Deals With The Devil

Every news source this afternoon is all excited that “a bipartisan deal has been reached on gun reform” or something like that. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) reportedly has been pushing for some “compromise” so that guns as an issue are negated for the mid-term elections. The problem with that is that gun control supporters are still going to vote for the Democrats and many pro-rights supporters might just say screw you and not vote.

When you make a deal with the devil, the devil is in the details. Of course, other than about nine bullet points, there are no hardcore, defined, written in stone details.

To even get the release on the “deal”, I had to go to Sen. Chris Murphy’s (D-CT) website. My own Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) who were both negotiators on the “deal” were so proud of their own actions that they aren’t going public with the details.

Support for State Crisis Intervention Orders

Money goes to states and tribes to set up their own system of gun confiscation orders aka red flag laws. Supposedly, consistent with state and Federal due process. Right.

Investment in Children and Family Mental Health Services

I’ll give them a pass on this one. They say: “National expansion of community behavioral health center model; major investments to increase access to mental health and suicide prevention programs; and other support services available in the community, including crisis and trauma intervention and recovery.”

Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence
This would expand the Lautenberg Act prohibitions to convictions for domestic abuse and restraining orders involving current and ex romantic partners. Thus, a vengeful ex-boyfriend (or girlfriend) could get a restraining order against you which would prevent you from protecting yourself from their wrath. Think Carol Bowne in New Jersey who was stabbed to death while waiting for a pistol permit with which to protect herself.

Funding for School-Based Mental Health and Supportive Services

I don’t have many issues with this. The release says: Invests in programs to expand mental health and supportive services in schools, including: early identification and intervention programs and school based mental health and wrap-around services.

Funding for School Safety Resources

It says it will invest in programs that increase school safety in K-12 schools including providing training to school personnel and students. I doubt they mean programs like the FASTER Programs in Ohio and Colorado. At the very least, they should have “Stop the Bleed” training as well as blow-out kits for every teacher.

Clarification of Definition of Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer

This one will definitely be the devil in the details. Will it be based upon how many firearms you sell in a year such as dispersing an estate or will it be based upon intent as the current law does? Current law says that if the intent is to engage in it as a business, you need a FFL.

Telehealth Investments

The release says, “Invests in programs that increase access to mental and behavioral health services for youth and families in crisis via telehealth.” That is fine but I wonder if this will just become another government boondoggle.

Under 21 Enhanced Review Process

For those under age 21, there will be an “investigative period” with checks of juvenile and mental health records. As Stephen Gutowski notes, this could mean a non-instant background check process for those under age 21. They also say they will check with local law enforcement and state databases.

Penalties for Straw Purchasing

Is this going to be like doubly illegal? It is already against the law to engage in a straw purchase. As it is, US Attorneys and Federal law enforcement rarely bring cases to trial involving straw purchases. I think they believe the optics of going after the girlfriends and “intimate partners” of gang members have too many racial overtones.

Charles Blow, a columnist for the New York Times, had an op-ed a couple of Sundays ago calling for more gun control as well as attacking the gun culture. He said he did agree with the Republicans on one thing.

But I am on the same page as they are on one point. They see the passage of gun safety laws as a slippery slope that could lead to more sweeping laws and even, one day, national gun registries, insurance requirements and bans. I see the same and I actively hope for it.

While I vehemently disagree with Blow, at least he is honest about it unlike most politicians on either side of the aisle. It is a slippery slope and must be fought tooth and nail.

Record Pre-Registration For Gun Rights Policy Conference

The Second Amendment Foundation and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms sent out an announcement regarding the record number of pre-registrations. Included in the release was mention of some of the “mystery” guests which include my own Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Kim Rhode.

Joe Bartozzi of NSSF and Jason Ouimet of the NRA-ILA will also be speakers. It is good to see these organizations participating. GOA and Knife Rights have been participants for years.

From SAF and CCRKBA:

BELLEVUE, WA – The largest-ever number of Second Amendment activists has pre-registered for this coming weekend’s 35th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference, which will be held entirely online Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 19-20, with more than 120 speakers, including several VIP guests.

Co-hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, this is the first time in history the event will be entirely online. According to SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb, there is an “energy” for this year’s conference unlike anything he’s seen before. To register, go to www.saf.org/grpc/.

While the conference will be streamed on several platforms including YouTube and Facebook Live, you must pre-register in order to receive the Free Digital Second Amendment Library, Gottlieb noted. So far, more than 2,200 people have pre-registered.

“It takes more than a virus to dampen the spirits of grassroots gun rights activists,” Gottlieb stated. “We expect the event to be viewed by several hundred thousand people. It’s the biggest agenda we’ve ever had, with guest presentations from Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise, Alaska Congressman Don Young, U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Olympic Gold Medalist Kim Rhode.”

The agenda includes a federal affairs briefing, two state legislative panels, updates on legal actions and court victories, a discussion on outreach to an estimated 5 million new gun owners, and the importance of this year’s presidential and congressional elections to advance the gun rights cause.

In addition to Gottlieb, this year’s speakers include National Shooting Sports Foundation President Joe Bartozzi; Jason Ouimet, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action; Erich Pratt, Gun Owners of America; Tom Gresham, host of Gun Talk radio; Mark Walters, host of Armed American radio; Charlie Cook, host of Riding Shotgun with Charlie; and Jim Shepherd, editor at The Outdoor Wire.

“We’ll also be hosting live events on Zoom both Friday and Saturday evening,” Gottlieb said. “We’re determined to make this year’s conference the best ever, despite the pandemic, and we are truly looking forward to what may become the most important weekend of the campaign season.

“We’re expecting gun owners from coast-to-coast to attend this virtual event,” he added. “Last year’s conference in Phoenix was live-streamed to more than 100,000 people and we hope to exceed that number. It’s going to be an event no gun owner will want to miss.”

Why Is Everytown Afraid To Mention Gun Control In Their Ads?

If you are a gun control group running ads against pro-gun incumbents, why would you shy away from mentioning guns? Could it be that you know that gun control is not a winning issue given the massive number of new gun owners?

Mike Blomberg’s Everytown PAC is running negative ads in North Carolina and Iowa against Republican incumbent Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Joni Ernst (R-IA).

Here is an ad that is running in Iowa against Joni Ernst. Nary a word about guns is mentioned.

While they do have one ad running in North Carolina that barely mentions firearms, here is their primary ad against Tillis.

The Free Beacon ran an article written by Stephen Gutowski about this today. One of the people he interviewed for the article is Miles Coleman of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.

Miles Coleman, associate editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, said Everytown’s attempt to appeal to issues beyond the Second Amendment could indicate that the group is not confident in gun control’s appeal in swing states.

“One reason Everytown brings up those other issues may be that the Democratic Senate candidates in Iowa and North Carolina will probably need some Trump voters to win,” Coleman told the Washington Free Beacon. “In both states, there were several Obama-to-Trump counties in rural areas. Hitting Republicans on gun control may not be enough to make them unacceptable to those voters.”

Given that it is obvious that Mike Bloomberg and his organization want to swing control of the US Senate from Republicans to Democrats, it would instructive to look at what the candidates who benefit from these ads think about gun control.

In Iowa, Democrat Theresa Greenfield had this on her website. It must not be an issue that she wants to publicize too much as it was somewhat hidden away. She lumped it under “public safety”.

In the Senate, Theresa will fight for legislation that keeps our kids and our communities safe. Whether it’s working to expand background checks, funding critical gun violence research, keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and other criminals, such as those on the No Fly list, she will bring people together to find commonsense solutions to ensure we address gun violence. 

In North Carolina, Cal Cunningham, who you know won the Bronze Star, no V for Valor for his JAG work in Iraq, is a bit more obvious about it. He also touts that Everytown and Giffords have endorsed him.

Cal believes there are commonsense steps we can take to protect our communities from gun violence while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens. Cal will work to keep our kids safe and to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, criminals, and terrorists by supporting efforts to expand background checks, ban the sale of high-capacity magazines, pass extreme risk laws, and fund gun violence research on an issue that has become a public health crisis.

To be perfectly blunt, there is nothing moderate about their stances on gun control and that is exactly what Everytown wants to obfuscate in their advertising.

Give Thom A Call This Morning

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has been equivocating on red flag laws in his letters to constituents (like me!). Tillis is also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee which is holding hearings on red flag laws. Now is the time to send Thom a message regarding red flag law. Grass Roots North Carolina is asking for people to give his office a call this morning to let him know this ain’t OK.

