Big Brother Begins the Attack on the RKBA: The Obama administration will seek to reinstate the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004 during the Bush administration, Attorney General Eric Holder said today. "As President Obama indicated during the campaign, there are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them would be to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons," Holder told reporters. Holder said that putting the ban back in place would not only be a positive move by the United States, it would help cut down on the flow of guns going across the border into Mexico, which is struggling with heavy violence among drug cartels along the border... "I think closing the gun show loophole, the banning of cop-killer bullets and I also think that making the assault weapons ban permanent, would be something that would be permitted under Heller," Holder said, referring to the Supreme Court ruling in Washington, D.C. v. Heller, which asserted the Second Amendment as an individual's right to own a weapon... http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=6960824&page=1 --- Arizona Dealer on Trial for Gunrunning: The Mexican agents who moved in on a safe house full of drug dealers last May were not prepared for the fire power that greeted them. When the shooting was over, eight agents were dead. Among the guns the police recovered was an assault rifle traced back across the border to a dingy gun store here called X-Caliber Guns. Now, the owner, George Iknadosian, will go on trial on charges he sold hundreds of weapons, mostly AK-47 rifles, to smugglers, knowing they would send them to a drug cartel in the western state of Sinaloa. The guns helped fuel the gang warfare in which more than 6,000 Mexicans died last year... (I'm still waiting to hear in which American gun store the Mexican drug gangs are purchasing their grenades and mortars.) http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/us/26borders.html?_r=1&ref=us&pagewanted=all --- DC Gun-Ban Repeal: Opponents of a bill that would award the District its first seat in the House of Representatives fought back yesterday with a blitz of amendments in the Senate, including one to repeal the city's gun-control laws that appeared to have significant support. The amendments were proposed during a day of fiery speeches about the bill in the Senate and House, where it was approved by a key committee. Supporters and foes disagreed on whether the bill would restore basic democratic rights to D.C. residents or perform an end run around the Constitution. The voting rights bill could come up for a final vote in the Senate today if both parties agree to quickly move through the five remaining amendments. In case they don't, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) filed a motion last night to end debate. That would probably push a final vote to Monday, officials said... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/25/AR2009022502007.html From GOA: ...Senator John Ensign of Nevada offered his amendment to repeal D.C.'s draconian gun ban today. But Senators John Thune of South Dakota and David Vitter of Louisiana have also stepped up to the plate. They filed an amendment that would result in REAL national concealed carry reciprocity - without adversely affecting no-permit states like Alaska and Vermont. So now the battle lines are drawn! By the end of the week, the Senate will vote on whether to rule these two pro-gun amendments out of order. The vote could come on a so-called "cloture" motion to cut off debate (and thus kill the Ensign and Thune/Vitter amendments). Moreover, if the underlying bill is then passed, the virulently anti-gun jurisdiction of the District of Columbia will be rewarded with a voting member of the House of Representatives... http://gunowners.org/a022509htm.htm Related Commentary: http://townhall.com/columnists/SteveChapman/2009/02/26/misstating_the_constitution?page=full Brady Bunch Whines: http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/opinion-brady-campaign-says-ensign-amendment-would-endanger-public --- NRA Forms Congressional Task Force: U.S. Rep. Dan Boren, a board member of the National Rifle Association, announced Wednesday he will serve as co-chairman of a new task force on gun rights. "I am afraid we could witness a significant tilt to the left on gun issues in the current climate in Washington and that has me greatly concerned," the Oklahoma Democrat said. "I believe members of the Second Amendment Task Force will serve a critical role in preventing overreaching by those who would seek to enact anti-gun policies." Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia will be the group's Republican co-chairman. Boren said the task force will be charged with monitoring legislation regarding the Second Amendment during the 111th Congress... http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20090225_11_0_WASHIN825829&allcom=1 --- Alaska Senate Opposes HR 45: The Senate State Affairs committee today passed SJR 6, a resolution expressing the Alaska Legislature's opposition to a bill introduced in Congress that would require federal licenses for firearm users in the U.S. The resolution was sponsored by Sen. Gene Therriault, R-North Pole, who said the congressional bill, HR 45, is in essence a gun registration bill that assaults the 2nd Amendment rights of Americans. "This bill in Congress would require anyone who possesses a firearm to have a federal license to do so, and makes it a felony to fail to report transfers, loss or theft of a firearm," Therriault said. "As we have seen so often around the world - in Germany, in England, and most recently in Australia - restricting or taking away firearms from law abiding private citizens does not reduce crime, but is followed by more crime." ... http://www.ktva.com/ci_11776232 --- New Jersey Senate Defeats "Feel Good" Bill: Two area Democrats who cast key votes against gun legislation on Monday separately called the bill "feel-good legislation" on Tuesday and said they will not change their stances on the issue. State Sens. Jeff Van Drew and Steve Sweeney were two of the three Democrats, along with Sen. Fred Madden, who joined Republicans in voting against the measure... ith 15 Republican votes against it and two Republican abstentions, Senate President Richard Codey suspended voting at 20-18. Bills need 21 votes to pass the Senate. The measure cleared the Assembly last June 23, by a 47-28 margin, with four abstentions. The law would allow people to buy or knowingly sell no more than one handgun per month to a person. It would exempt law enforcement and federally licensed collectors. Violators faced up to 18 months in state prison and fines of up to $10,000... http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/184/story/412095.html --- Daley Calls for More Infringements: [Chicago] Mayor Richard M. Daley is proposing new anti-gun legislation, while at the same time blasting the federal government for what he says is a lack of focus in combating violence in America... Daley is backing five new laws in Springfield aimed at curbing gun violence. He is asking that gun dealers be licensed by the state, not just by the federal government; that gun purchasers be limited to one gun a month; that law enforcement close the loophole wherein private sellers transfer guns between each other; a new statewide ban on assault weapons; and increased penalties for shootings on school property anywhere in the state... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29371580/ --- Three CCW Bills in Illinois: Every year the debate over gun control returns to the legislature, as sure a sign of spring as robins searching for food on the Capitol grounds. This year is no exception, with well over a dozen bills introduced already dealing with various gun issues. A couple of proposals would prohibit local communities from enacting bans on guns. Another would let authorities revoke an adult's Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) card if a minor illegally obtains weapons. Another would toughen standards for transferring weapons between people. And there are no fewer than three bills allowing Illinois residents to carry concealed weapons. Gun advocates have tried without success for years to get a "concealed carry" law passed in Illinois. Those bills are getting a renewed focus this year in light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the right to have guns in the home and the Illinois Sheriffs' Association recent endorsement of concealed carry... http://www.galesburg.com/news/news_state/x617065199/State-Capitol-Q-A-Concealed-carry-on-legislative-agenda --- Oregon Sheriffs Withdraw Opposition to Recognition: Today in the House Judiciary Committee, three bills of interest to gun owners were heard, But without question, the one that most gun owners will want to know about was HB 2463. This bill recognizes the concealed handgun licenses of all other states. At the request of OFF, an amendment was drafted that extended that recognition to Alaska and Vermont, which allow their residents to carry concealed without a license. As you know, this type of legislation has been introduced many times in the past and has always generated resistance from the Oregon Sheriffs. At today's hearing, the representative of the Oregon Sheriffs stated that they no longer opposed recognizing the CHL's of other states. This is a significant breakthrough in our efforts to have Oregon join the many states that allow non-residents to be safe while visiting... http://www.oregonfirearms.org/alertspage/02.24.09%20alert.html --- Arkansas Senate Panel Kills Church-Carry Bill: A Senate panel on Wednesday rejected a bill allowing concealed handguns in churches after opponents complained that allowing firearms defied the notion that religious buildings are sanctuaries. The Senate Judiciary Committee stalled the bill on a voice. The measure would have removed churches and other houses of worship from the list of places where concealed handguns are banned in Arkansas. Only churches and bars are on that list. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Beverly Pyle, R-Cedarville, told the panel after the vote that she may try again with the proposal... http://www.fox16.com/news/state/story/Guns-in-church-bill-dies-in-Senate-panel/H76yN3aBokyAL9SW-kMfjA.cspx --- Disarming the Poor: One particularly insidious method employed by the citizen disarmament lobby is banning so-called "Saturday Night Specials," alternatively referred to as "junk guns" - inexpensive handguns, in other words. Although the term "Saturday Night Special" did not exist in 1879, the first law of this type was Tennessee's "Army and Navy Law" of that year. The motivation behind such a law is not hard to guess. With laws explicitly prohibiting gun ownership by blacks no longer feasible, because of the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1875, the racists had to be (slightly) more subtle in their efforts to keep blacks disarmed, and thus subject to domination... http://www.examiner.com/x-2581-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m2d25-Disarming-the-poor --- Oops, Wrong Party: A homeowner in the Providence neighborhood shot and killed an armed man who may have been seeking retribution after being kicked out of a party on Saturday night. The name of the dead man hasn't yet been released, "pending forensic confirmation," the Fort Bend County [TX] Sheriff's Office said in a statement issued Monday morning. However, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the case said the dead man is believed to be "a pretty high-ranking member of a gang," whom the homeowner appears to have shot while "defending his property and his family." ... http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/02/23/35850 --- Smith & Wesson Recalls PPK, PPK/S: Smith & Wesson Corp. is recalling certain pistols that could fire without the trigger being pulled. The gun maker said it was recalling all Walther PPK and PPK/S pistols that it manufactured from March 21, 2002, until Feb. 3, 2009. Smith & Wesson posted a recall notice Friday on its Web site and offered additional details in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Tuesday. The filing cited a problem in the affected pistol models that "may permit a round to be discharged without the trigger being pulled." ... http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/02/24/ap6091197.html http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CustomContentDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&content=62303§ionId=10506 --- From ACDL: AzCDL will have a table at the three gun shows in March in Mesa and Tucson: February 28/March 1, 2009 at the Mesa Centennial Hall March 7 & 8, 2009 at the Pima County Fairgrounds (Tucson) March 14 & 15, 2009 at the Tucson Expo Center (free parking!) If you can spare a few hours we would deeply appreciate your help. AzCDL's phenomenal growth is primarily because of the hard work of our gun show volunteers. Gun shows provide a great opportunity to educate fellow gun owners about our hard won successes and the exciting opportunities in this year's crop of bills like Constitutional Carry, Campus Carry, Defensive Display and CCW Training Reform that need their support. Come on down and spend some time observing the other volunteers. When you feel ready, step on in. If pro-active interactions are not your forte, we still need volunteers to manage the table, help hand out flyers and brochures, and keep an eye on things. Volunteers who work the AzCDL table for a few hours get into gun shows FREE! If your membership is coming up for renewal soon, stop by the table and renew at the "gun show special" rate ($10 off!). Sustaining memberships get a FREE AzCDL T-Shirt. Not a member? Not a problem! You can join AzCDL at the gun show! Interested? For the Mesa gun show, send an email to John: john.rosado@AzCDL.org . For the Tucson gun show, send an email to Duke: duke.schechter@AzCDL.org . These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots organization. Join today! AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html Copyright © 2009 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved. -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .