Grass Roots North Carolina has a biennial project whereby they evaluate candidates at the national and state levels on where they stand on gun rights. Candidates are rated from zero to four stars with four stars being the best. The evaluation process uses any votes the candidate may have taken plus their responses to a survey sent to every candidate at their registered office. It is called Remember in November.
This guide estimates where candidates stand on gun issues by comparing their views with those of a control group of gun owners. As noted below, a “4-STAR” candidate agrees with the control group on at least 90% of gun issues, a 3-STAR agrees on least 80%, a 2-STAR on at least 70%, a 1-STAR on at least 60%, and a 0-STAR candidate agrees on less than 60% of gun issues….
GRNC’s “Remember in November” project estimates candidates’ views on “assault weapons,” concealed handguns, gun storage laws, gun rationing, other gun control and the Second Amendment. THE EVALUATIONS HEREIN ARE NOT ENDORSEMENTS. We issued surveys first to a control group of gun owners and then to candidates. Next, we measured how closely each candidate’s views and voting record (if available) agree with the control group. Pay more attention to voting records than survey results unless, of course, you believe politicians never lie.
It should be pointed out that if a candidate just blows off the survey, they will get a zero star rating as well they should. Most of the candidates blowing off the survey tend to be the Democrats. That said, you do get Republicans who should be pro-rights just ignoring it as well. See for example both Dave Boliek (R) for State Auditor and Mike Causey (R) for Insurance Commissioner. They are both zero stars as they didn’t return the survey. Likewise for Sherry Higgins who is running as the Republican in my state house district. In my opinion, this is foolish. In a close race every vote is needed and ignoring gun rights voters could be the difference between winning and losing. These are the type of Republicans that whoever coined the term for the GOP as the Stupid Party had in mind.
While the higher rated candidates tend to be either Republicans or Libertarians, I did find a race where both the Republican and Democrat were both 4-star rated. That was in State Senate District 9 located in southeastern North Carolina. Incumbent Republican Brent Jackson faces Democrat Jamie Campbell Bowles. Both are from Sampson County. I’m wondering if Ms. Bowles didn’t get the Democrat’s memo that guns are icky or just ignored it. I’m so old I remember when there was actually such a thing as a pro-gun Democrat.
One last thing. If you aren’t registered to vote, now is the time to do it! As someone who registered to vote on my 18th birthday, it always amazes me when I come across gun owners who are not registered to vote. I just can’t see leaving my rights at risk by not voting.
Sheriff Garry McFadden of Mecklenburg County, NC had a disingenuous way of delaying the issuance of NC Concealed Handgun Permits. Under the guise of investigating an applicant’s mental health status, he would have all applicants’ names sent to the Veterans Administration for a copy of their records. Notice I said all. The VA would be getting requests for mental health records for applicants who had never, ever served in any branch of the US military. This created both a paperwork headache for the VA and a prolonged delay for the applicant.
Based on this, Grass Roots NC, Gun Owners of America, and individual sued in US District Court for the Western District of NC. It appears a settlement is in the works which still requires the approval of Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr.
GRNC released the following last night.
In recent days, a press release from the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs’ Office (MCSO) has caused Charlotte news media to prematurely report a settlement in the lawsuit filed by Grass Roots North Carolina, Gun Owners of America, and individual plaintiffs against Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden.
Per advice from GRNC’s legal team, we have so far refrained from giving details of the settlement. Given MCSO’s public statement adding “spin” to McFadden’s defeat, however, GRNC is compelled to tell the truth about what has been tentatively agreed to by the parties.
At issue are what appear to be intentional delays in issuing concealed handgun permits (CHPs) by McFadden, who previously sent mental health record requests to the Veteran’s Administration for all permit applicants, regardless of whether they served in the military, flooding the VA with paperwork in order to create delays in permits.
