Sotomayor Preps for Hearing: White House officials spent hours this week preparing Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor for what they anticipate will be a concerted Republican effort to portray her as an "activist" jurist and will counter that her 17 years on the bench are a display of judicial restraint... But Republican lawmakers and conservative strategists say the seven GOP members of the Judiciary Committee will press Sotomayor on issues that appeal to their conservative base - such as gun owners' rights, property rights, the use of international law in deciding cases - while trying to build a case that Sotomayor's political views influence her decision-making on the bench... Some Republicans believe the hearings could elicit sharp retorts from Sotomayor - who has described herself as a "bear" on the bench - or a statement on a hot-button issue such as gun rights that could motivate the base or a powerful interest group. The National Rifle Association has said it has "serious concerns" about Sotomayor but has not yet called on the Senate to reject her... Cornyn worried about excessive expectations from the conservative base. "Some of them will not be happy unless Republicans filibuster Judge Sotomayor, but obviously the numbers are not there to do that even if we were so inclined," he said... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/10/AR2009071002390.html?hpid=topnews --- What About the NRA?: A showdown is looming over the nomination of Second Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor to a pending vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court, and this showdown will not only be on Capitol Hill, but in the firearms community. Gun rights organizations and activists are lining up firmly against Sotomayor for reasons I outlined here, with but one predictable exception. The American Hunters and Shooters Association - a group that appears to have been founded by Democrat party operatives as a mechanism to divide gun owners and provide an umbrella under which certain politicians can huddle while proclaiming they are supported by gun owners and sportsmen - has endorsed Sotomayor's nomination, just as it endorsed Barack Obama early in 2008 during the presidential campaign season... (Yes, list members know that AHSA is a Trojan horse but why is the NRA "leadership" holding back from a definitive statement of opposition?) http://www.examiner.com/x-4525-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m7d9-Showdown-looms-over-Sotomayor-nomination-in-Congress-and-in-firearms-community --- Buckeye Firearms Association Joins Coalition: Buckeye Firearms Association has announced that it has joined the rapidly growing coalition of groups that are officially on record opposing the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor as a justice to the U.S. Supreme Court. "It is critical to the future of our country that we have justices who respect and uphold our Constitution," said Jim Irvine, Chairman of Buckeye Firearms Association. "Judge Sotomayor has proven that she does not respect the Second Amendment. Our country cannot afford to find out what other civil rights she aims to repeal." The U.S. Supreme Court is widely expected to hear arguments on the incorporation of the Second Amendment next session. Judge Sotomayor is on record ruling that the amendment does not apply to the states. "Obviously she has a bias," said Irvine. "She has not agreed to recuse herself from gun cases, which would be the only proper action under the circumstances." ... http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/6773 --- Questions for Sotomayor: ...In Maloney v. Cuomo, you joined a three-judge panel concluding that the Second Amendment right to bear arms does not apply to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. You also argued that the right to bear arms is not a "fundamental right." In your incredibly short opinion, your panel cites Presser v. Illinois as the basis for its claim that "it is settled law ... that the Second Amendment applies only to limitations the federal government seeks to impose on [the right to bear arms]." Your panel neglects to mention, however, that Presser was decided before the courts began incorporating the Bill of Rights through the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, which the Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller describes as "the sort of Fourteenth Amendment inquiry required by our later cases." More disturbingly, your panel summarily stated in a scant 11-word conclusion that statutes restricting possession of weapons do not implicate a fundamental right - something that no court has done since the Supreme Court affirmed an individual Second Amendment right in Heller... http://www.heritage.org/Research/LegalIssues/wm2534.cfm --- Small Cities Bow to Heller: As a result of the Supreme Court's Heller decision, many cities are being forced to dismantle their anti-gun laws. Chicago still wiggles and twists, trying to keep the rules unchanged in the face of the decision, but smaller cities are simply changing their laws. One of the first in the nation to ban handguns altogether was Morton Grove, Illinois. 