NRA

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Plan B

June 28, 2025 by 3 Comments

Now that Senate Majority Leader John Thune has kowtowed to the Left’s Deep State Operative aka the Senate Parliamentarian on needed reform to the National Firearms Act, it is time for Plan B.

According to a text I received this morning from John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA-ILA, the tax on silencers, short barreled rifles and shotguns, and any other weapons has been lowered to zero dollars in the text of the bill. Additionally, they will be exempted from the excise taxes of the Pittman-Robertson Act. However, all of these items will still be subject to all the laws and regulations of the National Firearms Act including registration. This also means you have to ask ATF for a “mother, may I” permission slip to cross state lines even temporarily with your short barreled rifle or shotgun. Silencers and AOWs are exempt from that requirement.

As my friend Miggy Gonzalez said on Facebook, “We were hoping for a free steak dinner, but we are getting a side of large fries for a Happy Meal instead.”

A coalition of the groups fighting for NFA reform which included the NRA, the American Suppressor Association, GOA, SAF, FPC, and others released this statement yesterday.

The bottom line is ain’t nobody that happy on our side of the fence while the other side is enjoying the fact that their Deep State Operative came through for them. That, and as Diamondback notes, John Thune is a “Temu knockoff of Mitch McConnell.” You would think that with how Elizabeth McDonough just dissed the entire GOP majority of the Senate Finance Committee that the Republicans might show more spine and less squishiness. A guy can dream, right?

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NRA Gun Of The Week – The Roscoe

June 14, 2025 by

I have to admit I am tempted especially at the Heritage Manufacturing’s price point for the Roscoe. MSRP is $364-378. Street price is as low as $279 if you search places like Classic Firearms or a little bit more if using Gallery of Guns which includes shipping and tax..

While the Roscoe is available in both a 2″ model and a 3″ model, it is the 3″ model that catches my eye. You have a slightly longer sight radius along with just a bit more weight at the muzzle to control muzzle flip.

American Rifleman has filmed a short video describing the Roscoe and you can see how the 2″ model handles.

You can read more of the editors take on the Roscoe here. The Heritage Manufacturing’s page on the Roscoe is here.

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2025 NRA Committee Assignments

June 11, 2025 by 5 Comments

The list of NRA committee assignments has been released for 2025. It is preliminary as committee members must still accept their assignment to the various committees. This goes for both Board members and non-Board members.

I also want to note this list is not confidential. I specifically asked the Office of the Secretary about that in an email.

From what I understand, the officers put a lot of time and effort into filling the committee positions. I can believe it as finding the right people for the right committees while taking into account the person’s preferences is not a small task. Additionally, consolidation of committees is under discussion. I am sure it will be on the agenda of our September board meeting. You can see from the listing below how there will be an effort to consolidate competition shooting committees along with “fun” shooting committees.

As for me, I got everything I sought. I wanted to be on the Membership Committee to look for ways to reach out to younger potential members as our membership base is aging. I wanted Legislative Policy and the State & Local Subcommittee for obvious reasons. Likewise, my interest in hunting has grown in recent years so I was happy to be assigned to Hunting and Wildlife Conservation. I think bringing hunters back into the fold is a key component of rebuilding NRA membership. Finally, the Audit Committee is a committee of the Board and I was elected to it.

Below is the list. Again, as a reminder, it is preliminary but I don’t expect many changes. I will post the final list down the road. If you would like to compare 2025 with 2024, go this page.

2025 Committee AssignmentsDownload

UPDATE: I was asked why Maria Heil’s name appears in red on the Nominating Committee list. That is because she has resigned from that committee and it is an indication of an open seat. As a reminder, the Nominating Committee is elected by the whole board and is not an appointed seat.

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NRA Statement On One Big Beautiful Bill

May 22, 2025 by 3 Comments

This statement was released by the NRA on the passage of HR 1, “One, Big Beautiful Bill”, which included the removal of suppressors from the National Firearms Act.

This morning, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation bill known as the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, on a 215-214 vote. Included in the House’s reconciliation package was NRA-ILA’s number one legislative priority for the reconciliation fight – the full removal of suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA). This is a massive win for NRA members, law-abiding gun owners, and Second Amendment supporters in this country. The work continues, though, as the bill now heads over to the Senate for their consideration. Following the passage of H.R. 1 this morning, the NRA released the following statements from Doug and John:

“On behalf of the millions of NRA members, I thank Speaker Johnson and Republican House leadership for including a pro-gun victory in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. Eliminating the onerous tax and regulations surrounding suppressor purchases would mark a significant and long-overdue reform. Despite the fearmongering from anti-gun activists, suppressors are important safety devices that protect the hearing health of gun owners and hunters. The NRA looks forward to working with the pro-gun majority in the U.S. Senate to see that this bill becomes law.” – Doug Hamlin, NRA EVP & CEO

“This morning, the U.S. House of Representatives passed President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill, which includes the complete removal of suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA). This represents a monumental victory for Second Amendment rights, eliminating burdensome regulations on the purchase of critical hearing protection devices. The NRA thanks the House members who supported this bill and urges its swift passage in the U.S. Senate.” – John Commerford, NRA-ILA Executive Director

We are grateful for all the NRA members who have been calling their members of Congress advocating for this change. NRA-ILA will keep you updated as the One, Big, Beautiful Bill continues through the legislative process.

One gentle reminder – it is not time to stop calling Congress and in particular your two US Senators. Tell them you want to have suppressors removed from the NFA. You might also say that it would be even better if they included the SHORT Act in the bill. You don’t get what you don’t ask for. The US Capitol switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. Ask to be connected to your Senator’s office.

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Meeting Of Members – Resolution One

May 2, 2025 by 4 Comments

Ronald Andring, Sr. offered the first resolution to be discussed at the 2025 NRA Meeting of Members. The resolution dealt with conflicts of interest and offered an amendment to the NRA Bylaws. Accompanying his resolution was a compilation of insider payments. I have embedded both of these below.

There was considerable discussion of Ron’s resolution. As discussed in my post on the Meeting of Members, the resolution was eventually forwarded to the Bylaws & Resolutions Committee for consideration and further refinement. While many resolutions in the past have been forwarded to that committee to die a quiet death, I do not think that will be the case here. Part of the reason is that the referral was done by a paper ballot vote by the members assembled. A long time observer noted this was the first time she has seen this happening in over 25 years of attending these meetings. The second part of the reason is that it was requested that Ron be appointed to the Bylaws & Resolutions Committee to work specifically on this bylaw amendment.

Andring – Resolution No. 1 – 2025 Meeting of MembersDownload
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Running By Petition Enters 21st Century

May 1, 2025 by 11 Comments

One of the stumbling blocks to get on the ballot for NRA Board of Directors by petition was that it required the candidate to get signatures in ink on a paper petition. Judge Joel Cohen referred to this in the New York trial as “antiquated” and “20th Century”.

He was correct and he said in his Final Order that an online alternative must be offered. With the petition process opening at approximately 2pm on Saturday at the close of the Meeting of Members, candidates can now gather petition signatures either the old fashioned way on paper or through electronic signatures. They just need to send a request to NRA Secretary John Frazer for the petition packet and an online petition link. Just email Mr. Frazer at john.frazer@nrahq.org

My longtime friend and fellow Board member Amanda Suffecool agreed to be one of the trial candidates. Both the Complementary Spouse and I have signed her petition. It could not be easier as you can do it on a smart phone, a tablet, or a regular computer. It just asks for name, address, and membership number. Then you sign with your mouse or finger tip, hit submit, and it is done.

Here is Amanda’s petition. If you are a NRA Voting Member (life or five year continuous annual member), please sign!

My good friend Todd Vandermyde has decided to run again. He just barely missed being elected and we need people like Todd on the Board. I could really see him shaking up the Legislative Policy Committee given his decades of experience as a 2A lobbyist in the lion’s den of the Illinois General Assembly.

Here is Todd’s petition.

If you know of other reform minded activists who wish to run by petition, let them know how to obtain the link. I think this is a change that needed to come. One advantage to using the online petition is that candidates know how many signatures have been gathered and they know they are valid so long as the system accepts them. If they run into issues, they should contact the Office of the Secretary. The NRA’s records could have had the signer’s name misspelled.

One final note: Candidates will need 363 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. According to the Bylaws Article VIII, Sec. 3(b), there is a limit of five candidates qualifying by petition per state. If more than five qualify, then it will be the top five in terms of numbers of signatures obtained.

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Charlie Hiltunen Elected 76th Director

April 27, 2025 by 2 Comments

The final seat on the NRA Board of Directors was filled yesterday as the election for 76th Director closed. Charlie Hiltunen of Indiana won 389 to Tom King’s 194 with a smattering of votes for the rest of the candidates who did initially win a seat on the Board. Charlie was part of the NRA 2.0 Team and had many volunteers handing out his cards, buttons, and other campaign materials. Not only that but I rarely saw Charlie as he was out campaigning. King, as well, campaigned hard and had numerous members of the Old Guard helping him campaign.

The results are below. With Hiltunen’s election, NRA 2.0 or the reformers took 20 out of 30 available seats. We go into Monday’s Board meeting with a significant majority so long as those who have supported reform in the past don’t go wobbly.

The full results are as follows:

Charles Hiltunen … 389

Tom King … 194

Greer Johnson … 43

Kim Rhode … 29

Lucretia Hughes Klucken … 28

Frank Tait … 22

Isaac Demarest … 22

Charles Rowe … 16

Gene Roach … 12

Steven Dulan … 11

Jeffrey Fleetham … 10

Lane Ruhland … 10

Ronald Schmeits … 10

David Mitten … 9

Regis Synan … 8

Richard Todd Figard … 6

Mark Shuell … 5

TOTAL 824

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Notes On The 2025 Meeting Of Members

April 27, 2025 by 7 Comments

The 2025 NRA Meeting of Members lasted a full four hours. The meeting began with the usual reports, awards, and recognition of the oldest and youngest. It ended with four resolutions being considered of which one passed, one was referred, and two defeated.

The oldest member present was Norris Jernigan, a WWII veteran, who was 100 years. If I live to 100, I want to be as spry and clear-minded as Mr. Jernigan! In a departure from past Meeting of Members that I have attended, the youngest member present was 14 year old Mason Hague (sp?). Normally, it is a toddler or even younger.

The outstanding club was the Franklin Revolver and Rifle Association of Franklin, NJ. The youth club award went to Capital City Jr. Rifle Club of Belgrade, ME. Finally, the state association award went to the Iowa Firearms Coalition.

Following this was a video message from President Donald Trump. I’m not going to say the funeral for Pope Francis provided a good excuse for Trump’s absence but it did serve as one. I don’t know if it is available online but he did call Bob Barr a great guy and former President Biden was characterized as “grossly incompetent”.

Following this was the Elections Report from the Election Committee. I will have more on this in a future post. However, for the time being here are some quick numbers.

  • 2,506,951 ballots mailed
  • 74,203 ballots cast
  • 72,461 valid ballots received
  • 1,742 invalid ballots received
  • Winning totals for 3-year terms ranged from 44,546 (Mitzi McCorvey) to 34,167 (Scott Emslie).
  • Proposed amendment won with 52,608 voting for it.

CEO and EVP Doug Hamlin reported that new money and new hires were being dedicated to hunting, competition, and clubs and associations. These are the three areas that are being emphasized in the effort to rebuild membership.

Moving on to New Business, four resolutions were considered. I will do more in-depth reprting on these four resolutions in future posts.

Ron Andring, Sr. of San Antonio, TX and the Members Take Back the NRA Facebook page offered two resolutions. His first resolution offered a very strong conflict of interest bylaw amendment. As one might imagine, there was considerable debate on this. A motion was made by Director Joel Friedman to refer this to committee which engendered considerable debate itself. Eventually, over 100 voting members requested by a show of credentials that they wanted to vote using a paper ballot. This was done and the motion was referred to the Bylaws & Resolutions Committee for more work with the request that Mr. Andring be part of the committee working on it. I was told by a long time observer that this was the first time the paper ballot had been used in over 25 years.

Mr. Andring’s second resolution dealt with the interference in the voting process by Wayne LaPierre and demanded that future elections be free of collusion between any board members and the EVP. This was defeated.

I am happy to say that my own resolution on transparency which called for a members-only webpage that had the bylaws, tax filings, board minutes, and a list of committees with their members on it passed. The resolution also asked that the Board of Directors consider the feasibility of livestreaming board meetings. There were some objections raised to it saying it might be costly to set up a webpage. I consider this a spurious objection as the NRA already has multiple webpages and the items included already have to be created. It is not costly to upload documents in a PDF or to convert a MS Word document such as the minutes to HTML. I guess the third time is the charm as this was my third attempt to get a resolution passed.

The final resolution was a condemnation of former VP and head of the Audit Committee David Coy. While I don’t have a copy of that resolution, it did call for him to resign from the Board of Directors. It was defeated. I will say my only surprise is that President Bob Barr did not rule it out of order. I say that not because I thought it out of order but that seemed to be the way challenging resolutions such as this were dealt with in the past.

With that, the meeting was adjourned and all newly elected directors officially started their terms of service on the Board of Directors. We will be sworn in at the Board meeting on Monday.

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Movin’ On Up

April 18, 2025 by 5 Comments

Just over a year ago I reported on the promotion of Wayne and Susan LaPierre’s niece to the position of Director of Events for Advancement. That post prompted then-NRA spokesperson Billy McLaughlin to reach out and call that a false report. Then, as now, I stand by both the story and the sources. It is my understanding that Mrs. Sterner is no longer with the NRA nor is Tyler Schropp who promoted her.

However, that is not the point of this post. This morning a friend sent me a screenshot of McLaughlin’s LinkedIn page.

According to his LinkedIn page, McLaughlin left the NRA soon after he reached out to me to work for his own company and then to be the Chief Marketing Officer for Israel Campus Coalition. He is now the White House Director of Digital Content. That is quite a promotion!

I don’t know the circumstances of his leaving the NRA nor if he was pushed to respond to me by the Old Guard. I am glad to see he has landed on his feet. Hopefully, he puts in a good word now and then for the NRA. We will need it. As Stephen Gutowski points out, President Trump can be fickle and could come around to the NRA again.

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Coming Changes To The Blog

April 16, 2025 by 15 Comments

With my election to the NRA Board of Directors there will be some changes that must come to the blog.

I will now have the fiduciary duties of care, loyalty, and obedience. I have written extensively on this blog in the past about fiduciary duties and how certain segments of the Board blithely ignored them. I will not be one of those directors.

If you are a party in a lawsuit against the NRA, I cannot respond to you as you are an adverse party and all communications should be between the respective parties’ attorneys. This is upon the advice of outside legal counsel.

Letters, emails, and other confidential information from the NRA that may have been leaked to me in the past will need to stay confidential. However, this does not mean that information that is in the public domain such as filings with regulators and court documents cannot be shared. I can still share my opinion on this but I will probably be doing less of it.

There is still a world of things going on with regard to the Second Amendment, gun rights, wildlife conservation, and other things that I find of interest to write on.

One final note. This is a private blog and not a public forum. I have comment moderation enabled to cut down on the spam. Please do not force me to disable all comments with comments to which I am obligated not to respond.