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For North Carolinians – Ring Bell

May 5, 2025

by John Richardson 1 Comment

Rep. John Bell IV (R-Wayne) is the chairman of the House Rules Committee. It is in his committee that HB5 – NC Constitutional Carry Act – is stuck. The Senate has already passed SB50 which is their version of the bill and HB5 has passed through the House Judiciary 2 Committee. All it needs for a floor vote is a positive vote in Rules.

Grass Roots North Carolina issued an alert yesterday evening asking for people to contact Bell’s office tomorrow and ask him to move the bill. If you read between the lines it is saying that GRNC-PVF will work hard to re-elect representatives like Tricia Cotham (R-Mecklenburg). Cotham, you may recall, was the the representative who switched from the Democrats to the Republicans after all the abuse she took for being absent on the day the veto override was held on the repeal of the pistol purchase permit. That she was being treated for long Covid didn’t matter to the progressive wing of the Democrats.

So put this on your to-do list for tomorrow morning:

LET’S RING JOHN’S “BELL”

Said GRNC president Paul Valone, “Rules Chair John Bell, when asked about both permitless carry bills currently in his committee, gave the usual politician song-and-dance about how he “needs to be sure we can get 72 votes” to override Steins inevitable veto (which is not possible), further vacillating with Who will defend our members in marginal districts?“

My direct answer to Bell was, “You won’t know whether you get 72 votes until you take the vote, and the GRNC Political Victory will give cover to any House member in a marginal district who votes for it. We need a vote in the Rules Committee on permitless carry, Rep. Bell.

“Since he is apparently not convinced, it’s time “RING” Rep. Bell and make sure you are heard LOUD & CLEAR, not by email, but by phone. Specifically, we would like you to call Rep. Bell’s office on Tuesday (May 6) between the hours of 9 AM and 11 AM. (If you can’t call then or miss it, call whenever you can.)

Deliver the following simple message, using voicemail if necessary: “Rep. Bell and other Republican leaders need to remember the gun voters who gave them their majority by giving an immediate hearing to permitless concealed carry in House Bill 5 and Senate Bill 50. We were denied permitless carry in 2023. We expect it in 2025.”

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
CALL REP JOHN BELL!

CONTACT NC House Republican John Bell by phone:   Specifically, we would like you to call Rep. Bell’s office on Tuesday (May 6) between the hours of 9 AM and 11 AM. (If you can’t call then or miss it, call whenever you can!)

Deliver the message below in the “Deliver This Message” Section.

DONATE TO GRNC: We are still low on funds after our highly successful election effort. Please donate by going to: grnc.org/wp/2012/06/donate-to-or-join-grnc/

CONTACT INFORMATION

Below,  find a the phone number for Rep Bell. Beneath that, in the Deliver This Message section, find the suggested phone message. Be respectful, but be short and to the point with your phone message/call!

NC HOUSE  REPUBLICAN John Bell

919-715-3017

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

USE VOICEMAIL IF NECESSARY

“Rep. Bell and other Republican leaders need to remember the gun voters who gave them their majority by giving an immediate hearing to permitless concealed carry in House Bill 5 and Senate Bill 50. We were denied permitless carry in 2023. We expect it in 2025.”

Respectfully, [your name]

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Counteract Everytown Protestors At General Assembly

April 16, 2025

by John Richardson

Everytown and their affiliated organizations will be having a news conference and their “Annual Advocacy Day” in Raleigh at 11am. They are targeting S50/H5 which would make North Carolina the 30th state to allow permitless concealed carry. They are calling it “dangerous legislation” and, of course, are predicting that blood will run in the streets if the law is passed. In other words, the same old same old.

As a counter to this protest, Grass Roots North Carolina is requesting that people should contact House Rules Committee Republicans starting at 10am and continue through noon. H5 is sitting in Rules Committee having passed out of the House Judiciary 2 Committee.

Here is the GRNC Alert with suggested wording for calls and emails.

COUNTERACT “EVERYTOWN’S”
ANTI-GUN PROTEST

GRNC has been alerted to the fact that Everytown for Gun Safety —an anti-gun group that has been funded in large part by far left politician and financier, Michael Bloomberg—is planning a protest this Wednesday (4/16/2025) outside the General Assembly, in Raleigh. Although it may be obvious that groups like this tend to operate with rent-a-mobs who don’t represent the true grass roots, it’s important that we remind our representatives of this, lest they wonder and take pause at any critical moments.

You see, currently, H5 (“NC Constitutional Carry Act”) and S50 (“Freedom to Carry NC”) are in the General Assembly’s House Rules Committee, so let’s make sure Republicans in that committee understand where North Carolina’s actual Grass Roots voters stand on these pro-Second Amendment bills.

Use Strategic Timing to Contact Key Republicans
Below, see how you can contact key members of the House Rules Committee with strategic timing. You can reassure them that any shrill anti-gun protestor they may see, or hear, are just that, and the committee members can remain comfortable in the knowledge that the voters who actually sent them to Raleigh are strongly in favor of the ‘Constitutional Carry’ bills currently under debate. We’ll be phoning and emailing the members between 10:00 AM and noon on Wednesday (4/16), because Everytown’s protest begins at 11:00 AM, hence the “strategic” portion of this. See more below.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

PHONE COMMITTEEE CHAIR & VICE-CHAIRS: Wednesday, between 10:00 AM and noon (or as soon as you can after that), telephone the Chair and the Vice-Chairs of the House Rules Committee. Find their phone numbers in the chart below. Deliver the following, friendly message:

“I am calling to voice my full support for the ‘Constitutional Carry’ bills currently before the House Rules Committee. I want to be clear that, contrary to what you might see outside today, I am not a paid member of a protest group funded by a wealthy anti-gun crusader from New York. I am a real North Carolina voter, and I voted to send Republicans to Raleigh to enact pro-gun legislation. As these bills are debated, please know that you have my full support on House Bill 5 and Senate Bill 50. Thank you!”

EMAIL KEY COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Anytime between now and Wednesday at 12:00 noon (or as soon as you can after that), email all of the key members of the House Rules Committee, and encourage them to support the ‘Constitutional Carry’ bills. Below, you’ll find a copy-paste email list, and a copy-paste message you can use to easily send the message.

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 Phone Number List:

Representative Phone Number John R. Bell, IV (Chair) (919) 715-3017 Tricia Ann Cotham (919) 733-5886 Brenden H. Jones (919) 733-5821 Erin Paré (919) 733-2962

Copy-Paste Email List:

John.Bell@ncleg.gov; Tricia.Cotham@ncleg.gov; Brenden.Jones@ncleg.gov; Erin.Pare@ncleg.gov; William.Brisson@ncleg.gov; Ted.Davis@ncleg.gov; Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.gov; Blair.Eddins@ncleg.gov; Karl.Gillespie@ncleg.gov; Kyle.Hall@ncleg.gov; Neal.Jackson@ncleg.gov; Charles.Miller@ncleg.gov; Ray.Pickett@ncleg.gov; Reece.Pyrtle@ncleg.gov; Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.gov; John.Torbett@ncleg.gov; Steve.Tyson@ncleg.gov; Donna.White@ncleg.gov

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: Genuine NC Voters Support ‘Constitutional Carry’

Dear House Rules Committee Member:

I am writing to voice my full support for the ‘Constitutional Carry’ bills currently before the House Rules Committee, and I’m encouraging you to do whatever is in your legislative power to advance ‘Constitutional Carry’ in our state.

I want to be clear that, contrary to what you might see outside today, I am not a paid member of a likely-rented protest group, like Everytown for Gun “Safety,” which is funded by an anti-gun, out-of-state billionaire. I am an actual North Carolina pro-gun voter, who purposely sent Republicans like you to Raleigh to enact pro-gun legislation. As these bills are debated, please know that you have my full support, and the support of all NC gun voters on House Bill 5 and Senate Bill 50.

All that to say, if you notice a lot of anti-gun noise coming from outside today, ignore it. It’s not from genuine grass roots voters, and you have the full support of the real grass roots voters, like me, who are monitoring your actions on this important matter through legislative alerts from Grass Roots North Carolina.

Respectfully,

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It Is All In The Wording Of The Question

April 2, 2025

by John Richardson

I received a press release this afternoon from Everytown saying 77% of North Carolinians oppose permitless carry. They are basing this on a poll by Elon University on behalf of Everytown.

Today, Everytown for Gun Safety released recent polling that shows a significant majority (77%) of residents in North Carolina oppose permitless carry. This comes as lawmakers are attempting to pass HB 5 and SB 50, bills that would dismantle North Carolina’s existing concealed carry permitting laws and allow individuals to carry concealed, hidden guns in public spaces without a permit—effectively eliminating all safeguards put in place by the current permitting system, including a background check, safety training, and live-fire training.

One advantage of my years ago graduate training in political science is that I know the results are all dependent upon how you word the question.

So how did the Elon University poll word the question and what were the real results?

Currently, North Carolina requires a permit to carry a concealed handgun. This permit involves an application fee, safety training and a background check. The General Assembly is considering a change to allow concealed carry without a permit. Do you support or oppose removing the requirement of a permit to legally carry a concealed handgun?

The actual opposition based upon the poll question was 54% and not the aforementioned 77%. Republicans and independents were more likely than Democrats to support permitless concealed carry.

I wonder what the results might have been if the third sentence read, “The General Assembly is considering a change to allow concealed carry without a permit like 29 other states.” The question could have gone on to add that open carry without a permit is a constitutional right in North Carolina thanks to State v. Kerner (1921).

According to Elon University, they surveyed 800 people and the poll has a margin of error of 4%. Other questions in the poll dealt with the renaming of Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg, tax rates, response to Hurricane Helene, trust in the NC Supreme Court, and approval of Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC). Nowhere in the release on the poll does it give the actual numbers of people sampled by party, race, or sex. In other words, we do not know if the poll was overweighted with Democrats or women who were more likely to favor gun control.

While polls do have their usefulness, constitutional rights should never be governed by polls or popular opinion.

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Push For Permitless Concealed Carry In North Carolina (Updated)

March 10, 2025

by John Richardson 2 Comments

Do you want permitless carry in North Carolina? Do you live in the Piedmont or within an hour or two of Raleigh? Do you have some free time on Tuesday morning?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions then Grass Roots North Carolina needs your help. Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico), primary sponsor of H5 – NC Constitutional Carry Act, is having a joint press conference with House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell & Watauga). GRNC will be there to deliver thousands of your petitions supporting permitless carry.

If the General Assembly passed H5/S50 – and overrides the anticipated veto by Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) – North Carolina will become the 30th state with permitless concealed carry. It would mean another 11 million people would have Constitutional or permitless carry.

Here are the details from GRNC:

WE NEED YOU FOR
TUESDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE

We need YOUR help, this Tuesday, to present the Constitutional Carry Petition …

Other than newborn babies, interesting and important things tend to lack a lot of prior notice, and it turns out this Tuesday’s (3/11) pivotal event in our state’s capital is no exception. NC Representative Keith Kidwell, sponsor of HB5 (“NC Constitutional Carry Act”), is getting together with NC’s House Speaker, Destin Hall, this Tuesday for a joint press conference. What exactly makes this presser so important? It turns out that GRNC leaders and supporters (like you) will also be there to present the thousands of ‘Constitutional Carry’ petitions that North Carolinians have signed.

We Need You There
We’re asking you to set aside some time and meet us in Raleigh this Tuesday morning. The “and supporters (like you)” part is only true, and only effective, if you’re actually there, and the more gun rights supporters the better to make the greatest possible impact, so please bring along everyone you can.

The precise time and precise room number is currently unknown, but it will almost surely be before lunch, and in the General Assembly Legislative Building. If there is any chance at all that you can meet us there, it would go a long way in finally bringing constitutional carry to our state. More details are below, with the understanding that updates with precise information will be passed along as soon as they are available. If you can set aside the time, and plan to be at the legislature on Tuesday morning, that’ll do the trick to get things going…

UPDATE: The exact time and place has been announced in a GRNC press release sent out at 2:30pm today. Moreover, Speaker Destin Hall will receive the petitions in person for which GRNC President offered his thanks.

On Tuesday, March 11, at 1:50 PM EDT at Speaker Destin Hall’s office, Legislative Building
Rm. 2304, 16 W. Jones St., Raleigh, NC. GRNC will present 5,000 petition signatures to NC House
Speaker Destin Hall, who has agreed to receive them in person in what we regard as significant
progress in moving the bill.