27 years ago they banned all guns from their village and made no provision for legal ownership. Today, that law is rescinded. What I find interesting is that at the hearing by the town council concerning removing the ban, the reaction was pretty small. Robert Channik of the Chicago Tribune wrote... http://www.examiner.com/x-2944-Denver-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m7d10-Tipping-further?cid=exrss-Denver-Gun-Rights-Examiner --- Amendment Could Mandate Nationwide CCW Recognition: The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence is alerting activists across the country that a potential amendment to a Department of Defense authorization bill scheduled for action in the U.S. Senate as early as next week would eviscerate limitations in many U.S. states on who can carry a loaded, hidden handgun in public in their state... The bill that may be introduced as an amendment, S. 845, would allow the carrying of loaded, concealed firearms outside a person's home state, even by persons legally barred from possessing guns in the state where the carrying occurs. It would apply in the 48 states that allow concealed carrying of firearms and would effectively allow the weaker concealed carry laws of one state to nullify the restrictions on gun carrying of other states... (Bills such as this are tempting but some of us fear that such laws, in turn, can be amended to allow the federal government to create standards for issuance of carry permits.) http://www.bradycampaign.org/media/release.php?release=1159 --- With Friends Like These...: According to Jan Libourel, the editor of Gun World magazine, "Nobody but a madman would oppose some sort of gun control laws." Libourel is no gun grabber in disguise. The statement, in a column titled "Panic Attack," comes after his personal observation, "It is true that the Democratic Party has for decades been much more receptive to punitive, repressive and unreasonable gun control measures." ...So why does Libourel run the risk of traveling the Zumbo Trail? Because a significant portion of the pro-gun organizations and individuals that comprise the activist core of gun ownership in America do oppose "some sort of gun control laws." In fact, they oppose any sort of gun control laws. And they don't consider themselves crazy. Libourel's Quisling rating then ratchets up a few more points when he has the audacity to call into question the pro-gun myth of the modern-day 'citizen soldier.' You know, the heavily-armed guy who in his grandiose dreams is linked to a heritage that stretches from the Revolutionary War to the Wolverines of Red Dawn - and is only seen by the rest of us when he snaps and his last "patriotic" act ends up on the evening news... (In fact, the NRA has backed numerous compromises, including the licensing of handgun ownership, back in the early 20th century.) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-sugarmann/only-a-madman-would-oppos_b_228700.html --- Florida Could Pass Firearms Freedom Act: Introduced in the Florida House on July 6, 2009, the "Firearms Freedom Act" (HB-21) seeks to provide "that specified firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition for personal use manufactured in state are not subject to federal law or regulation" in the State of Florida. The bill is sponsored by Florida State Reps O'Toole and Plakon. They follow in the path of Montana, and Tennessee who have already passed such legislation. And they join with Utah, Texas, South Carolina and others who are considering it in an effort to limit federal regulation of guns, and specifically invoke the 9th and 10th Amendments as restrictions on federal power... http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2009/07/10/firearms-freedom-act-introduced-in-florida/ --- Palin Appears on RKBA Talk Show: Gun rights enthusiasts welcomed Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as she made an appearance Friday on a radio talk show, whose callers included rock n' roller turned avid hunter Ted Nugent. Palin spoke on the Michael Dukes' "Firearms Friday" show on KFAR radio in Fairbanks. She was in Alaska's second largest city to sign a gun rights bill and several resolutions... The bill she signed in Fairbanks aimed at helping people with permits to carry concealed weapons to remember to renew their permits. The permits used to have a renewal date based on the day the permit was issued. The law changes the renewal date to the permit holder's birthday. In Alaska, residents are allowed to carry weapons either openly or concealed without a permit. However, if they want to carry their guns in other states that have concealed carry laws they may need a permit recognized by that state. http://www.azstarnet.com/news/300543 --- Oops, Wrong Check-Cashing Store: The owner of a check-cashing and cigarette store shot and killed an armed robber in his store early Monday afternoon, according to eyewitnesses and a vague police account. Aurora police said they received a 911 call shortly after 1 p.m. about a gunman who attempted to rob the check-cashing store on the northwest corner of Clinton Street and East Colfax Avenue. After investigating, police said a "possible suspect" had been shot by a person in the store. The wounded person was driven by an unknown person to a Denver-area hospital where he died of a single