This is the second lawsuit GRNC and GOA have filed against McFadden over permit delays. Between the two suits, GRNC and GOA have ended McFadden’s gun permit delays in the following ways:
Repealing NC’s Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit law, used by urban sheriffs to delay handgun purchases;
Ending the MCSO practice of requiring CHP applicants to schedule appointments, often months ahead, to apply;
Ending the practice of sending mental health records requests to the VA for all applicants;
Requiring the sheriff to make mental health record requests only for applicants who have previously sought mental health treatment (tentative); and
Paying $5,000 toward damages and legal fees suffered by the plaintiffs (tentative).
Most amusing was McFadden’s statement that he will continue to “inquire of each applicant whether the applicant has sought mental health treatment.” In truth, he is required to do so. In fact, it is a part of the CHP application form stipulated by the NC Administrative Office of the Courts.
While we are disappointed that McFadden refuses to pay the full legal fees incurred by those denied their rights due to his malfeasance as a public servant, as a public policy organization, GRNC is happy that McFadden has capitulated on permit delays.
Grass Roots North Carolina has declared Tuesday, May 7th, as Feedback Day. In an effort to get HB 189 for permitless concealed carry back on the agenda, they are urging everyone to call NC House Speaker Tim Moore and NC Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger. You are asked to thank them for ridding the state of the Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit and then urge them to get HB 189 back on track.
I would add that if you live and vote in the 14th Congressional District of North Carolina please remind Tim Moore that he needs your vote if he wants to be elected to Congress.
The alert is below with phone numbers and instructions.
‘FEEDBACK DAY’ ON CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY
GRNC ‘Feedback Day’ will drop calls into leaders’ offices
Should you need governmental permission to exercise a basic civil right?
Last week, legislative team volunteers led by GRNC President Paul Valone delivered a hand truck full of petitions calling for constitutional carry to Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, arguably the most powerful politician in the state, and then held a press conference on his doorstep. That is called “speaking truth to power.”
The effort kicked off GRNC’s renewed campaign to pass House Bill 189, “Freedom to Carry NC,” sponsored by Rep. Keith Kidwell (R- Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico, GRNC ****). The bill stalled last year when Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger told reporters that, having repealed the pistol purchase permit law, legislators had no “need” to address another gun bill. GRNC President Paul Valone has countered that ours is a Bill of Rights, not “needs,” and that Sen. Berger is not a self-appointed arbiter of “needs.”
When Berger conceded later to reporters that “Constitutional carry is something that is worth talking about. We’ll talk with our members and see whether there is an appetite to move forward with it,” Valone responded: “We’re the ‘members’ who gave you a supermajority, Sen. Berger, so let’s talk.”
GRNC in action: For a video of GRNC’s Legislative Action Team holding a constitutional carry press conference on Berger’s doorstep CLICK HERE.
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
It’s time to make your voice heard loud and clear in the halls of the legislature by sending a message to Republican leaders in Raleigh. We would like you to call during a two-hour period from 9:00 AM EDT to 11:00 AM EDT this coming Tuesday, May 7.
Why Tuesday? Because NC Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and NC House Speaker Tim Moore are more likely to be in their offices. Legislative assistants will prevent you from speaking with them, of course, but they will witness the huge number of resulting calls, all calling for constitutional carry. Set a reminder in your phone.
CALL SEN. PHIL BERGER: Between 9 AM and 11 AM on Tuesday, May 7, call Sen. Berger at 919-733-5708. (See below, under ‘Deliver This Message’ for the message to convey).
CALL SPEAKER TIM MOORE: Also between 9 AM and 11 AM on Tuesday, May 7, call Speaker Tim Moore at 919-733-3451. (See below, under ‘Deliver This Message’ for the message to convey).
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO GRNC: Help us fight fun 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.
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
What to tell Republican leaders:
Thank them for repealing our Jim Crow purchase permit law, but tell them the job won’t be done until the Republican supermajority passes constitutional carry, including over-riding Gov. Roy Cooper’s inevitable veto.
NC Republicans have fallen behind Republicans in the 29 other states that have already passed constitutional carry.
Research by John R. Lott of the Crime Prevention Research Center found no increase in violent crime in constitutional carry states, and even a slight drop in murder.
Gun voters helped create the supermajority Republicans have used to pass several laws, over-riding Cooper’s vetoes. It is time they acknowledged that by passing House Bill 189, “Freedom to Carry NC” NOW!
Excuses like legislative rules and placing blame on one chamber or the other are just that: Excuses.
The NRA-ILA is now headed by what I consider their third string quarterback. First, Wayne and company forced Chris Cox out for supposed disloyalty. Then his replacement Jason Ouimet left when he saw the writing on the wall. Now Randy Kozuch, an almost 30-year veteran of the NRA, was appointed as Executive Director of ILA by the Board of Directors on Monday He had been the interim head prior to Monday.
Yesterday, the NRA-ILA posted a release that claimed credit for getting North Carolina’s pistol purchase permit repealed and blasting other 2A groups for taking credit for it.
However, some other 2A groups in the state have instead continued to focus on seeking credit for the legislative victory. At least one group has gone so far as to try claiming exclusive responsibility for the passage and veto override of SB41.
Not only do these laughable claims dismiss over a decade of legislative repeal efforts by NRA members, gun owners, and other 2A groups, but they also create an unnecessary distraction. This is a time when Second Amendment expansion opportunities in North Carolina are possible, including NRA’s push for constitutional carry. We would hope that all pro-gun groups share that same enthusiasm to collectively fight for pro-gun legislation in North Carolina.
Now I don’t know if this was the work of Randy Kozuch as it reads more like something that Marion Hammer would put out. I do know that someone royally screwed up.
You don’t tug on superman’s cape You don’t spit into the wind You don’t pull the mask off that old lone ranger And you don’t mess around with Paul Valone of GRNC
It is bad enough to take credit for another organization’s hard work. The NRA has done that time and again. However, it goes beyond the pale when you then dump on an all-volunteer, highly effective, state-level gun rights organization for having the temerity to claim credit for their actual accomplishments.
As anyone who knows Paul Valone would expect, he is not taking this lying down. He issued a point by point response last night.
Gun Rights Supporters: The failing NRA, in a desperate bid for relevance, recently made a veiled accusation against GRNC, claiming “…some other 2A groups in the state have instead continued to focus on seeking credit for the legislative victory. At least one group has gone so far as to try claiming exclusive responsibility for the passage and veto override of SB41.” Below are NRA claims, followed by the truth.
Myth: The NRA claims GRNC was the first group to claim credit for Senate Bill 41.
Truth: GRNC was not the one who first claimed credit, it was Fred Edgecomb, a past president of the NRA-affiliated NC Rifle & Pistol Assoc., who was heard to claim credit at a recent IDPA match. We merely responded by setting the record straight.
Myth: The NRA-ILA alert claimed that GRNC “dismiss[ed] over a decade of legislative repeal efforts by NRA members, gun owners, and other 2A groups.”
Truth: The first purchase permit repeal was negotiated by GRNC, Sen. Buck Newton, and the Republican-led NC Senate in 2013 and was included as part of HB 937, an omnibus bill which contained, among other things, restaurant carry. Because the Senate considerably strengthened the weak bill first passed by the NC House, it had to return to the House for a concurrence vote. Unfortunately, NRA-endorsed Governor Pat McCrory threatened to veto the bill if it contained the purchase permit repeal, causing the repeal to be stripped out in conference committee.
Next, in 2021, GRNC worked with Rep. Jay Adams to alter his bill, HB 398, by substituting language for a full purchase permit repeal. We also worked closely with then-NC Sheriffs Association President Dave Mahoney to get NCSA to endorse the repeal and got the bill passed by both chambers before Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed it.
This year, GRNC worked closely with Sens. Danny Britt, Warren Daniel, and Jim Perry to ensure that the SB 41 not only cleared both chambers, but did so without contaminating amendments. For the override vote, we hammered thousands of robocalls and automated text messages into the districts of Democrats who had voted for the bill.
Meanwhile, bill sponsors and other legislators I have asked reported no contact from the NRA lobbyist, DJ Spiker. The NRA was so utterly out of the loop that, at one point, it issued an alert which wrongly described the contents of a gun bill that had been changed in a previous committee meeting. In fact, in videos GRNC made this year of committee hearings on gun bills, you will see only GRNC testifying to the committees, not NRA and not NCRPA.
Finally, GRNC worked for nearly two decades to insert into the public consciousness the phrase “our Jim Crow-era purchase permit law” – a strategy we worked out after reading about the origins of the law in Dave Kopel’s book, ”The Samurai, the Mountie, and the Cowboy: Should America Adopt the Gun Controls of Other Democracies?”
Myth: That the NRA is “push[ing] for constitutional carry.”
Truth: North Carolina’s first permitless carry bill (then called “Vermont carry”) was introduced by Sen. Hugh Webster in 1997 as SB 810 at the behest of GRNC and GOA. We actually went as far as filing a discharge petition when Democrat Marc Basnight refused the bill a hearing. At around this time, we heard reports from gun rights groups in other states that NRA lobbyists were actively sabotaging permitless carry bills. This year, we are working closely with bill sponsor Rep. Keith Kidwell on HB 189, “NC Constitutional Carry Act.” We are unaware of any effort by the NRA on the bill. Frankly, it would be nice if the NRA did something on the bill, since the May 4 crossover deadline is fast approaching.
In closing, it’s bad enough that the NRA, consumed by its inner strife and reportedly declining membership, has been AWOL from the past two sessions of the General Assembly. Worse, however, is when the organization, facing legal challenges due to alleged corruption, siphons off resources from the group that is actually doing the heavy lifting.
Paul Valone is the honey badger of the gun rights community in North Carolina. While the NRA may still consider itself the 800 lb gorilla, “honey badger don’t care“.
Seeing all the new products being released at SHOT Show is cool. Since I caught the SHOT Show crud during the show and not after it, I didn’t get to see as much as I usually did. Nonetheless, what I really enjoy most about going to the SHOT Show is reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.
I’m not the best at taking selfies but others are. I ran into Charlie Chambers who I first met at a Gun Rights Policy Conference at Range Day. He was there with Amanda Suffecool and Rob Campbell of Eye on the Target Radio. This was taken early in the day before the rain arrived and the wind picked up.
Then there are the people you run into in the Media Room. In this case it was Charlie Cook of Riding Shotgun with Charlie and John Petrolino of BearingArms.com. As Charlie noted, all three of us were recipients of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Ray Carter Blogger of the Year Award.
Thursday was interesting as lunch and then dinner ran the political spectrum from Right to Left. Lunch was with Paul Valone and his wife Lori of Grass Roots North Carolina along longtime GRNC volunteer Josette Chmiel. Paul is the author of the book Rules for Anti-Radicals which deals with defeating leftism.
L-R: Me, Paul, Josette, Lori
Thursday evening I swung to the opposite end of the political spectrum when I had dinner with people from the Liberal Gun Club. Beyond the wonderful food at Bouchon, I had a great time reconnecting with Lara and Ed Smith and trainer/revolver guru Grant Cunningham. Grant was at the SHOT Show representing Lubriplate which makes non-toxic firearm lubricants (among many other things). It had been years since I had seen Grant face-to-face so it was really fun to catch up with him.
Finally, there is my old friend Michael Bane. I ran into him at Range Day where he introduced me to James Tarr. Later that evening, I had dinner with Michael and his “sweetie” along with Paul Erhardt and one person whose name I still don’t remember. The Complementary Spouse insisted I get a picture. Unfortunately, I forgot. Fast forward to Thursday when Michael was doing the giveaway for a customized Tisas 10mm 1911 at the SDS Imports/Tisas booth. His “sweetie” was kind enough to take this picture of us and the Complementary Spouse was pleased.
There were a lot more people I ran into at SHOT than I can name without leaving someone out. Despite coming down with the crud and missing a day of the show because I stayed in bed, it was a good trip and it was the people that made the trip.
The Sir Walter Gun Club in Creedmoor, North Carolina is sponsoring an USPSA 8-stage match to benefit Grass Roots North Carolina. The range is located north of both Durham and Raleigh just off of Interstate 85 and US Hwy 15.
More details on the match and how to register are below:
SIR WALTER GUN CLUB- USPSA PISTOL MATCH TO BENEFIT GRNC
Once again the good people at Sir Walter Gun Club are providing their facilities and hosting a USPSA match to help and benefit GRNC. – Which we all know is especially needed at this time.
Registration opens August 26th at 7am Registration ends September 1st at 8:30pm
Match starts: September 03, 2022 @ 10:00 AM Match ends: September 03, 2022 @ 5:00 PMMany thanks to the fine folks at Sir Walter Gun Club for their support of GRNC and our 2nd Amendment rights… Sir Walter Gun Club 2507 Hester RoadCreedmoor, NC 27522
USPSA Pistol Match to Benefit GRNC – 8 Stages$30.00 minimum donation. Jr. shooters are $20.00NOTE: If you withdraw from the match before midnight on the Thursday before the match, you will be refunded your match fee less $1.00 to cover the credit card fees. No refunds will be given for withdrawals after that time or no shows at the match.USPSA level I match, with the following divisions:Limited, Limited 10, Open, Production, Single Stack, Revolver, Carry Optics, PCC
Given Sen. Thom Tillis’ (R-NC) role in the GOP capitulation on gun control, Grass Roots North Carolina is holding a peaceful protest outside his Raleigh office on Friday, June 24th. They were able to get Stephen Willeford, the hero of the Sutherland Springs, Texas attack, to attend as the featured speaker. Mr. Willeford is now the National Spokesman for Gun Owners of America.
The event will be from 10am until 1pm outside the Terry Sanford Federal Building in Raleigh.
If you live in the Piedmont or can get to Raleigh on the 24th, please be there. Remember, it is politicians like Tillis who are the reason the GOP is known as “the stupid party”.
More details in the alert from GRNC below:
We need YOU to picket against Tillis gun control sellout!
IMPORTANT: EVENT DATE HAS CHANGED TO JUNE 24!
“Traitor Thom” Tillis wants to saddle you with “red flag” gun confiscation.
As one of 10 Republicans tasked by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to “compromise” with anti-gun Democrats, Tillis is key to the “bipartisan” gun control framework announced last weekend.
Worse, with the support of 10 Republicans, the measures have exactly the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. We need YOU to convince Tillis that his present course will be highly damaging to his political career by showing up on June 24 at Tillis’ district office in Raleigh.
Stephen Willeford knows what really works
We know mass killers seek out “victim disarmament zones” and that only a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun. To deliver that message to Tillis, GRNC is bringing in Stephen Willeford, the hero of Sutherland Springs, who will address the Tillis protest.
Stephen Willeford is the modest man of faith who stopped the massacre at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, TX with several carefully delivered rounds from his AR-15, then jumped into a truck driven by another Good Samaritan and chased down the killer, preventing him from continuing his murderous rampage elsewhere.
On June 24, Willeford will address those attending the protest against “Traitor Thom” by emphasizing that armed defense, not gun control, is the only way to deter or stop mass killers.
Gun control must be stopped!
Even beyond unconstitutional gun confiscation without adequate due process of law from people convicted of nothing, anti-gun Democrats regard “red flag” Gun Confiscation Orders as the “low-hanging fruit.” Success in passing the measures under consideration will embolden them to demandadditional gun control.
