| DATE: | May 21, 2016 |
| TO: | USF & NRA Members and Friends |
| FROM: | Marion P. Hammer |
| USF Executive Director | |
| NRA Past President |
During the 2016 Legislative Session, Rep. Charles McBurney (R-Jacksonville) proved himself to be summarily unfit to serve on the bench of any Court anywhere.
As Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Charles McBurney arrogantly put his blind ambition to become a judge ahead of your constitutional right of self-defense and your basic fundamental right to the presumption of innocence.
To gain favor with prosecutors, McBurney refused to hold a hearing on the "Burden of Proof" bill, SB-344 by Sen. Rob Bradley, which restores the presumption of innocence in self-defense cases. The bill had already passed the Florida Senate and is particularly important to every gun owner in Florida.
Further, the Speaker of the House even authorized McBurney to hold a special committee hearing in the eighth week of Session specifically to hear this bill. Despite the Speaker's wishes McBurney refused to give a fair hearing to the bill.
SB-344 was opposed by anti-gun prosecutors. Charles McBurney, a former prosecutor himself, wants prosecutors to help him become a judge so he engaged in political pandering to prosecutors. McBurney traded your rights for his own personal gain.
Charles McBurney has already applied for a seat in the 4th Judicial Circuit, a judgeship he hopes to be appointed to by Governor Scott. He is being interviewed for the position by the Governor's staff THURSDAY, May 26, 2016.
You must help keep Charles McBurney off the bench. He has proven himself to be unfit
Email Governor Rick Scott RIGHT AWAY. Tell him PLEASE DO NOT TO APPOINT Charles McBurney to a judgeship.
In the subject line put: CHARLES MCBURNEY IS UNFIT TO BE A JUDGE
(Block and Copy his email addresses into the "Send To" box)
[email protected]
PLEASE DO IT TODAY.
REMEMBER TROOPER GATE in 2013? This is the SAME Charles McBurney who filed a complaint with the Florida Highway Patrol -- and got a Florida Highway Trooper FIRED -- because the trooper stopped him (a Legislator) for speeding and gave him a ticket. Following an investigation, the trooper was later reinstated. Read more about it here:
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-dixon/2013-10-16/fhp-trooper-who-ticketed-charles-mcburney-makes-final
MORE BACKGROUND
To circumvent the "Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground" law, a few Judges and Prosecutors conspired to negate the immunity and self-defense protections provided by the Legislature.
They created a special hearing for self-defense cases and removed the fundamental presumption of innocence by requiring citizens to prove they acted in self-defense.
As a result, if you defend yourself against an attacker, you may be charged with a crime and forced to prove you acted in self-defense.
Now, a Prosecutor can simply refuse to acknowledge the right of self-defense, put a person in jail, force that person to hire a lawyer and prove they were the victim and acted in self-defense.
Last session, legislation to put the burden of proof back on the state passed the Senate but was blocked from getting to the House floor by Charles McBurney, a former Prosecutor. Mcburney refused to let the bill be heard and put to a vote in committee.
McBurney put his self-interest above your self-defense rights and your right to the presumption of innocence. By refusing to give this bill a hearing, he ignored the basic doctrine that a person charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty.
Further, the Speaker of the House authorized McBurney to hold a special committee hearing in the eighth week of Session specifically to hear this bill. Despite the Speaker's wishes McBurney refused to give a fair hearing to the bill.
It's time to let Chairman McBurney know that protecting the constitutional rights of the people should come before his personal desire to become a judge.
If he tramples self-defense rights as a legislator, it is frightening to imagine how he will trample constitutional rights as a judge. HE HAS TO BE STOPPED!!
EMAIL THE GOVERNOR TODAY.
[email protected]
More Like This From Around The NRA
