repeated rewrites, they can’t even conform regulations to what the state already has in statute. It’s hard for them to make up definitions. “Propellants” are used in modern cartridges, not “explosives”. But it’s not our job to help them accurately rewrite their infringements.PITT CO.’s Latest firearm ordinance Discharging A Firearm at Night, criminalize “firearm” discharges at night between the hours of 9:30 PM until 6:30 AM as a Class 3 misdemeanor and a fine of not more than $500 and/or imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days.At most, this should be a civil infraction or covered by a noise ordinance. This is a ham-fisted clumsily attempt to address noise complaints with overreaching criminal consequences. The ordinance is also a moving target dependent upon fluid “zoning” regulations and definitions changeable under Pitt County Zoning Ordinance 12. It’s just bad rulemaking open to interpretation and changeable via whim. Emotionally charged language criminalizes and over penalizes what should at most be infractions of law. Further more, this likely conflicts with the NC General assembly’s latest rulemaking on “downzoning” and has criminal implications. How can this possibly be enforced without complicated interpretations of zoning law. And why should any consequences be determined or adjudicated through a “zoning” board of appeals. GRNC is of course against unlawful, irresponsible and dangerous behavior that results in firearms rounds crossing into or across another person’s property or public areas. However, the Discharging a Firearm Across Property Lines ordinance is unnecessarily full of emotionally charged language with examples such as “parks”, “childcare facility”, “Schools”, “medical facility”, “park” or “recreational area”. Are other areas, locations not named, or not included not significant? These areas need to be removed, and legally defensible language used. GRNC urges every citizen to oppose these unnecessary infringements and write Pitt county commissioners: “GRNC strongly urges you to oppose the proposed ordinance. If the commission insists on passing this ill conceived ordinance into law, at least reduce the penalty for discharge of a firearm at night to a civil infraction.” |
| IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED! |
| CALL & EMAIL PITT CO. COMMISSIONERS: If you previously called, please do it again! Using the contact information and copy-and-paste message below, you can make your outrage heard to these meddling bureaucrats. ATTEND THE FEB 24th MEETING: The Pitt Co. Commission plans to vote on the ordinance on FEB 24th. We must again pack this meeting with angry gun rights voters. The meeting will be held at 6:00 PM at the Mark Owens, Jr. Auditorium, Pitt County Agricultural Center 403 Government Circle Greenville, NC 27834, Commissioners’ Auditorium, Greenville, NC 27834. A GRNC representative will be at the meeting. 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. CONTACT INFO Copy & paste list: (Note: The copy and paste list does not include Commissioner Lauren White, who opposes the ordinance. To express your thanks for her opposition, you may email her at her e-mail address listed below): rochelle@rochellebrown.net; ann.floydhuggins@pittcountync.gov; benji.holloman@pittcountync.gov ; king2006mac@yahoo.com; Chris.Nunnally@gmail.com; pittcounty.commissionerd2@gmail.com; mark.smith@pittcountync; mac1958@centurylink.net Phone numbers (all numbers 252 area code): Rochelle Brown 702-1987 Ann Floyd Huggins 252-757-1444 Benji Holloman 714-6311 Melvin C. McLawhorn 327-6559 Christopher Nunnally 917-7374 Mary Perkins-Williams 751-6686 Mark C. Smith 916-5171 Mac Manning 341-0001 Lauren already opposes the ordinances: So please give her your appreciation Lauren White, 341-5522, laurenashley318@yahoo.com |
| DELIVER THIS MESSAGE |
Suggested Subject: “Oppose PITT CO. Shooting Ordinances” Dear Commissioner, PITT CO.’s Latest firearm ordinances criminalize “firearm” discharges at night between the hours of 9:30 PM until 6:30 AM as a Class 3 misdemeanor and a fine of not more than $500 and/or imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days. At most this should be a civil infraction or covered by a noise ordinance. This is a ham-fisted clumsily attempt to address noise complaints and an imported criminal problem. The ordinance is also a moving target dependent upon fluid “zoning” regulations and definitions changeable under Pitt County Zoning Ordinance 12. It’s just bad rulemaking open to interpretation and changeable via whim. Furthermore, this likely conflicts with the NC General assembly’s latest rulemaking on “downzoning” and has criminal implications. How can this possibly be enforced without complicated interpretations of zoning law. And why should any firearms consequences be determined or adjudicated through a “zoning board of appeals. GRNC and everyone, are of course against unlawful, irresponsible and dangerous behavior that results in firearms rounds crossing into or across another person’s property or public areas. However, the Discharging a Firearm Across Property Lines ordinance is unnecessarily full of emotionally charged language and locations with examples such as “parks”, “childcare facility”, “Schools”, “medical facility”, “park” or “recreational area”. Are other areas or locations not named not included or not significant? These areas need to be removed, and legally defensible language applied. I and GRNC strongly urges you to oppose the proposed ordinance. If the commission insists on passing these ill conceived ordinances into law, at least reduce the penalty for discharge of a firearm at night to a civil infraction. Respectfully, |
The Second Amendment Foundation is the beneficiary of Brownell’s 2A Day. 4% of sales – not just profits – will go to SAF, GOA, and Iowa Firearms Coalition.
| Brownells’ 2A Day is all about celebrating our Second Amendment rights—and what better way to do that than with an epic giveaway? One lucky winner will take home a Smith & Wesson Model 19 Classic, plus ammo, gear, and a $500 Brownells gift card to stock up on whatever else they need. What’s in the Prize Package? Smith & Wesson Model 19 Classic – A legendary revolver, reborn 1,450 Rounds of Ammo – Federal .357 Magnum, CCI Blazer 9mm, and Remington .223 NATO Hornady RAPiD Safe – Secure your firearms with RFID access Magpul Santini Eyewear & DAKA Gear – Tactical storage and polarized protection $500 Brownells Gift Card – Because there’s always something else to add to the kitDon’t miss your shot—enter now for a chance to win! Enter The Giveaway |
The event runs until February 23rd.
Our friends at the Falls Township Rifle and Pistol Association have been doing a deep dive into the voting statistics of the NRA. I used to say about 5% of voting members voted in each recent election. I was wrong. It is only marginally more than 3%! I have seen a greater turnout for municipal elections for coroner and Soil & Water Commissioner.
What this means is that the members of your average moderate sized gun club, if NRA voting members, could swing an election. The difference between being on the Board and being a runner-up is usually somewhere around 325 votes.
Semafor.com reported yesterday that Sarah Rogers of Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors, has been nominated by President Trump to the the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy. This is confirmed by the White House as her name was included in a list of over 50 nominations for various positions that must be confirmed by the Senate.
The nominations include a New York lawyer, Sarah Rogers, who has defended the National Rifle Association on free speech grounds and litigated against content moderation. Her appointment to be the under secretary for public diplomacy — a role that had, in the Biden administration, been involved in efforts to combat false information on social media, signals that the Trump administration is planning to globalize its push to force social platforms to allow a wider range of speech…
Rogers has no obvious foreign policy experience, but brings a similar point of view on key issues around speech and social media platforms. A partner at the New York litigation boutique Brewer, Rogers represented the National Rifle Association alongside the ACLU in a winning appeal to the Supreme Court last March. She also represented the NRA against the New York State Attorney General, who was seeking to dissolve the organization, which the NRA beat back on First Amendment grounds.
I will acknowledge that Rogers was a co-counsel along with Bill Brewer and Noah Peters on NRA v. Vullo. However, and this is an important point, the counsel of record and the heavy lifter in this case at the SCOTUS was First Amendment law expert Professor Eugene Volokh of UCLA Law. Once the ACLU was brought into the case, you had as many as 10 of their attorneys working on the case while Prof. Volokh remained the Counsel of Record.
While Judge Cohen did mention the First Amendment in his ruling taking dissolution off the table in People of NY v NRA et al, it seems to me to be more of an after thought. He only devoted one paragraph to that argument. More important in his 42-page ruling was whether or not the New York Attorney General alleged facts sufficient to meet the standard for judicial dissolution. He found that she did not. He said you could not conflate “the Individual Defendants with the NRA writ large for purposes of dissolution is inappropriate here for the reasons” he discussed earlier. He went on to say it was the members of the NRA who had suffered the most harm and not the general public.