gunshot wound, police said, refusing to identify the victim or the hospital where he was treated. Police Lt. Bob Friel said detectives were hesitant to release any details until they were sure of their investigation. However, Ryan Moench, 17, a mechanic at Muffler Pros, which his family has owned for 15 years directly across Colfax from the check-cashing store, said he heard a single gunshot, then saw two men dressed in blue running from the store, out of his view. "I heard a shot and saw two guys running out of the store and around to the back," Moench said. He couldn't recall if one was bleeding and could give no other description... http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_12765169 --- Heroine in Church Shooting Speaks: When a gunman went on a spree at New Life Church back in December of 2007, security guard Jeanne Assam stepped in and took down the shooter before he could take any more church members' lives. Assam has only spoken a few times in public about what happened that day. Thursday night she told her story to members of the Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition. She says a lot of what happened that day hasn't been told. She says she actually wasn't even supposed to be working on that Sunday as a security guard at New Life. She planned to take the day off, then she had a vision. "I had a vision of a gunman coming into the church," she said. What she says she saw came true, and she just happened to be in the right place when gunman Matthew Murray walked in and started firing... (As I recall, Assam, a former police officer, was not employed by the church as a security guard but performed that function as a volunteer.) http://www.kktv.com/news/headlines/50423227.html --- This Is My Pistol, This Is My Gun: A woman accused in the shooting death of her common-law husband told police her gun accidentally fired while they were playing a game of "dirty cowboy" during sexual foreplay, a Harris County prosecutor said. Deborah Yvette Parker, 38, is charged with manslaughter and being a felon in possession of a firearm, court records show. She remains in the Harris County Jail on bail totaling $60,000... Crachian was shot in the chest, the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office said. His death was ruled a homicide. Parker is "extremely distraught" by Crachian's death and has fully cooperated with Houston homicide investigators, her attorney said... (Rule One: All firearms are always loaded. Rule Two: Don't let the muzzle cross anything you're not prepared to shoot. I recall a better known instructor than I quipping that safe sex is a loaded .45 on the bed stand. Military vets [among others] will recall being taught a ditty. "This is my rifle, this is my gun. This one's for fighting, this one's for fun.") http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/breaking/6522133.html --- There's Also Rule Three: A Carter Lake police officer is recovering after officials say the police chief accidentally shot him at police headquarters. City Attorney Joe Thornton says Police Chief Shawn Kannedy was discussing firearms with two officers on Wednesday when Kannedy's weapon went off. Sgt. Dan Driver was hit in the torso. Driver was taken to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Neb., where he was reported in good condition. Kannedy was placed on administrative leave. The Pottawattamie County [IA] sheriff's department is investigating the incident. (Rule Three: Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until your sights are on the target and you're prepared to fire.) http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-iowapolicechiefsh,0,841885.story The Chief of Police in Carter Lake will not be charged for accidentally shooting another police officer Wednesday afternoon... According to the city attorney, Kannedy was showing how different magazines can fit into different guns. While loading one pistol, another one went off hitting Driver. "I'm glad to hear that Dan's doing very well and that he may get out of the hospital today or tomorrow," said Blankenship... (So this department buys or authorizes guns that go off by themselves?) http://www.wyff4.com/news/19980314/detail.html --- New Shot at Northern Arizona Shooting Range: The Arizona Game and Fish Commission unanimously voted to enter into agreement with the Coconino National Forest for a land exchange that would enable the Arizona Game and Fish Department to acquire a site for the development of a community shooting range in northern Arizona. At a recent meeting the commission agreed to execute an Agreement to Initiate (ATI) with the Coconino National Forest for the proposed Willard Springs property, and to simultaneously investigate two other potential locations. The Cochrane Hill and the Winona/ Telephone Range sites, both Coconino National Forest properties, will undergo cultural surveys to determine if acquiring either of these sites would more adequately meet the critical need for a local recreational public shooting range near Flagstaff. Both alternate sites are located 30 minutes east of Flagstaff, north of I-40. http://www.paysonroundup.com/news/2009/jul/11/shooting_range_plan_near_flagstaff_moving_forward/ -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .