Free Republic

With Obama’s attorney general nominee, Loretta Lynch, still lacking the votes for confirmation, Democrats are looking for four pro-gun control Republicans who will cross the aisle and support Lynch’s nomination. Democrats are doing their best to shame Republicans into this by labeling reasoned, pro-Second Amendment opposition to Lynch in racist jargon.

Democrat state Rep. Bill Patmon of Cleveland, Ohio has authored and introduced a bill aimed at banning fake firearms, even if they do not shoot projectiles. House Bill 119 proposes that any toy that could be reasonably considered to be confused with a real gun should be outlawed. Manufacturers, sellers, and owners (which may include minors) could face first degree misdemeanor charges. The bill specifically bans display of such toy guns from “a street, alley, sidewalk, driveway, or parking lot; a bridge; a plaza or park; a front yard; a motor vehicle… whether moving or not; a building open to...

The Illinois Gun Owners Lobby day was held yesterday, the 18th of March 2015.  The idea of a gun owners lobby day has spread among the many grass roots organizations across the nation.  Over a thousand gun owners showed up at the Illinois capitol in Springfield on Wednesday.  This is not in response to a crisis involving the defense of the right.  The principle of that was won in 2013.     A shall issue law was passed in 2013, against the strong opposition of the Chicago Democrat machine, and a veto by Democrat Governor Pat Quinn.   The legislature overrode Quinn's...

“By the standards of her profession, Emily Miller has no business calling herself a journalist," Ladd Everitt, communications director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, said in a statement. "Miller’s crusade against popular gun laws has been a professional one since the beginning. At this point, area residents can have no reasonable expectation that she will provide objective, impartial coverage on matters of concern to them. If Miller wishes to behave like a pundit and activist, then WTTG should replace her with an actual reporter.”

Oh, how I wish Texas lawmakers cared as much about our children as they do their guns. And wouldn’t it be terrific if the folks who represent us in Austin despised injustice as much as they do immigration and taxes? I suppose, given the makeup of our state Legislature and the leadership in the top statewide offices, that’s a little too much to hope for. It is no surprise that new gun legislation has been put on a fast track at the Capitol, sailing through committee and floor votes with ease, while our underfunded public schools likely will languish.

A powerful message was relayed to hundreds of Tindley Academy students Friday morning. It was delivered by those standing in the front lines: the chief of police, a juvenile court judge and a US attorney. They handed out a paper that said:

The Montana legislature has passed a constitutional carry bill to bring the last .6% of the state into harmony with the rest of the state.  HB 298 will make the legal conditions for the carry of firearms the same inside unmarked city boundaries as outside of those unmarked boundaries.  The bill passed the Senate 28 to 21.  It passed the House 56 to 43.  The Governor of Montana is a Democrat, Steve Bullock.  It remains to be seen if Governor Bullock will do the same as Governor Tomblin of West Virginia, and veto a popular bill when he sees...

Exporting firearms and ammunition from the U.S. normally requires a license--from the State Department for rifles, handguns, and rifle or handgun ammunition, and from the Commerce Department for shotguns and shotshells. But for many years, the State Department’s International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR) have allowed Americans to temporarily export up to three non-automatic firearms and up to 1,000 rounds of ammunition without a permit, as long as the firearms were declared and presented to a Customs officer. This was done by bringing the firearms to a Customs office at some point before the trip and completing Customs Form 4457--a...

UPDATE: ATF has officially confirmed Jones' departure without stating a specific reason for his resignation.  B. Todd Jones to depart @ATFHQ. http://t.co/ZMoplVltRK— ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) March 20, 2015 “ATF employees are hard-working, dedicated individuals who serve the public to make our nation safer every day,” said Jones. “I have seen firsthand their extraordinary commitment to combatting violent crime, ridding the streets of criminals, and leveraging all available resources to keep our communities safe," Jones said in a statement. “I will truly miss leading and working side-by-side with these men and women in their pursuit of ATF’s unique law enforcement and regulatory...

