NRA-PVF Celebrates Landslide Victories In 2009 Elections
The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund's (NRA-PVF) endorsed candidates for statewide office in Virginia -- Bob McDonnell (R) for governor, Ken Cuccinelli (R) for attorney general, and Bill Bolling (R) for lieutenant governor -- won handily in Tuesday's general election. The statewide candidates prevailed with 59 percent, 57 percent, and 58 percent of the vote, respectively. Additionally, 98 percent (58 out of 59) of NRA-PVF-endorsed candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates won their respective races.
"Candidates who support the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners and sportsmen prevailed in up and down ballot races yesterday," said Chris W. Cox, Chairman of NRA-PVF. "These exceptional numbers are an indication of the solid support and influence of the Second Amendment and the NRA on voters."
Veterans Day: Next Wednesday, November 11, is Veterans Day. For some, Veterans Day represents a day off from work. For others, it's not even a holiday…it's just another Wednesday. And for others, the day recalls a passing awareness of significance, but not much beyond that.
But for the true American patriots among us, the day evokes a very deep and personal reverence. It combines elements of pride and sadness, and – always -- respect. It is a sacred day, set aside to remember service, honor, bravery, duty, and sacrifice for the greater good. It is a day to remember those who served and are serving, so that we may enjoy the life and the freedom we have today.
Clearing Up the Rumors: The Truth About The "Gun Tax Bill" Over the past few months, NRA-ILA has received hundreds of e-mails warning us about "SB-2099," a bill that would supposedly require you to report all your guns on your income tax return every April 15.
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STATE ROUNDUP (Please note the only items listed below are those that have had recent action. For other updates on state legislation, please go to the state legislation section at www.NRAILA.org, and check each week's issue of the Grassroots Alert.")
ARIZONA/CALIFORNIA: NRA Moves to Protect Hunters From Arizona Lawsuit Threatening Lead Ammunition Ban As part of NRA's continuing efforts to protect hunters from special interest groups seeking to eliminate the use of lead projectiles, attorneys for NRA filed paperwork in the United States District Court in Arizona on October 14, 2009, asking the Court to allow NRA to join in the lawsuit Center for Biological Diversity v. United States Bureau of Land Management. The court could rule on NRA's intervention request as early as the end of this month. To learn more, please click here.
CALIFORNIA: Amicus Brief Filed in Millender v. County of Los Angeles On October 22, 2009, the NRA and the California Rifle and Pistol Association (CRPA) filed a friend of the court brief in the case of Millender v. County of Los Angeles. The case is awaiting review by a 12-judge panel in the Ninth Circuit United States Court of Appeals. The NRA/CRPA amicus brief challenges the ability of law enforcement to write overly-broad search warrants which allow police to seize any and all firearms an individual may possess, even when police only have probable cause to search for a particular firearm. Far too often police seize legal firearms collections even when most of those firearms are not alleged to be part of a criminal offense. This deprivation of property often results in damage to the firearms and inevitably causes the owner to incur significant expense and legal fees in retrieving the firearms. The purpose of the NRA/CRPA brief is to convince the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to prevent these search and seizure abuses in the future.
LOUISIANA: Mandatory Spay or Neuter Ordinance Withdrawn in New Orleans! A proposed ordinance in New Orleans that would have required every dog older than six months to be spayed or neutered has been withdrawn. This legislation would have threatened to keep hunters and other dog owners from making decisions based upon their own personal circumstances. It would have prevented hunters from continuing the tradition of occasionally breeding their favorite dogs in order to provide other hunters with good dogs, while defraying some of the costs associated with caring for their animals. Thank you to all of the NRA members who answered the call in opposition to this proposal. Without you, this victory would not have been possible. Please take the time to thank the members of the New Orleans City Council for withdrawing this proposed ordinance. Contact information can be here.
MICHIGAN: Parking Lot Legislation Headed to the House Floor! On Tuesday, October 27, the House Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources Committee approved House Bill 5302 and House Bill 5303 by a 9 to 1 vote. HB5302, introduced by State Representative Paul Opsommer (R-93), and HB5303, introduced by State Representative Joel Sheltrown (D-103), would prohibit employers from firing employees who safely and lawfully store their firearms in locked vehicles while at work. The bill now moves to the full Michigan House of Representatives where a vote may be taken any day. Please contact your Representative TODAY and respectfully ask them to support this important Second Amendment legislation. To find your representative and contact information please click here.
TENNESSEE: Carroll County to Consider Opting Out of State Park Carry Law! On Monday, November 9, the Carroll County Commission will consider a resolution that would ban the possession of firearms in county parks, even by those possessing Right-to-Carry permits. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m, in the County Office Building located at 625 High St., Suite 101 in Huntingdon. The meeting will be open to the public and to public comment; however, you must arrive early if you would like to speak. It is imperative that you attend the meeting to voice your opposition to this resolution in an effort to protect your right to self-defense. If you are unable to attend, please contact Carroll County Mayor Kenny McBride and the Carroll County Commission at 731-986-1936, by e-mail at [email protected], or by fax at 731-986-1935.
Clay County to Allow Permit Holders to Carry in County Parks On Monday, November 2, the Clay County Commission voted 8 to 1 to repeal an earlier resolution that had outlawed the possession of all firearms in County parks, even for valid Right-to-Carry permit holders. We would like to thank all NRA members, sportsmen, and firearm owners who took the time to contact the Clay County Commission in support of this much needed repeal.
TEXAS: Attention NRA Members in Wharton, Waller and parts of Harris and Fort Bend Counties! Please make plans to attend an upcoming town hall meeting for State Representatives, Bill Callegari (R-132) & John Zerwas (R-28). Your Representatives are strong Second Amendment supporters and they need to hear from you. The event is being hosted by the Texas Conservative Coalition -- the conservative caucus of the Texas Legislature. The meeting will take place on Monday, November 9, at 7:00 p.m. in the Powerhouse Christian Center, located at 1818 Katyland Drive in Katy. Two key NRA-backed bills did not pass during the 2009 legislative session: a proposal by area State Senator Glenn Hegar (R-18) prohibiting employers from enforcing policies against hard-working Texans who store their lawfully-owned firearms in their locked motor vehicles while parked at work, and a measure allowing concealed handgun licensees to protect themselves on college and university campuses. Representative Zerwas co-sponsored both bills, while Representative Callegari co-authored the "Campus Personal Protection Act", but House leaders failed to set either bill for a timely vote by the full House. This is your chance to thank Representatives Zerwas & Callegari for their support and to urge them to push House leaders for a floor vote on both issues next session! To find out if you live in HD 132 or HD 28, visit http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/welcome.php and click on "Find Your Representative."
WISCONSIN: Pro-Second Amendment Resolution Passes Unanimously in the Wisconsin Assembly On Tuesday, November 3, the Wisconsin State House unanimously passed Assembly Resolution 15. This resolution requests the participation of the Attorney General in the "friend of the court" brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case, McDonald v. Chicago. The case will address the application of the Second Amendment to the states through either the Due Process clause or the Privileges or Immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The case has major implications for the legality of restrictive gun laws not only in Chicago, but also in other cities across the United States.
Full support by the Wisconsin Assembly and other states will only strengthen the stance of the Second Amendment's true meaning in the eyes of the court. A special thank you goes out to the sponsors and co-sponsors. To view a list, please click here.