Rogers did participate in most of the hearings in the New York case as the primary litigator for the NRA. I will give her that.
Trump has in the past shown a certain affection for those educated at Ivy League schools. Rogers satisfies that criteria with an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth and a law degree from Columbia. The Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy heads the Bureau of Global Public Affairs (PR for the USA) and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (cultivating personal ties with current and future global leaders). Without trying to be snarky, she will be running the fluffier stuff at the State Department.
While Ms. Rogers will be taking a cut in pay, I’m going to say it probably is worth it to get away from Bill Brewer and his shenanigans. Down the road, I’m sure she will be able to parlay her experience as an Under Secretary of State into a prime partnership with a New York or DC law firm.
I wrote about the troll Seth Haan the other day because of his attack on Jeff Knox. An astute reader who took the time to go back through some of his posts on the 24 Hour Campfire Forum noticed something interesting. Look at the next few screen captures and see if you see it.
You will notice “Seth” consistently used the first person plural when referring to the Board of Directors as well as the old guard’s slate of candidates. As in, “the recent reforms we supported” and “we need to keep our members”, etc.
Is “Seth” a mere pen name or nom de plume for a member of the Board of Directors that is supporting the cabal? If you were talking about others in a group that didn’t include yourself, you would use “they” or the third person plural and not “we” which is the first person plural.
“Seth” consistently ignores requests to identify himself in the various forums. There is never something like “I’m just a concerned member” or the like. He did say he had met a number of Board members at events put on by the NRA and, interestingly enough, SAF.
It is obvious that “Seth” doesn’t like Jeff Knox as he once again attacked him in a post on the Smith & Wesson Forum today. As for those of us running on the reform slate, you can see for yourself his opinion of me and my fellow reformers.
If I were an opportunist, I would have sucked up to the old regime years ago so as to get on the Board and get rewarded with African safaris for my loyalty. As it is, my two trips to South Africa last year were paid for out of my own pocket and I consider it money well spent. I guess I just don’t know how to properly play the role of an opportunist.
So if you are reading this “Seth”, let us know who you really are. Enquiring minds want to know.
This important reminder comes from the Falls Township Rifle & Pistol Association.
They have this important advice:
The biggest gains that can be made for reform leadership are through NRA voting members who don’t typically vote. If you’re recruiting from the ranks of new or infrequent board election voters, don’t let them get caught up in the thousands of ballots that get tossed out each year as invalid.
Aside from arriving late and casting too many votes, “No Authentication” is a top preventable mistake made with ballots that will keep them from being counted.
A letter went out today to the Board of Directors signed by Bob Barr, Bill Bachenberg, Mark Vaughan, and Doug Hamlin concerning statements that cross the line when it comes to campaigning for the Board. I don’t know what precipitated this letter nor do I know if it is aimed at any one in particular. It could just be a general warning letter to Board members to “keep it clean”.
That said, it could be aimed at the reform slate for daring to call the old guard or Wayne’s enablers the “cabal” and urging voters not to vote for them. Conversely, it could be aimed at the troll named “Seth Haan” who I called out for his attack on Jeff Knox.
I will say that I’ve tried to be objective in my push for the reform slate which includes me. Likewise, it is my considered opinion that there are some running to keep their Board seats whose past behavior makes them unworthy of your vote and I stand by that.
It is time to replace what has long been a passive Board with an activist Board that will work to reform, rebuild, and rejuvenate the NRA. That can only come from electing the slate of reformers found at ElectANewNRA.com. I might add Mark Shuell to the list as he has been endorsed by Jeff Knox.
If you are a voting member and have not yet voted, I would encourage you to do so ASAP. If you have been disgusted by the grifting of the past and just turned your back on the NRA, I say to come back and help make a positive change. Voting participation in the past has been atrocious and that has worked to the cabal’s advantage. Now is the time to change that!
Below is a copy of the letter sent to the Board:
by 