GRNC demonstration against Tillis
GRNC is organizing a protest at Sen. Tillis’ Raleigh district office and WE NEED YOU THERE. If you fail to show up, you will be delivering a message to gun ban advocates that you are too weak and apathetic to stop them. PLEASE ATTEND THIS EVENT, no matter how inconvenient or expensive it may be.
Protest details
What: A peaceful picket featuring Stephen Willeford at the building containing Sen. Thom Tillis’ Raleigh district office Where: Terry Sanford Federal Building, 310 New Bern Ave., Raleigh, NC 27601 When: Friday, June 24, 2022 -10 AM to 1 PM Why: To stop federal gun control How: Only by you showing up! Please RSVP!
At present, each of Senator Tillis’ district offices are using “COVID protocols” as an excuse to limit in-person interactions with staff. Therefore, we will ask them to send a staffer out for a redress of grievances as guaranteed by the First Amendment. We will also ask demonstrators to use cell phones to call into the office to deliver the message that we will not compromise on gun confiscation orders.
Help GRNC succeed
Please RSVP: Please confirm by email to DirectorOfDevelopment@GRNC.org that you will attend by sending your name, city you are coming from, number of people you are bringing, and whether you are willing to carpool with others.
Please bring others: We need a good turnout, so please bring family, friends, and like-minded acquaintances.
Please dress for the press: Do not give the leftist media ammunition to depict us in an unflattering light. Please avoid clothing or signage with inflammatory language or slogans. We will have signage available for protestors, but if you chose to make your own signs, please stick to the theme that WE WILL NOT COMPROMISE ON GUN CONTROL.
Weapons are prohibited: Note that the demonstration location is in front a federal office building, so dangerous weapons of any kind, whether carried openly or concealed, are prohibited under state and federal law.
Please continue contacting senators: As you make plans to attend next Friday’s Raleigh demonstration, continue to regularly email and call U.S. Senators and remind them you will not accept further infringements on the rights of ALL lawful citizens to keep and bear arms and that you will not “compromise” on this issue.
You may remember NC State Senator Natasha Marcus (D-Mecklenburg). She is the senator who contended that North Carolina’s pistol purchase permit system was not racist despite its origins and its disparate impact on African-Americans. In her floor debate, she also made the claim that the law stopped more than 2,300 permits from being issued in her county despite having passed a NICS check.
It was an outrageous claim and not surprising coming from someone proudly claiming to be a member of Moms Demand Action.
Using both FOIA requests and multiple letters to Sen. Marcus, Grass Roots North Carolina found that her claims were, as the saying goes, made out of whole cloth. In other words, she made it up.
Grass Roots North Carolina is now asking that she receive formal discipline by the North Carolina Senate for her false claims.
From GRNC:
Group Demands Disciplinary Action
Against Sen. Natasha Marcus
NC State Senator propagates falsehood during floor
debate over purchase permit repeal bill
[Raleigh] Grass Roots North Carolina today demanded disciplinary action by Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger against Mecklenburg County Senator Natasha Marcus after finding conclusive documentation that during the Senate floor debate over House Bill 398 (“Repeal Purchase Permits”), Marcus falsely claimed to have proof that repealing the purchase permit system would result in handguns purchased by unqualified buyers who pass the FBI computerized background check but otherwise “failed the permit application.”
FOIA requests to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff Office (MCSO) now conclusively demonstrate that the numbers claimed by Marcus are false, demonstrating that she mislead her colleagues and constituents alike during debate over the bill.
Below is the letter delivered today to Sen. Berger demanding formal disciplinary action under Article II, Section 20 of the North Carolina Constitution. Copies of the letter from MCSO documenting the falsehood as well as the legal memo from GRNC Director of Legal Affairs Ed Green are available upon request.
———————————–
September 8, 2021
The Honorable Phil Berger, President Pro Tempore
16 West Jones Street, Room 2007
Raleigh, NC 27601
Dear Senator Berger:
Grass Roots North Carolina has now received conclusive proof that in the August 18, 2021 Senate floor debate over House Bill 398 (“Repeal Purchase Permits”), Sen. Natasha Marcus used false information to attack the bill.
As documented in the recording we have posted at https://www.grnc.org/hb-398-audio, Marcus claimed background checks for pistol purchase permits (PPPs) are supposedly superior to those conducted under the FBI’s National Instant Background Check System (NICS), saying:
“In Mecklenburg County, in the last fiscal year, over 2,300 permit applications passed the NICS background check but failed the permit application. So if this bill passed, all 2,300 plus of those applicants will now have a new unrestricted pass to purchase a handgun…”
That assertion is false. As outlined in the attached letter from Mecklenburg County Sheriff Office Public Information Manager Janet Parker in response to a FOIA request by GRNC Director of Legal Affairs Ed Green, the number of permit denials claimed by Marcus is not of people who passed NICS but were denied by Sheriff Garry McFadden; in fact, it represents all permit denials for the fiscal year 2021, including those denied via NICS.
When questioned on the source of her information, Marcus failed to provide the data for eight days, claiming that her unspecified “source” was gathering documentation. Only in response to my open letter to the Senate did she claim the information was provided by Permitium, LLC lobbyist Andy Munn in a series of text messages for which she provided screen images.
When called out publicly, Marcus doubled down on her claim, saying:
“You will see that the texts confirm exactly what I said on the floor: More than 2,300 permits were denied in Mecklenburg County during the last fiscal year due to issues that became apparent AFTER the applicant had passed a NICS check. This proves that the permit check system is neither duplicative nor unnecessary. It is an important tool to keep handguns away from dangerous and unstable people and it saves lives. Your efforts to eliminate it are reckless.”
But referencing the number of denials claimed (2,379) to have passed NICS but “failed the permit application”, MCSO’s Public Information Manager responded:
“The number of PPP application denials in your request appears to represent the total number of denials (or very close to the actual total) for the entire fiscal year, including denials based on NICS disqualifiers. MCSO does not keep records distinguishing reasons for denial contained within NICS and reasons for
denial outside of NICS. Nor does the MCSO keep easily accessible records that indicate all of the reasons for a PPP application denial when there are multiple reasons for denying a single application.”
Facts about Mecklenburg County pistol purchase permit denials:
MCSO does not keep the statistic claimed by Marcus: Permitium lobbyist Andy Munn could not tell Marcus how many passed NICS but failed the application because MCSO does not enter or store that information.
Marcus’ claim covers all denials, including those stopped by NICS: The total number of denials was 2,378 including those stopped by NICS – one less than Marcus claimed “passed the NICS background check but failed the permit application.”
The denials do not mean 2,378 people couldn’t purchase handguns: Some reasons for denial, such as failure to pay the permit fee or sign the release, or failure to provide previously requested documentation, were probably cured in a subsequent application that resulted in issuance of a PPP.
Denials included 426 who weren’t residents of Mecklenburg County: These applicants were likely eligible to own firearms but simply applied in the wrong county.
Sen. Marcus should be held to account:
Because effective public policy relies on accurate, honest information, propagating false information to colleagues and constituents represents serious misconduct, particularly when the falsehoods are uttered in a floor debate to mislead legislative colleagues with respect to legislation under debate.
Accordingly, please consider this a request by Grass Roots North Carolina for Senate leadership to formally discipline Senator Natasha Marcus as authorized under Article II, Section 20 of the North Carolina Constitution, the authority for which is outlined in a January 9, 2008 North Carolina House of Representatives memo entitled “Authority of Legislative Bodies to Discipline Members.”
It finally looks like the North Carolina pistol purchase permit will be on its way out. A vote in the NC House is scheduled for Wednesday, May 5th.
Of course, I fully expect Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) to veto H398 if it passes the North Carolina General Assembly. An override will depend upon whether Democrats want to defend a racist, Jim Crow-era law that has been shown still to discriminate against African-Americans.
As Grass Roots North Carolina says in the alert, now is the time to put on and keep up the pressure.
Call your own representative, Democrat or Republican, and demand they pass this bill. If you don’t know who your representative is, use this tool.
Email every House Republican. Their email addresses are in the alert. You may need to copy the email addresses into your word processor and convert the “;” into a “,” depending upon your email program. I’d also suggest pasting them in as a BCC. Two minutes of copy and paste is all it takes. I just did it.
If you are not on the Grass Roots North Carolina email alert list, you need to be! Go here to sign up.
That 1919 remnant of the Jim Crow era, North Carolina’s pistol purchase permit, may finally be on its way out. The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association has finally endorsed its elimination and the House Judiciary 4 Committee voted out a bill that would do away with it.
Research published in the North Carolina Law Review showed that African-Americans were three times as likely to be denied than whites. This comes from a study of permits issued in Wake County where Sheriff Gerald Baker (D-Wake) is facing lawsuits for refusing to issue permits “due to COVID”.
This is not a done deal and I fully expect Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) to veto it. The law was intended to deny constitutional rights to African-Americans and its practice still does. Let him veto it and then try and defend that!
Since this is not a done deal, Grass Roots North Carolina is calling people to contact first Republicans and then later Democrats to pass this bill.
House Committee Passes Purchase Permit Repeal
Thanks to Reps. Jay Adams, Hugh Blackwell, Keith Kidwell, and George Cleveland, today the NC House Judiciary 4 Committee passed H398, a full repeal of North Carolina’s Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit (PPP) law – a law which not only allows some urban sheriffs to obstruct people from buying handguns for self-protection, but to this day also disproportionally denies minorities the ability to buy handguns for self-defense.
Not only are Republicans on board with repealing the racist law, but now the NC Sheriffs’ Association has joined them in supporting repeal. And who does that leave still supporting racist gun control? Democrats. Said GRNC president Paul Valone: “We are encouraged to see that the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association now agrees to bring gun purchases in North Carolina into the 21st Century by eliminating our Jim Crow-era permit system and requiring background checks at the point of sale. Given that a recent UNC School of Law paper found that in Wake County, black applicants are being denied permits three times more often than whites, it is clear that racism in issuing permits continues to this day. Consequently, we are calling upon Democrat legislators to join in repealing this racist law.”
Presuming the PPP repeal passes the General Assembly, anti-gun Democrat Governor Roy Cooper will certainly veto it. Because Republicans don’t have the 6/10 majority in either chamber that is required to over-ride Cooper’s veto, at least some Democrats will have to vote to over-ride.
Will Democrats do the right thing, or will they be the only ones left clinging to racist gun control? Please note that this message goes to Republicans.
Very soon, we will issue another alert with a message for Democrats.
EMAIL ALL NC HOUSE REPUBLICANS: Please note that the large number of Republican recipients may require you to break up your message into multiple groups. CALL YOUR NC HOUSE REP: You can find your NC House rep by going to:
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.
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As stated by NC Sheriffs’ Association Executive Director Eddie Caldwell in the Judiciary 4 Committee, the association now supports the repeal of our Jim-Crow era pistol purchase permit system. Describing recent improvements to North Carolina reporting to the computerized National Instant Background Check System (NICS), Caldwell described the archaic and racist permit law as “duplicative.”
A recent UNC Law School paper noted that in Wake County alone, from 2015 to 2020, black applicants were denied permits at a rate three times that of whites, demonstrating that racism in the permit law continues to this day. In early 2020, Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker decided to stop issuing permits altogether in violation of G.S. 14-404(f), which requires permits to be issued to qualified applicants within 14 days. In other urban North Carolina counties, permits are still being delayed by weeks, even months.
Finally, purchase permits remain valid for 5 years, raising the possibility that an individual could obtain a permit, commit a crime and then, once disqualified from buying a firearm, use the 5-year-old permit to bypass NICS.
I strongly urge you to support the repeal of our archaic, racist, and obstructionist pistol purchase permit law. I will be monitoring this issue through Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.
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