Tillis, by the way, is up for reelection in 2020 so he is in that part of his term where he needs to play politician 100% of the time. We need to use that to our advantage.

From the GRNC alert:

STOP ‘RED FLAG’ LAWS:
CALL THOM TILLIS

On
Friday night, GRNC alerted supporters to the fact that US Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC)
looks to be capitulating to his
anti-gun colleagues in Washington. Tillis has telegraphed his support
for “Extreme Risk Protection Orders” (or “Red Flag” laws) by
supporting S. 7. This
bill would allow
the word of an accuser, voicing “concerns,” to strip a citizen of
several of the Constitutional protections guaranteed by the Bill of
Rights—without due process
. Yet, in Senator Tillis’ recent
correspondence with concerned constituents, he did not address any
of the glaring and very serious problems with S. 7. Telling the “whole”
truth is to tell the truth. Omitting critical details on such an
important matter is, well… something else. This does not inspire voter
confidence in Tillis’ resolve to support the Bill of Rights.

Unfortunately, it looks like the
Judiciary Committee, of which Tillis is a member, will conduct a hearing on S. 7 on March 26. Human rights are non-negotiable, and
therefore, Tillis must not vote for this bill—but he seems poised to
.

As part of
Friday’s alert, we asked gun owners and other supporters of the Bill of
Rights
to phone Thom Tillis’ DC office on Monday morning
(3/18/2019), and this alert is a friendly
reminder to do just that. Below, in the Immediate Action section, find
details on how to reach Tillis and demand that he stand for the 2nd,
4th, 5th
and 6th Amendments, not against them. 

To read more about “Red Flag” laws, and Thom Tillis’
willingness, to cozy up to them as a member of the powerful Senate
Judiciary Committee, click to read Friday’s
alert
, and/or click to read a previous alert on
the topic
.

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IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!



  • PHONE SENATOR THOM TILLIS: On
    Monday morning
    (3/18/2019), please phone Thom Tillis’s DC office at this number: (202) 224-6342.
    If you
    can’t call in the morning, please call as soon as you can after that.
    Deliver the following message to Tillis’ staff or his voice-mail.
     
Hello,
I am calling about the senator’s recent correspondence on the topic of
Senate Bill 7, “Extreme Risk Protection Orders,” sometimes called, “red
flag” laws. In this correspondence, he conspicuously
failed to address the severe Constitutional problems with red flag laws;
the establishment of ex parte hearings is just one of many examples. In
fact,
these laws threaten Second, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendment
protections—at least.

I am quite
troubled by Senator Tillis’ effort to dance around the major problems
with red flag laws and I expect him to be more candid, indeed more
honest, with me in the future. As a North Carolina voter and a gun
owner, I also
expect the senator to live up to his oath of office, to the Republican
Party’s platform, to the pro-Second Amendment statement on his own
website, and to do everything in his power to defeat this revolting,
un-American bill, and any other bill like it. Thank
you.

GRNC Alert On US Senate Gun Control Hearings

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) who suddenly grew a spine during the Kavanaugh hearings may be backsliding a bit. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee he plans to hold hearings on gun control including on red flag laws. The Brady Campaign is crowing about it in an email and set up a special alert so as to pack the hearing room.

Grass Roots North Carolina took notice of the hearing a bit earlier and sent out their own alert. This is one that readers from anywhere can use to contact Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee. If you are from a state where one of your senators is a member of the committee, make sure to use their email contact form. Just modify the one GRNC composed to be sent to Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC).

From GRNC:

THE GOP THREATENS A
GUN CONFISCATION
SCHEME


Is the old Lindsay back? According to US Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC), so-called “red flag” laws are an area where
Republicans may just reach across the aisle…



As you review the details below, please keep a few things in mind:
  • “Red Flag Law” and “Extreme Risk Protection
    Order” are simply euphemisms for the unlawful suspension of a person’s constitutional rights, absent any due process
    , based
    solely on hearsay from an accuser who has neither witnessed a crime, nor been victimized by one.
     

  • The US House is currently held by Nancy Pelosi’s extremely anti-gun party. This means the Senate may be the
    only reliable road block to extremist gun control bills. Yet, we now see influential Republican senators suggesting they just might send a
    “red flag” bill to Speaker Pelosi for her party’s rubber stamp
    .


  • If it can pass the Senate, it’ll breeze through the House, and then it’s on to the
    President, who unfortunately, seems
    open
    to unconstitutional ‘red flag’ laws
    , and who gets along great with Lindsay Graham.

This is Serious

Wednesday,
speaking on CNN as the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee,
Senator Graham confirmed that the powerful
committee will hold a hearing on gun control. The hearing is expected to
cover “extreme risk protection” orders (“red flag”
laws). Gun control is a topic usually shunned by members of the
Republican held senate, and rightfully so. This is why their sudden
interest in a gun
control hearing is an ominous sign. 


Click here to read the CNN story, a
story that quotes Senator Graham (emphasis ours):

I think there’s a lot of common ground

[with Democrats] on enrolling people in
the background system who
are a
danger to themselves or others.
It’s probably safe to assume that you
don’t want to be “enrolled” in anything
concocted by Lindsay Graham and approved by Nancy
Pelosi, especially when it comes to infringements on your Constitutionally guaranteed rights.

The CNN Story goes on:

Graham, a supporter and strong ally of President Trump also says he has spoken with the President about it.

(See the last bullet point,
above)
.

Say NO to Ending
American Due Process

It is critical that
each of us contact the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Particularly North Carolina’s own, Senator Thom Tillis. Below,
see how you can reach each member, starting with Senator Tillis, and let them know that you expect them to stand for due process, for
gun rights, and against “red flag” laws
. 

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IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!



  • SEND AN EMAIL MESSAGE TO US SENATOR THOM TILLIS
    (R-NC)
    : Tillis is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Use the link provided below, under ‘Contact Info,’ to
    visit his Senate contact form. Use the copy/paste message provided below, under ‘Deliver This
    Message
    .’   

  • PHONE ALL SENATE JUDICIARY REPUBLICANS: Use the phone numbers provided below. Tell them you
    are calling about the Judiciary Committee’s upcoming gun control hearing (March 26), and make the following points:

    • “Red
      flag” or “extreme risk
      protection” laws are a blatant violation of the due-process rights
      guaranteed to each citizen by the Constitution, not to mention a
      violation
      of Second Amendment rights themselves.

    • The Senator surely knows that the term “red flag law” is simply a euphemism for the unlawful suspension of Constitutional
      rights, and the suspension of these rights is based on hearsay from someone who was neither a witness to, nor a victim of, a
      crime.
    • Supporting this type of legislation would be a violation of the senator’s oath of office and would
      be a severe breach of the trust the senator has earned from the voters. 
    • No American lawmaker could support this sort of law and still
      claim to be a supporter and protector of the Bill of Rights. Therefore, I demand that the senator lend
      precisely zero support to any gun control legislation, particularly “red flag” bills.




  • 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.

Republicans on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee: 
Committee Member Contact Info

Sen. Thom Tillis (NC)

(Please phone & email Sen. Tillis. Copy/paste text below.)
(202) 224-6342
web contact form
(email): 

www.tillis.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me
Sen. Lindsay Graham (SC) (Chairman) (202) 224-5972
n. Chuck Grassley (IA) (202) 224-3744
Sen. John Cornyn (TX) (202) 224-2934
Sen. Mike Lee (UT) (202) 224-5444
Sen. Ted Cruz (TX) (202) 224-5922
Sen. Ben Sasse (NE) (202) 224-4224
Sen. Joshua Hawley (MO) (202) 224-6154
Sen. Joni Ernst (IA) (202) 224-3254
Sen. Mike Crapo (ID) (202) 224-6142
Sen. John Kennedy (LA) (202) 224-4623
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (TN) (202) 224-3344

DELIVER THIS
MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: “NO to Unconstitutional ‘Red
Flag’ Laws!
”  
Dear Senator Tillis:

It has come my attention that the Senate
Judiciary Committee intends to hold a gun control hearing on or around
March
26. I also understand that the committee chairman has expressed a
willingness to work with Democrats on gun control, specifically
so-called “red
flag” laws.

“Red flag” or “extreme risk protection” laws are a blatant violation of
the due-process rights guaranteed to each citizen by
the Constitution, not to mention a violation of Second Amendment rights
themselves. Because of this, supporting this type of legislation would
be a
violation of your oath of office and would be a severe breach of the
trust you’ve earned from the voters you serve. 

You know as well as I that “red flag
law” is simply a euphemism for the unlawful suspension of (several)
Constitutional rights. The suspension of these rights is based on
hearsay
from someone who was neither a witness to, nor a victim of, a crime. No
American lawmaker could support this sort of law and still claim to be a
supporter and protector of the Bill of Rights.

Therefore, I demand that you lend precisely zero
support to any gun control legislation, particularly “red flag”
bills. Rather, I expect you to speak against “red flag” laws, exposing
them for what they are.

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

Respectfully, 

GRNC Urges NC Gun Owners To Contact Burr, Tillis, and McConnell

I spent part of Saturday morning working the Grass Roots North Carolina booth at the Asheville Gun and Knife Show. Paul Valone, President of GRNC, was also helping out at the booth and we had a chance to chat. He told me we needed to put pressure on Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) over Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s moves to outlaw bump fire stocks. Paul said it was only a first step for Feinstein and having read her bill I agree. The bill itself contains what I consider a Trojan Horse as it would outlaw anything that accelerated a semi-automatic rifle.

The alert that Paul alluded to in our conversation was released late this afternoon. It asks gun rights supporters to call and email Senators Burr and Tillis as well as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell regarding Feinstein’s ban bill.

The alert is below:

Do you want Washington deciding what should or shouldn’t be your next gun
accessory?




While
our nation continues
to mourn the senseless tragedy in Las Vegas, lawmakers in Washington are
rushing to fix (i.e. exploit) an issue they barely understand. Senator
Dianne Feinstein (D-California) is reportedly proposing legislation that
will eliminate all after-market devices which increase the firing rate
of
legal guns. Of course, this would ban the now infamous “bump stocks”.
But, it would also make illegal many other accessories, such as
systems that enthusiasts use to make semi-automatic versions of belt-fed
machine guns.

Even more troubling, this proposal would NOT grandfather
any of these devices. This would potentially have the chilling effect
of making tens of thousands of otherwise law-abiding citizens, criminals
overnight — just for owning the “wrong” accessory.

If
this dangerous proposal were to become law, nobody knows how far the
government
would go to make sure millions of gun owners have only the “politically
correct” accessories. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has even said that
she “certainly hopes” this is will be a slippery slope to more gun
control. This is so much more than a Second Amendment issue — this is
an
attack on our right to own private property, a freedom enshrined in the
Fifth Amendment.

IMMEDIATE ACTION
REQUIRED!


  • Call AND email North Carolina
    Senators Tillis and Burr, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office:
    Let them know that as a well-informed voting citizen you refuse to stand idly by while
    Congress debates how to strip millions of law-abiding Americans of their private property rights.
  • Contact
    the NRA:
    Call them (at
    800-672-3888) and email them
    and
    tell them to grow a spine. Make it clear you will not hesitate to resign
    your membership unless they ramp up the fight to protect our
    fundamental
    freedoms.
  • Donate to GRNC: As an all-volunteer grassroots
    organization, we work hard to protect our American liberties. It takes a
    lot of
    resources to fight this rising tide of hysteria and disinformation, and
    every little bit helps to keep the torch of liberty burning. Please click here or go to
    https://www.grnc.org/join-grnc/contribute.
CONTACT INFO
Senator
Richard Burr: email link,
202-224-3154
Senator Thom Tillis: email link, 202-224-6342

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: 202-224-2541

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE


Suggested Subject: “Oppose the Feinstein Gun Ban”  
Dear Senator:

I understand that
California Senator Dianne Feinstein is currently proposing legislation
that
would ban all devices that increase the firing rate of legally owned
firearms. This would have the chilling effect of turning tens of
thousands of
otherwise law-abiding citizens into criminals. It would also strip them
of their private property rights, a right enshrined in the Fifth
Amendment.

Have the courage to stand up to Senator Feinstein and anyone else in
Congress who believes it is their place to decide for millions of
Americans the
“correct” type of accessories they can own.

Please
advise me of your position on this proposal. I will be monitoring your
actions via
Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Respectfully,