Category: Government

GUN CONTROL GOV. MAKES ALL-CALL FOR GUN CONTROL, FAILS ON THE BASICS

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham knows exactly where to go to get fawning media coverage and an agreeable viewing audience for her all-call gun control platform.

Gov. Lujan Grisham joined MSNBC’s Morning Joe just days following the murders of three innocent Americans by a mentally troubled 18-year old. She knew there would be no serious pushback or correcting by the host of her false statements about firearms and lies about the firearm industry.

Then again, that was most likely her goal. And, sadly, its standard operating procedure for much of what passes these days for “mainstream media” and journalism.

Facts and Details

Gov. Lujan Grisham’s support for gun control restrictions is already well-known. It’s why she was in consideration to be President Joe Biden’s running mate back in 2019. One of the pillar planks of the Governor’s platform is to ban the possession, sale and transfer of Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs) in New Mexico. There are currently more than 24.4 million in circulation since 1990. That means they are more commonly-owned than there are Ford F-150 pickup trucks. I’d venture you couldn’t drive five minutes in New Mexico without seeing an F-150 on the road.

New Mexico’s governor started with the “weapons of war” false allegations to demonize all lawful ownership because of the crazed acts of a lone, mentally disturbed individual.

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AGs ask court to dismiss Mexico lawsuit claiming U.S. firearms industry is responsible for cartel violence

(The Center Square) – A Mexican government lawsuit blaming American firearm manufacturers for cartel violence is bogus, 20 Republican attorneys general argue. In a new brief filed with the First Circuit Appeals Court, they asked the court to dismiss the case.

Last September, Chief District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV, presiding over the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, dismissed Mexico’s lawsuit filed against several U.S. gun manufacturers. The defendants include Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc.; Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc.; Beretta U.S.A. Corp.; Glock, Inc.; Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.; Witmer Public Safety Group, Inc., D/B/A Interstate Arms; Century International Arms, Inc.; Baretta Holdings Spa, Glock Ges.M.B.H; and Colt’s Manufacturing Company, Llc.

The Mexican government is seeking $10 billion in damages for cartel violence in a country where guns can only be purchased legally at one gun store in Mexico City run by the Mexican Army. In 2018, the store sold 38 firearms on average, a day, compared to an estimated 580 weapons smuggled into Mexico from the U.S., the Los Angeles Times reported.

Mexico’s lawsuit isn’t a new claim. In 2016, the former Mexican president also argued that cartel firearm trafficking was “strengthening the cartels and other criminal organizations that create violence in Mexico,” the Times reported.

Law enforcement officials have explained to The Center Square that Mexican cartel violence is perpetrated through the illegal purchasing and trafficking of firearms, largely financed through human and drug trafficking and smuggling across the U.S.-Mexico border. People and drugs are trafficked and smuggled north; illegal weapons, cash and other contraband move south, officials have explained.

The AGs argue, “Mexico advances a legal theory that is unsupported by fact or law.

“On the facts, American gun manufacturers are not responsible for gun violence in Mexico. Rather, policy choices by the Mexican government, policy failures in the United States, and independent criminal actions by third parties are alone responsible for gun violence in Mexico,” they state in the brief.

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I like how they add “the courts 6-3 conservative majority” part in there to remind everyone that “Oh it’s the conservatives fault we can’t pass gun control”.

[Nevada Governor] Lombardo vetoes three Democrat-backed gun control bills

Ahead of a press conference from advocates aimed at pressuring Gov. Joe Lombardo to sign a trio of Democrat-proposed gun control measures, the Republican governor vetoed the three bills.

Lombardo’s action marks the first veto of the session and arrives after he pledged on his campaign website to “veto any legislation” that would take away the “right to build a firearm for personal use.” At that time, Lombardo also said he “supports the right of all law-abiding citizens to own a firearm if they so choose.” Republican lawmakers — who voted en masse against the three proposals — have been unwilling to support such policies.

“I will not support legislation that infringes on the constitutional rights of Nevadans,” Lombardo said in a press release Wednesday. “As I stated in my letters, much of the legislation I vetoed today is in direct conflict with legal precedent and established constitutional protections. Therefore, I cannot support them.”

The first, SB171, sponsored by Sen. Dallas Harris (D-Las Vegas), would have prevented a gun purchase from anyone convicted of a hate crime in the last 10 years.

Separately, AB354, sponsored by Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D-Las Vegas), would have criminalized bringing a gun within 100 feet of an election site, while AB355, also sponsored by Jauregui, would have raised the legal age to purchase certain semi-automatic rifles and shotguns to 21, as well as aimed to close a legal loophole in the state’s 2021 attempt to ban so-called “ghost guns.”

In a statement to The Nevada Independent, Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D-Las Vegas) said she “desperately” wishes the governor would put the safety of Nevadans over partisan politics.

“After his time consoling the families of the 1 October massacre, I expected the governor to have the basic empathy to realize his responsibility to prevent future mass shootings and gun violence tragedies,” Jauregui said in a text message. “I never want a Nevadan to experience the trauma that I and so many have endured.”

She vowed to continue to work on gun violence prevention measures during her time in office.

The three bills passed through the Legislature on party-line votes.

In a press conference held immediately after the governor’s office announced the vetoes, legislative Democrats and gun control advocates pilloried the move as “shameful.”

“We sent over three commonsense options, bills, by the way, that Republicans are supporting in other states across this country today,” Harris said. “If this is how he wants to run his office, if these are the first bills he wants to veto, then I say game on.”

Though she did not clarify what other states she meant in her remarks, Republican lawmakers in Texas moved to advance a bill raising the age limit to purchase certain assault-style weapons through an initial committee earlier this month, following a spate of shooting violence this spring.

However, in legal citations included in the three veto messages sent to lawmakers Wednesday, Lombardo leaned heavily on the potential for two of the measures — AB354 and AB355 — to falter under relatively new Supreme Court precedent established within the last two years.

In both instances, the governor’s office cited New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, a 2021 case in which the court’s 6-3 conservative majority ruled that state-level gun control legislation could only be deemed constitutional if there was a historic precedent for such laws.

“As such, were this bill to become law, it is unlikely it would pass constitutional muster,” Lombardo’s veto message on AB355 said.

Lysander Boomer

Given the threat to our economic and consequently political stability posed by the consequences of the curtailment of natural gas production, I would welcome a statement from the governors of producing states about what their intentions are in the future.

Assuming a second Biden term, it is probable that additional restrictions will be passed aimed at destroying domestic energy production. State governments must nullify such restrictions and ensure sufficient energy supplies.

I would encourage the formation of regional organizations between states to ensure that at a minimum, politically aligned states are not economically devastated by the policies of this administration. Joint litigation, joint resistance, joint production etc.
The lights must be kept on, the production of food must not be interfered with, the grid must be secured against sabotage, both physical and legislative in origin.

If we must have a constitutional crisis, let it be over keeping folks fed and living with proper amounts of air conditioning and electrical services. The feds will either yield or be displaced in such a circumstance.

Force the agenda out into the open. Use state power to the absolute maximum to ensure the prosperity of your state and confederate with other likeminded states to resist the inevitable federal repercussions. It may get ugly but it is a worthy fight.

Potentially consider passing legislation to allow for the recall of senators if they are judged to act against the interest of the state government. This will work to restore the intention of the senate as a battleground of the states.
State legislatures must wield their power strongly to defend against federal overreach. I can’t say it enough, the states must arm themselves (legally) against the federal government and prepare to fight with everything they’ve got.

The U.S. Constitution

Article I
Section 1
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section 8
The Congress shall have Power To…

…provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Establishes ‘9/11 Heroes Day,’ Requiring Children to Learn About the Attack

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed another batch of bills on Tuesday, one of which designates September 11 as “9/11 Heroes Day,” requiring middle and high school students to learn about the attack.

DeSantis discussed a series of bills passed by the Florida legislature, slated to empower Florida’s teachers and “reign in out-of-control unions and school boards,” according to the governor’s office.

In addition to approving a $252 million increase in teacher salaries, DeSantis is signing Senate Bill 256, House Bill 477, House Bill 1537, House Bill 1035, and House Bill 379.

House Bill 477 addresses school board members, decreasing their terms from 12 years to eight years. Further, Joint Resolution 31 will make school board elections more transparent rather than “nonpartisan,” thereby allowing partisan elections. This will be in effect for the 2024 elections.

House Bill 1537, which largely focuses on preparation programs for teachers, also contains a provision establishing September 11 as “9/11 Heroes Day,” requiring 45 minutes of instruction for both middle and high school students on the tragic attack on U.S. soil:

The bill also includes something that we were asked to support over the last year, year and a half, by folks who were serving in uniform in New York City during September 11. And that is establishing a ‘9/11 Heroes Day’ in honor of those who gave their lives fighting for freedom on September 11.

“And so now kids in school are going to be learning about people who sacrificed at the Twin Towers and at the Pentagon on September 11,” he said.

DeSantis noted during Tuesday’s press conference that children in schools were born after the attack and therefore have no remembrance of it, as older generations do:

When you think about it, many of us remember that, and that was kind of a big deal for our country in terms of the last generation, but you look at these kids in high school here, they were not even born when September 11 happened. So we think it’s important that those folks are honored.

DeSantis also touted House Bill 1035, which establishes a Teachers’ Bill of Rights. House Bill 379, meanwhile, addresses social media, effectively removing TikTok from schools.

WATCH the full press conference below:

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ICYMI: Governor Pillen Signs Constitutional Carry Bill Into Law

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen signed LB77 Constitutional Carry into Nebraska law. LB77 allows law-abiding Nebraskans who are 21 years or older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. Governor Pillen was joined by the bill introducer Sen. Tom Brewer and state senators.

 “Signing this bill upholds the promise I made to voters to protect our constitutional rights and promote commonsense, conservative values,” said Governor Pillen. “I appreciate the hard work of those senators who supported this legislation, and particularly that of Sen. Brewer who led this charge and carried it through to the end.”

 “Nebraskans should not have to pay the government a fee or ask permission for constitutional rights,” said Senator Brewer. “This bill finally delivers on the promises in Nebraska and United States constitutions. I am proud to help Nebraska join twenty-six of our sister states in removing this obstacle to the right to keep and bear arms.”

 A video of the bill signing can be found here and photos are below.

 

New Law Bans Foreign Entities From Purchasing Montana Land

Foreign entities will no longer be allowed to purchase or lease land in Montana beginning later this year.

Gov. Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 203 on Thursday that the bans land purchases by what it refers to as “foreign adversaries,” defined as “any foreign government or foreign non government person determined by the U.S. secretary of commerce to have engaged in a long-term pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the national security of the United States …”

The governor’s office identified China, North Korea, Russia, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela in a news release about signing the legislation.

“Montana will not stand idly by as foreign adversaries buy up our farmland, harvest private data, and spy on Americans,” Gianforte said. “Today, we’re doing what the Biden administration won’t to defend our economic security, food security, and national security assets.”

“From the spy balloon to CCP-linked companies buying American farmland to the Chinese Communist Party spying on Americans through TikTok, now is the time for bold, decisive action to defend our national interests,” the governor added. “If the federal government won’t protect America from Communist China and hostile adversaries, Montana will.”

Republican-led states such as Louisiana and Texas, as well as some Republicans in Congress, are pushing similar proposals to bar foreign interest from purchasing farmland in the U.S.

New Georgia Law Targets Left-Wing Prosecutors

The Peach State is joining the chorus of states that have had enough of soft-on-crime prosecutors. On Friday, Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) signed a bill into law that creates a commission to discipline and potentially remove prosecutors who don’t do their jobs.

“I am not going to stand idly by as rogue or incompetent prosecutors refuse to uphold the law,” Kemp said at the signing ceremony in Savannah, Ga. “Today we are sending a message that we will not forfeit public safety for prosecutors to let criminals off the hook.”

Georgia isn’t alone, of course. The Associated Press reports that Georgia’s new law joins “pushes to remove prosecutors in Florida, Indiana, Missouri, and Pennsylvania, as well as broader disputes nationwide over how certain criminal offenses should be charged.”

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Oklahoma Governor Signed Two Important Second Amendment Bills: Boat Carry and Constitutional Carry Cleanup

Recently, Governor Kevin Stitt, signed two important pieces of legislation that uphold our Second Amendment rights.

Firstly, Senate Bill 978, also known as the Boat Carry Bill, has been signed into law. This bill recognizes individuals right to carry a firearm on a boat as long as they are legally allowed to possess a firearm. This is a significant victory for those who enjoy recreational boating and want to exercise their right to self-defense.

Secondly, House Bill 1789, also known as the Constitutional Carry Cleanup Bill, has been signed into law. This bill clarifies language in the existing constitutional carry law and ensures that law-abiding citizens can carry a firearm without unnecessary government permission slips. This is crucial in protecting our Second Amendment rights and ensuring that law-abiding citizens are not unjustly prosecuted for exercising their right to bear arms.

NRA applauds Governor Stitt and the Oklahoma Legislature for taking bold steps to protect our Second Amendment rights. These new laws are a victory for all Oklahomans who believe in the fundamental right to self-defense and the right to bear arms.

Thank you for your continued support of the Second Amendment.

17 gun restriction bills flounder at Georgia Capitol

ATLANTA — This year, the Georgia legislature mostly ignored 17 gun restriction bills – including bills that would have limited access to guns for folks with mental health issues.

The 17 gun restriction bills were introduced by Democrats. The capitol is run by Republicans, who have expanded, not restricted, gun rights.

When police converged on the Northside Medical building in Midtown Atlanta Wednesday in an attempt to take down a mass shooter – and ordered people nearby to shelter in place – one of them was state Sen. Josh McLaurin (D-Atlanta), who was having lunch.

McLaurin said after taking stock of the mass shooting, the injuries and death, and the danger inherent in the ongoing manhunt, he took stock of the Georgia politics that he says enables gun violence.

“Frustration is the right word,” McLaurin told 11Alive Thursday. “This is a policy decision. We are choosing to live like this. There are common-sense gun safety, sensible regulations legislation that we could pass.”

In 2023, Democrats introduced bills ranging from requiring background checks and waiting periods to safe storage of firearms, to red flag laws limiting firearms for people who may have mental health issues.

Republicans didn’t allow a vote for any of them, even in committee.

Vernon Lee, a longtime capitol lobbyist and gun rights backer, said the problem isn’t an absence of gun restrictions – it’s an absence of stiff law enforcement.

“There should be swifter, stricter punishment [for gun crimes],” Lee said.  “There are laws on the books (that say) these are the ramifications if you do that. Some of those ramifications have not been enforced enough to curtail gun violence.”

McLaurin said he’s heard that far too much.

“The public that want commonsense gun reform are being blocked by, again, a tiny minority of people who are characterizing any reasonable attempt at sensible legislation as repealing the second amendment. And it’s BS,” McLaurin said.

All those gun bills are still technically in play during next year’s legislative session. But by all but ignoring them this year, Republicans spoke volumes about their interest in advancing them next year.

Missouri: Committee to Hear Postponed Public Transit Self-Defense & Church Carry Bill

Tomorrow, Today at 8:30AM, the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee will hear House Bill 282, to ensure law-abiding citizens may carry firearms for self-defense on public transit and to allow places of worship to make their own security decisions. This bill was previously scheduled for last week and got postponed. Please contact committee members and ask them to SUPPORT HB 282.

House Bill 282 repeals arbitrary “gun-free zones” that do nothing to hinder criminals, while leaving law-abiding citizens defenseless. It removes the prohibition on law-abiding citizens carrying firearms for self-defense on public transit property and in vehicles. This ensures that citizens with varying commutes throughout their day, and of various economic means, are able to exercise their Second Amendment rights and defend themselves.

The bill also repeals the prohibition in state law against carrying firearms for self-defense in places of worship. This empowers private property owners to make such decisions regarding security on their own, rather than the government mandating a one-size-fits-all solution.

Jim Jordan Subpoenas Three Federal Agencies for Docs on Censorship

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan on Friday issued subpoenas to officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the State Department’s Global Engagement Center (GEC) seeking materials connected to his committee’s investigation of alleged collusion between the government and private companies to censor speech.

“The Twitter Files and other public reporting have exposed how the federal government has pressured and colluded with Big Tech and other intermediaries to censor certain viewpoints in ways that undermine First Amendment principles,” reads a press release from the Ohio Republican.

Jordan issued letters to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, CISA Director Jen Easterly, and GEC Special Envoy and Coordinator James Rubin.

“The Committee on the Judiciary is conducting oversight of how and the extent to which the Executive Branch has coerced and colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor speech,” read all of the letters. “To develop effective legislation, such as the possible enactment of new statutory limits on the Executive Branch’s ability to work with social media platforms and other
companies to restrict the circulation of content and deplatform users, the Committee on the Judiciary must first understand how and to what extent the Executive Branch coerced and colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor speech.”

“To this end, we have asked for communications between the [agency], private companies, and other third-party groups such as nonprofit organizations, in addition to other information. Your response without compulsory process has, to date, been
inadequate,” they further read.

All three letters noted that the Committee previously sought the voluntary cooperation of each agency before pointing the recipients to the attached subpoenas compelling cooperation.

The subpoenas come as part of a broader effort by House Republicans to investigate the Biden administration.

NSSF PRAISES MONTANA GOV. GIANFORTE FOR SIGNING FIND ACT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, praised Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte for signing the Firearm Industry Nondiscrimination (FIND) Act. The law, HB 356, prohibits state agencies from entering into contracts with corporate banks that discriminate against the firearm industry. Gov. Gianforte signed the law at Noreen Firearms in Belgrade, Mont.

Montana’s FIND Act will prevent “woke” corporate banks with discriminatory policies against firearm industry members from collecting taxpayer dollars through state contracts. Montanans will choose to do business with those companies that do not discriminate based on an industry these corporate banks may not like or with which they disagree.

“Montana is planting the flag in the ground to say Second Amendment rights are not for sale to ‘woke’ Wall Street corporate banks,” said Lawrence G. Keane, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for NSSF. “Montana’s tax dollars will be protected from being used to fund efforts by these corporate banks that benefit from state contracts while denying essential services to firearm-related business simply because they are politically-disfavored by Wall Street. Governor Gianforte’s signature makes clear that Montanans won’t bend to corporate pressure and discrimination to diminish Second Amendment rights.”

Montana’s FIND Act will require corporate banks and financial service providers seeking contracts valued at $100,000 or greater with Montana and its municipalities to certify that they hold no discriminatory policies against firearm industry businesses. Contracts that are certified and later discovered to be out of compliance with the law will be subject to cancellation.

Kansas: Gov. Kelly Signs AG Kobach’s Permit Fee Reduction Bill

Yesterday, Governor Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 116 into law. This NRA-backed bill eliminates the Attorney General’s $100 fee for concealed carry permits, reducing the total fee to just the $32.50 paid to county sheriffs. Reducing the fee ensures that the permit, and the benefits that it confers in exercising Second Amendment rights, are more accessible to law-abiding citizens of less financial means.

Nebraska Legislature Passes Permitless Gun-Carry

The Cornhusker State is now one signature away from becoming the 27th to adopt permitless gun carry.

The Nebraska legislature voted 33-14 to pass Legislative Bill 77 on final reading Wednesday morning. The bill would allow adults aged 21 and over who would otherwise be eligible for a concealed carry permit to carry a firearm in public without obtaining one. The bill now goes to Governor Jim Pillen’s (R.) desk, where he is expected to sign it into law.

“I am proud to support LB 77 and Nebraskans’ constitutional rights,” Pillen said shortly after the bill’s passage. “Thank you to the Nebraska Legislature for sending this bill to my desk.”

Once signed, the bill will add another feather in the cap of gun-rights advocates who have successfully pushed the policy in states across the country over the last two decades. The bill will make Nebraska the second state to adopt permitless carry this year, following Florida’s adoption earlier this month, and the 26th state to enact the policy in the last 20 years. Vermont has had the policy since its founding.

The bill’s passage led to a familiar call and response among activists on either side of the issue.

Gun-rights advocates immediately celebrated.

“With Gov. Pillen’s signature, Nebraska becomes the 27th state in America that protects the right of Americans to carry a firearm outside of their home without first asking the government for additional permission and paying additional fees,” Travis Couture-Lovelady, the Nebraska state director for the NRA, said in a press release. “Nebraska is the latest state to recognize law-abiding citizens are not the problem — criminals are.”

While gun-control advocates denounced the bill as an affront to public safety.

“Nebraska lawmakers have chosen to put politics over protecting our families,” Jen Hodge, a member of the Nebraska chapter of Moms Demand Action, said. “Over the past few weeks, tens of thousands of young people across the country, and here in Nebraska, walked out of school to demand action on gun safety by their representatives, but instead, Nebraska lawmakers are actively stripping away safety measures.”

But the bill also represents a significant victory for state Senator Tom Brewer (R.), the bill’s prime sponsor, who has tried for years to get permitless carry across the finish line in Nebraska. His 2022 permitless carry bill narrowly failed in the state’s unicameral legislature after falling just two votes short of overcoming a Democratic filibuster. However, state Republicans made gains in the chamber last November and now have a filibuster-proof majority. That cleared the way for Wednesday’s successful final vote.

“A person in Nebraska should not have to pay money to the government in order to exercise a constitutional right,” Brewer said.

While the bill would do away with permitting requirements for gun carry, it would not alter who is eligible to carry or obtain a firearm. Those, such as convicted felons, who can’t legally purchase or possess a firearm under state and federal law would not be allowed to carry under the permitless law. It also would not change where people are allowed to carry.

In addition to doing away with permitting requirements for gun carry, the bill would strengthen Nebraska’s preemption statute by removing the authority of local governments to enact gun regulations that are stricter than state law. That measure was aimed at the city of Omaha, which previously required residents to register any handguns they owned unless they possessed a valid concealed handgun permit.

If signed, the bill will take effect 90 days after the end of the legislative session.

Missouri House advances bill allowing guns on buses, inside churches and synagogues

Missourians would be allowed to carry guns on public buses and inside churches and other places of worship under a bill advanced by the Missouri House Thursday.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Adam Schnelting, a St. Charles Republican, would allow people with concealed carry permits to carry guns on public transit in the state.

“We all have the potential of running into situations where we have to utilize self defense to protect ourselves and those we love,” Schnelting said on the floor Thursday. “This legislation will discourage criminal activity on our public transportation systems, but most importantly, it will ensure that we maintain our constitutional right to self defense.”

An amendment successfully added by state Rep. Ben Baker, a Neosho Republican, would also strike down the current rule banning concealed guns in places of worship without the permission of the religious leader of the congregation.

The Missouri House gave the bill initial approval on a voice vote Thursday. It will need one more vote before it heads to the Missouri Senate, which could come next week.

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