AFTER RIVERS’ CRUSHING DEFEAT LAWMAKER JOINS HCI’s FANTASY WORLD
U.S. Representative Lynn Rivers
(D-Mich.) appears to be just as clueless when it comes to gauging the will of her constituency as is the gun-ban lobby formerly known asHCI. Thankfully, those constituents won’t have to worry about her misrepresenting their interests next year, as they resoundingly rejected her anti-gun extremism in Michigan’s recent Primary Election on August 6.
Rep. Rivers made passing more "gun control" one of the predominant themes of her campaign, while NRA-PVF-endorsed U.S. Representative John Dingell (D-Mich.) spoke of protecting our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. But when the voters in Michigan’s newly-drawn 15th congressional district selected Rep. Dingell over the HCI-backed Rivers by an overwhelming 59% - 41% vote, HCI President Michael Barnes said Dingell "squeaked by." And in spite of the 18-point margin, Rivers seems to share HCI’s delusion, and thinks the election results indicate Rep. Dingell should change his stance on guns.
According to the anti-gun Internet news service called Join Together Online, after her loss, Rivers told the Detroit News that Dingell would have to "modify his position on issues like guns." Of course, most people understand that when you win an election, especially when it is by such a considerable margin, it is a pretty sure sign the electorate has embraced your views on the issues, and rejected those of your opponent. Perhaps her rather unique analysis of the August 6 results explains why Ms. Rivers will no longer be serving as a U.S. Representative once this Congress adjourns.
MORE ELECTIONS AROUND THE CORNER
Georgia
and Wyoming will hold primary elections on Tuesday, August 20, and Alaska will hold primary elections the following Tuesday, August 27. NRA members in these states should have already received information on candidates endorsed by the NRA-Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) for the primaries, or will shortly, so please be sure to go to the polls and support pro-gun candidates for office, and encourage your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners to do the same. NRA members in these states who have not received this information can call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) for more election-related information.
ATTEND TOWN HALL MEETINGS
Congress remains on vacation during its Summer District Work Period—with the House recess scheduled to run until Sept. 5, and the Senate’s until Sept. 2. Please contact your lawmakers’ district offices and ask if or when they plan to hold town hall meetings during the recess. If you do not know the number for your lawmakers’ district offices, you can use the "Write Your Reps" tool or call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683.
In addition to attending meetings and speaking out in support of our Right to Keep and Bear Arms (remember to specifically promote S. 2554 and H.R. 4635—the armed pilots bills—and S. 2268 and H.R. 2037—the reckless lawsuit preemption bills), please forward the dates, times, and locations of any town hall meetings to your family members and friends who support the Second Amendment, and to the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division, so we may share this information with the pro-gun community. Please forward this information to the Grassroots Division by calling our toll-free number, faxing to (703) 267-3918, or by sending an e-mail to [email protected].
You can find listings of the town hall meetings we know about by clicking here.
NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS ELECTION WORKSHOPS
In preparation for the upcoming campaign season, NRA-ILA has scheduled FREE Grassroots-Election Workshops across the country. These Workshops provide NRA members with training on what they can do to ensure pro-gun candidates win during key primary races and on Election Day, Nov. 5. These Workshops also provide a venue for lawmakers, candidates seeking office, and their staffs to reach out to NRA members and explain their positions on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
Upcoming Workshops are slated for:
Albuquerque, N.M. & Monroeville, Pa. —8/17
Coeur d’Alene, Id. — 8/20
Mesquite, Tex. — 8/24
San Antonio, Tex. — 8/26
Pontiac, Mich., & Medford, Ore. — 8/27
Salt Lake City, Utah — 8/28
Spokane, Wash. — 9/5
Sioux Falls, S.D., & Omaha, Neb. — 9/7
Aberdeen, S.D. — 9/9
Davenport, Iowa — 9/10
Ames, Iowa — 9/12
South Bend, Ind. --- 9/14
Dayton, Ohio — 9/16
Augusta, Ga., & Lehigh Valley, Pa. — 9/17
Charlotte, N.C., & Manchester, N.H. — 9/21
Nashville, Tenn. — 9/23
Jackson, Tenn. — 9/25
Bristol, Va. — 9/28
NRA members who are interested in attending should contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683 for details and to reserve their spots. NRA members who have access to the Internet can also go to http://www.NRAILA.org/WorkShops.asp to reserve their spots on-line.
Even if you cannot attend a Workshop, or none are scheduled near you, there is still plenty you can do to help ensure victory for the pro-gun community during this election cycle. To assist you with this, NRA-ILA has designated an individual in virtually every congressional district (known as an NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coordinator [EVC]) who stands ready to plug you in with ongoing campaign activities. The EVC in your district is a fellow NRA member who is working to provide pro-gun campaigns in your state and area with volunteers to help with phone banks, literature drops, voter registration drives, precinct walks, and other campaign activities. To locate your EVC so you can start working on pro-freedom campaigns today, you may call the ILA Grassroots at (800) 392-VOTE (8683), or click here and scroll down to the bottom of the page. If your district currently has a vacancy for an EVC, and you would like to serve in this capacity, please call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division and ask to speak with the Grassroots Coordinator for your state.
Finally, keep an eye out for your October NRA magazine (which should arrive mid-September), as your district’s EVC’s contact information will appear on the front cover. But please don’t wait until then: Contact your EVC and begin your work TODAY!
A LOOK AT THE STATES
ARIZONA
Early voting for the September 10 primary elections is underway and will continue through August 30. If you don’t have a ballot and want to vote early, please contact the Pima County Recorder’s office at (520) 740-4330 or by e-mail at [email protected] to request a ballot application. Contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683 for information on the pro-gun candidates in your area. For state-specific voting information, call the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office at (602) 542-4285 or go to our Arizona - Voter Registration Information.
CALIFORNIA
California NRA members must act immediately to STOP the advancement of two bills that threaten the lawful manufacturers and dealers of firearms and ammunition. Senate Bill 682 and Assembly Bill 496 were introduced this legislative session in response to the California State Supreme Court’s dismissal of a frivolous lawsuit against a firearms manufacturer in their decision Merrill v. Navegar. This lawsuit’s dismissal was a just victory for the firearms industry and therefore infuriated the anti-gun crowd. These two bills are designed to strip firearms manufacturers of current protection in state law granting them limited statutory immunity from being sued. This limited immunity has been on the books since 1983 and was passed originally to stop greedy lawyers who want nothing more than to pad their bank accounts while putting this nation’s lawful firearms manufacturers out of business. The lawyers’ allies in this fight are the usual anti-gun suspects, including the gun ban lobby formerly known as HCI and the Million Mom March. These groups want nothing more than the complete and total destruction of our firearms heritage and view the passage of SB 682 and AB 496 as one more way to reach their goal. Just yesterday, AB 496 passed the Senate and is now back in the Assembly awaiting final action. Now both bills could face a critical vote in the Assembly at any time. NRA members and concerned citizens must act quickly to STOP the passage of this legislation! Voice your opposition to Senate Bill 682 and Assembly Bill 496 NOW. Please call your Assemblyman and urge them to vote NO on yet another back door attack on a lawful industry. Call the California State Assembly information office at (916) 445-2323 for contact information for your Assemblyman. Or, if you have Internet access, you can reach your lawmakers by using the "Write Your Reps" tool. You may also contact NRA-ILA Grassroots at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) for more information.
GEORGIA
Tuesday, August 20
, is Primary Election Day. If you are a registered voter, you are eligible to vote in this primary. Contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683 for information on the pro-gun candidates in your area. For state-specific voting information, call the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office at (404) 656-2881 or go to our Georgia - Voter Registration Information.
NORTH CAROLINA
H.B. 622
, the NRA-backed measure to stop reckless lawsuits against firearm manufacturers, has been presented to Governor Michael Easley (D) for his signature. If approved by Governor Easley, this bill will prevent municipalities from filing politically-motivated lawsuits that attempt to hold gun makers liable for the criminal misuse of their lawful products. You can make a difference by encouraging the Governor to sign H.B. 622! Please call Governor Easley at (919) 733-5811, and be sure to make this important phone call today!
WYOMING
Tuesday, August 20, is Primary Election Day. If you are a registered voter, you are eligible to vote in this primary. Contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) for information on the pro-gun candidates in your area. For state-specific voting information, call the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office at (307) 777-7378 or visit our WYOMING - Voter Registration Information.
