NRA FILES LAWSUIT CHALLENGING SAN FRANCISCO GUN BAN
Even with opposition from San Francisco law enforcement and major media outlets, Proposition H--a measure banning the lawful possession of handguns, and the manufacture and transfer of all firearms and ammunition within San Francisco city limits--passed November 8. The NRA immediately filed a lawsuit challenging the ban.
Said NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, "This fight is just beginning. Lawful residents of San Francisco are being stripped of their freedom because of an illegal measure that defies common sense. We will fight this outrageous assault on the rights of law-abiding San Franciscans, and I believe that we will prevail."
In response to the passage of this proposition, NRA is leading a coalition of organizations in a lawsuit against this illegal ban in San Francisco. Proposition H, in addition to violating federal guarantees, also violates various California state laws and is therefore preempted.
Said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox, "This is a hollow victory for the gun control lobby. This scheme is in clear violation of California law. We will fight this to the highest courts in the country."
ELECTION WRAP-UP
Voters in several states went to the polls on November 8. Here's a summary of some of those contests:
VIRGINIA: While NRA-PVF's endorsed gubernatorial candidate, Jerry Kilgore (R), was defeated, our endorsed candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Bill Bolling (R), won his race. The race for Attorney General is still too close to call. Races for the House of Delegates proved fruitful grounds for Virginia gun owners, as more than 90% of PVF-endorsed candidates won their elections. This ensures that the Virginia General Assembly will remain in solidly pro-gun hands.
OHIO: Two ballot issues opposed by NRA were soundly defeated. "Issue 3" would have given anti-gun billionaires like George Soros the ability to spend their personal fortunes to elect anti-gun candidates in Ohio, while at the same time severely limiting the rights of individual citizens to contribute to the political process. "Issue 4" would have allowed unelected bureaucrats to redraw legislative and congressional districts, threatening our bi-partisan pro-gun majorities in Columbus, Ohio and Washington, D.C. These unelected bureaucrats would not be required to meet any minimum level of qualification. And once appointed, they would have an unlimited budget of your tax dollars, and no accountability to you the voters.
NEW JERSEY: Of those candidates endorsed by NRA's Political Victory Fund, more than 60% were elected to office.
D.C. PERSONAL PROTECTION ACT A TOP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY
One of NRA-ILA's top legislative priorities in Congress continues to be the passage of S. 1082 and H.R. 1288--the Senate and House versions of the "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act." This legislation seeks to restore the constitutionally-guaranteed Second Amendment rights of the residents of the District of Columbia.
The need for this legislation is obvious. While effectively banning handgun ownership for over a quarter-century, Washington, D.C., consistently has one of the highest homicide rates in the nation.
"D.C.'s politicians have stripped law-abiding residents of their ability to defend themselves and their families," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. "Passage of the ‘District of Columbia Personal Protection Act' will remedy this senseless and dangerous injustice."
Please be sure to contact your U.S. Senators and Representative and ask them to cosponsor and support S. 1082 and H.R. 1288.
For a list of Senate cosponsors, please visit http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN01082:@@@P.
For a list of House cosponsors, please visit http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR01288:@@@P.
You can call your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121, or your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED
TO PROTECT HUNTING IN MONONGAHELA NATIONAL FOREST!
The U.S. Forest Service is reviewing the management plan for the Monongahela National Forest. This management plan will guide how the forest resources are managed for years to come. Groups that want to restrict hunter access on the forest have mobilized to influence the management process. In order to protect hunter access on this important forest, your voice needs to be heard!
The Forest Service has prepared several management alternatives for discussion. The anti-access groups are pushing for the alternative that provides for the least hunter access and restricts active forest habitat management--that alternative does this by declaring large sections of the forest as new wilderness areas. Once an area is declared a wilderness area, many types of active habitat management are restricted, and hunter access roads are often closed or not maintained. West Virginia already has ample wilderness areas and does not need more.
NRA supports proposed Alternative 2, which allows active habitat management and protects hunter access in the forest. Hunters should immediately contact the Forest Service and urge them to adopt Alternative 2, and urge the Forest Service not to create new wilderness areas. The Monongahela National Forest is a high quality hunting area used by hunters in West Virginia as well as its surrounding states.
Please write or e-mail the U.S. Forest Service today and urge them to adopt Alternative 2 and oppose new wilderness areas. Comments must be submitted by November 14 in order to be considered by the Forest Service. Comments should be submitted to: Monongahela National Forest, Forest Plan Revision, 200 Sycamore Street, Elkins, WV 26241. To submit comments via phone, please call (304)-636-1800. To submit comments via e-mail, please go to: [email protected]. If you would like to see the entire draft forest plan please visit: www.fs.fed.us/r9/mnf/environmental/environmental_index.htm. (Please note that the plan is very large and viewing the plan on-line will be very time consuming without a high-speed internet connection.)
A LOOK AT THE STATES
(****For all of the action items below, you can find contact information for your legislators by using the "Write Your Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org. As always, thank you for your support.****)
DELAWARE
Mark your calendar for the "Concealed Carry Conference and Second Amendment Rally" to be held January 8, 2006! The Conference, held in conjunction with the Delaware State Sportsmen's Association Annual Meeting of Members, will feature special guest speaker NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox, as well as NRA President Sandra Froman, NRA 1st Vice President John Sigler, and NRA 2nd Vice President Ron Schmeits. The conference will be held at Modern Maturity Center, 1121 Forest Ave. (Rt. 8), in Dover. Doors open at 1:00 p.m., and the meeting begins at 2:00 p.m. This event is open to everyone interested in preserving and defending the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. See you there!
NEVADA
The "Nevada Sheriff's and Chief''s Association" announced this week that they unanimously voted to ask the Department of Public Safety to request that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) grant an extension exempting CCW holders from federally required background checks and a $25 transaction fee when purchasing new firearms. As we have reported recently, BATFE conducted an audit and found that a handful of Nevada's sheriffs were not in compliance with their permit issuance policies to allow for the background check waiver. It was announced several weeks ago that the Chiefs and Sheriffs were NOT going to request the extension to the detriment of Nevada's permit holders. However, thanks to the phone calls and e-mails sent by NRA members, the chief law enforcement officers put it before their members for a vote with a more positive outcome. The extension, which will run through April, will allow those sheriffs found not in compliance the time to address BATFE's concerns.
WISCONSIN
The Senate Judiciary Committee and House Criminal Justice Committee passed the "Personal Protection Act" (SB 403/AB 763) this week without adopting any detrimental amendments proposed by opponents. This critical legislation making Wisconsin the 39th Right-to-Carry state is now one significant step closer to final passage in both houses. If you have not already done so, please be sure to call your State Representative and Senator and ask them to support the Personal Protection Act. Every vote is critical! The State Senate passed AB 56, "Reckless Lawsuit Preemption," by a vote of 23-8. This common sense legislation is now on its way to the Governor for his consideration. In addition to ensuring that gun manufacturers, distributors, and retailers may not be sued for the acts of criminals or reckless individuals, over which they have no control, the legislation protects organizations that legally raffle firearms. This will protect Friends of NRA, National Wild Turkey Federation, Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association and others from being the target of a reckless lawsuit if a legally raffled firearm is later used in a crime. Please call the Governor's Office at (608) 266-1212 and ask that he sign AB 56 into law.
NRA will be closed tomorrow, Friday November 11, in observation of Veterans' Day. Please have a safe and happy holiday weekend!
