California Gun Rights Lawsuit: Part II
The National Rifle Association (NRA) joined other individuals, retailers, and gun rights groups in filing a federal lawsuit on Tuesday challenging local policies and enforcement practices that violate Second and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
“Local governments aren’t promoting safety or “common sense” by targeting gun stores for closure; the closures only serve to disarm law-abiding families while criminals roam free,” said NRA-ILA Executive Director Jason Ouimet. “Because these closures violate our Second Amendment rights when we need them most, the National Rifle Association continues to fight such infringements in court alongside fellow Second Amendment groups.”
This is the second lawsuit the gun rights coalition has filed in California after a number of counties deemed firearm and ammuntion stores, as well as indoor and outdoor ranges, “nonessential.” The gun rights groups includes the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), the California Gun Rights Foundation (CGF), and the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC). A copy of the lawsuit can be found here.
NRA, SAF, CGF, FPC, Others Sue California
Coalition Files Federal Lawsuit Against Los Angeles Sheriff Villanueva, California Gov. Gavin Newsom Over Constitutional Violations
Today, the National Rifle Association (NRA) joined individuals, retailers, and other gun rights groups in filing a federal lawsuit challenging state and local policies and enforcement practices that violate Second and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The gun rights groups includes the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), the California Gun Rights Foundation (CGF), and the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC). A copy of the lawsuit can be found here.
“Municipalities who target lawful gun stores for closure aren’t promoting safety—by weaponizing their politics to disarm you and your loved ones, these shameless partisans are recklessly promoting a gun-control agenda that suffocates your self-defense rights when you need them most,” said NRA-ILA Executive Director, Jason Ouimet. “NRA members recognize these unlawful power-grabs for what they are, and the National Rifle Association is proud to stand and fight alongside fellow Second Amendment groups who recognize it, as well.”
“California’s attack on fundamental rights in times of emergency must be stopped in its tracks,” observed SAF founder and Executive Vice President, Alan Gottlieb. “This case is part of our mission to win firearms freedom one lawsuit at a time. And more, the lawsuits we are filing across the country are making a large number of other states, counties, and cities think twice before closing down essential gun stores.” Continue reading
NRA-ILA: Joe Biden Wants to Ban 9mm Pistols
A week after he told voters that the Second Amendment doesn’t protect “a magazine with a hundred clips in it,” 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden offered supporters more of his singular brand of anti-gun nonsense. While attending a private campaign event in Seattle, the former vice president reportedly called for a ban on 9mm pistols.
According to an article from the Seattle Times, Biden was in town to attend two private fundraisers, one of which was at the home of “a top Amazon executive.” The posh soiree set attendees back a princely $2,800 per-person. The other fundraiser was held at the home of a local philanthropist. That staider event offered donors a relative bargain with a $500 minimum price tag.
While speaking to attendees of the latter event, Biden claimed that he supports the Second Amendment. The 77-year-old then went on to ask “Why should we allow people to have military-style weapons including pistols with 9mm bullets and can hold 10 or more rounds?” Biden also shared his tired and inaccurate claim that because there is a shot-shell restriction for migratory bird hunting, “We protect geese from Canada more than we do people.” Continue reading
SAF: Shootings Again Prove Failed Logic of CA Gun Control
The school shooting near Los Angeles and Sunday’s multiple homicide in Fresno are more examples of the failure of extremist California gun control, the Second Amendment Foundation said today.
Two students were murdered at Saugus High School last Thursday by a teenager who could not legally carry a handgun, and four people died at a residential gathering Sunday evening when unidentified gunmen opened fire. But anti-gun-rights California lawmakers have spent years adopting increasingly restrictive gun control laws that were sold to the public as schemes to prevent such horrendous crimes.
“With each new gun control law,” noted SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb, “California citizens were assured that the new restrictions were necessary to stop deadly crimes. But the only people to suffer the consequences are law-abiding gun owners and innocent victims.
“The Saugus school shooting should convince any rational person that lawmakers in Sacramento have perpetuated a fraud,” he observed. “They’ve known all along that their gun control agenda was only going to prevent honest citizens from exercising their Second Amendment rights. Criminals, regardless of their age, have never been prevented from committing deadly crimes by California’s extremist gun laws.
Within hours of the school shooting, anti-gun Democrats were renewing their push for so-called “universal background checks” and a ban on so-called “assault weapons,” despite the fact that the alleged teen gunman couldn’t legally have the gun he used, which was a .45-caliber pistol, not a rifle. Continue reading
Guns & Ammo Releases Best (and Worst) States for Gun Owners
Guns & Ammo has released their 2019 Rankings of Best States for Gun Owners. Of course, everyone knows who the usual culprits are at the bottom of the list – New York, Massachussetts, New Jersey, California – but how does your state stack up. Head over the the Local Boards on the GunLink forum to let us know what you think of the ratings.
Based on various aspects, such as right to carry, use of force laws such as Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground rules, ownership of NFA-regulated firearms, availability of modern firearms (read: designed since the 1950s), state-wide preemption of local laws, red flag laws, and more, they have scored the 50 states of our great Union and put them in order for us.
Like a dense turd in an otherwise delicious punch bowl, New York sank to the bottom for mandatory storage regulations, magazine restrictions, bribe-only CCW permits, lack of NFA items, and a host of other reasons. Massachusetts and New Jersey were close behind, followed by Hawaii and California rounding out the bottom five.
Topping the list for 2019 is Arizona, who passed zero new gun bills this year (good or bad), who have permit-less Constitutional Carry, state preemption, and strong protections for gun owners and those who must use a firearm in self defense. Idaho, Alaska, Kansas and Oklahoma follow right behind Arizona with Kentucky, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and Texas completing the top ten.
See the full list over at Guns & Ammo.
NRA Supported Case Calls for Suspension of Illinois’s FOID Act
Grassroots Illinois-based Second Amendment organization Guns Save Life filed an important NRA-supported case challenging the very foundations of Illinois gun law. Following an early adverse ruling the group filed an expedited appeal asking the Illinois Supreme Court to put aside the lower court’s ruling and suspend the state’s Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) Act. NRA has supported and been involved in this case as they are in cases all over the state. The FOID Act requires law-abiding Illinois citizens to obtain and pay for a license from the State before they are allowed to posses or purchase any firearms and ammunition.
“Law-abiding citizens should not be required to obtain government approval before exercising a constitutionally protected right,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action.
The case of one Guns Save Life member, mentioned in the organization’s complaint, shows how drastically the FOID Act infringes on that right. In compliance with the Act, the member recently sought to renew his FOID card. But the police denied his application and revoked his card, claiming to have “suddenly” found a battery conviction in his record. The problem is he has no such conviction, and the courts have no record of one. Nevertheless, because he no longer had a FOID card, he was forcibly disarmed.
Yesterday’s motion asks for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to put the Act on hold while litigation is underway.
“Illinois is one of only two states to impose such extreme gun control restrictions upon law-abiding citizens,” continued Cox. “The men and women of the National Rifle Association are pleased to join Guns Save Life in this fight to protect the Second Amendment rights of Illinois gun owners.”
