Critical Second Amendment Ruling-- Federal Court Defends Right to Keep and Bear Arms

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ruled this week that it is unconstitutional for Chicago to treat people with non-violent misdemeanor convictions the same as convicted felons.  The NRA-supported case, Gowder v. Chicago, involves plaintiff Shawn Gowder, who was convicted as a first-time offender for mere possession of a firearm in violation of Illinois law in 1995. His misdemeanor record did not block him from getting a state Firearm Owner's Identification card, so he could still legally possess a gun in Illinois.

Nonetheless, when Mr.  Gowder, who lives in a high crime area of Chicago, began the process to legally acquire a handgun to keep in his home for self-defense (a process required following the McDonald decision), the Chicago police denied his application. Mr. Gowder sued the city, maintaining that Chicago's law banning non-violent misdemeanants from possessing guns in their homes for self-defense is unconstitutionally vague, and that it violates the Second Amendment.

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NRA Applauds Resolution that Recommends Finding Holder in Contempt of Congress

By a vote of 23 to 17, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform passed a resolution recommending that the House find Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. in contempt of Congress. 

"The NRA fully supports this contempt resolution," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox.  "The American people--including millions of NRA members and tens of millions of NRA supporters--deserve the truth, and we will support any effort that leads us to that truth."

The Committee's report thoroughly details the immediate reasons for the resolution:  the Justice Department's open defiance of legitimate demands for documents that are needed for oversight and investigation of one of the most disastrous episodes in the history of federal law enforcement.

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Brady Campaign's Silence is Golden

As we pointed out last week, the FBI has preliminarily reported a four percent drop in the number of violent crimes from 2010 to 2011, the 18^thdrop in the last 20 years. Violent crime is now at about a 41-year low.

Washington Times reporter Emily Miller asked the NRA and the Brady Campaign for their opinions about the trend. The NRA responded that crime has decreased as the number of Right-to-Carry states has risen to an all-time high.

However, Miller noted, "The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence did not respond to requests for comment." Miller added, "Gun‑control advocates are noticeably silent when crime rates decline. Their multimillion‑dollar lobbying efforts are designed to manufacture mass anxiety that every gun owner is a potential killer. The statistics show otherwise."

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Searching for an Election Year Tailwind, Anti-Gunners Steer Hard to Port

With polls showing President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney running neck-and-neck, anti-gun activists are trying to rally the voters on whom Obama's chances of reelection largely depend: the liberal-left base he was talking to four years ago when he said "We are the ones we've been waiting for."

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Land Access Provision Added to Interior Appropriations Bill

With the strong support of the NRA, U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, has included a provision in the fiscal year 2013 Interior and Environment appropriations bill that protects hunters’ access to millions of acres of federal land. The bill was passed by the subcommittee this week and will be considered next week by the full committee.

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NRA Facebook Page Reaches New Milestone--1,500,000 Likes!  

We are very happy to report that, thanks to your on-going support, NRA's Facebook page has exploded in popularity, and this week reached its latest milestone of 1,500,000 likes!

Our Facebook page has been a great success and allowed NRA to reach many more potential members and supporters with our pro-gun, pro-freedom message.  The page continues to be extremely popular, and in less than two years--again, thanks to you-- has grown from about 300,000 likes in late July, 2010, to over 1,500,000 likes as of this week!

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Seeking Nominations for 2011 NRA-ILA Volunteer Awards

The NRA-ILA "Jay M. Littlefield Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award" is an annual honor that recognizes an NRA member who demonstrates exceptionally meritorious activism in defense of our Second Amendment rights. Similarly, the "NRA-ILA Volunteer Organization of the Year Award" is bestowed upon a group that has gone above and beyond in defending and promoting our rights over the past year. Submit your nominations by July 13, 2012.

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ARIZONA: U.S. Forest Service Seeking Public Comment on Construction of Shooting Range

ARIZONA: Attend the Grand Opening of The Northern Arizona Shooting Range

CALIFORNIA: Anti-Gun Legislation Still Moving in Sacramento

COLORADO:  Make Plans to Attend BluCore Shooting Center's Open House!  

DELAWARE: Senate Votes to Defund Gun Buyback Program

FLORIDA: Poll Question - Should the NRA endorse in Sheriff's races?

FLORIDA: Sheriffs Association Complains About NRA Questionnaire

INDIANA: Rumor Control - The Truth About Senate Bill 1

MICHIGAN: House Votes Overwhelmingly to Repeal Permit-to-Purchase and Registration

MINNESOTA: Firearms Safety Course Needs Your Help

MISSISSIPPI: Harrison County Range Needs Your Support – Help Make This Premier Shooting Range Facility a Reality

NEW YORK: Anti-Gunners in the Assembly Show Persistence with Yesterday’s Passage of Microstamping

OHIO: House Easily Passes Pro-Gun Reform Legislation