Greenville,S.C.—Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will spend a second day Friday campaigning in this crucial southern state as he looks to connect with a full spectrum of voters....After hosting events Thursday for the South Carolina Republican Party in Columbia and Greenville, the Republican governor will attend two more Friday in Rock Hill and Charleston. He'll also speak to the National Rifle Association in Charleston.The two-day blitz...is important because the state holds the third presidential nominating contest in the country. It follows recent trips to the states that hold the first two, Iowa and New Hampshire.In his Thursday speeches, Walker spoke of...

James Stuhlman was killed as he took his labradoodle on a walk at night Two 15-year-old boys have been charged with the married father's murder A 14-year-old arrested on lesser charges and is co-operating with police The 51-year-old pleaded 'Please don't shoot me' repeatedly, police say Usually took nightly walks with his daughter, 13, but was alone that night

You have to give West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin credit for Machiavellian use of power.  He cleverly waited until the legislature adjourned, sin die, before vetoing the popular constitutional carry bill.  The bill SB 347, would have removed some of the restrictions on carrying concealed weapons by those who can legally own them.  It passed with overwhelming margins and bipartisan support in both the Senate (32-2) and the House (71-29).  For a non budget bill, such as SB 347, simple majorities would have been enough to override a veto. Which is why the Governor waited until the legislature...

It is much harder to take some one's pension after they have retired.  I suspect that B. Todd Jones has decided to leave the agency because his fingerprints are all over emails and other digital trails leading to the attempted, and likely illegal ban on M855 and SS109 ammunition.  From thehill.com: The director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is stepping down following controversy surrounding the agency’s proposal to ban certain types of ammunition. The ATF announced Friday that Director B. Todd Jones is resigning at the end of the month “to pursue other opportunities...

On March 20 West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin (D) vetoed SB 347–the bill to repeal the concealed carry permit requirement in that state. Breitbart News previously reported that pro-gun West Virginia Senators passed the measure on February 27–against the wishes of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America–arguing that the 2nd Amendment was a sufficient concealed carry license.  On March 12 the Saturday Gazette-Mail reported that West Virginia House followed suit, passing the repeal of the concealed carry permit requirement by a vote of 71-29.

Dakota Meyer, Bristol Palin’s fiance, has defended a photo on his Instagram account that depicts him playing with an infant while a gun sits unattended on a nearby table. In the image, which was uploaded to Meyer‘s account, according to the Daily Mail, the Medal of Honor recipient holds up a child, whose name is Rowan, while a semiautomatic handgun can be seen laying on a table in the background. First highlighted by the satirical website Wonkette, the image of Meyer is roughly 16-months-old. One Instagram commenter noted the presence of the gun, prompting a response from Meyer. “Just love...

UPDATED: B. Todd Jones, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, confirmed this morning that he is leaving that post, nine days after a leading national gun rights organization called on him to step down or be fired primarily because of the controversy over the agency’s recent proposal to ban a popular type of ammunition for modern sport-utility rifles. Jones, who is departing March 31, was appointed director of the scandal-plagued agency in 2013. Last week, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms called for his resignation or dismissal in the wake of...

Citing public safety concerns, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has vetoed a bill to eliminate requirements for people carrying concealed handguns to have permits. The National Rifle Association-backed Democrat said Friday's veto responds to an outcry by law enforcement against the bill.

Four men have been charged with the murder of a man who was stabbed at a Coventry nightclub. They are accused of killing Daniel Kirkwood, 18, who had knife wounds to the neck and was found outside the Society Club early on Sunday. Along with Mr Kirkwood, who died in hospital, another 18-year-old man was stabbed in the back and a teenager, 17, was slashed on the arm with a knife. The four charged are due to appear before Coventry magistrates, later.

The link goes to an opinion piece with a title similar to the the tweet: “You think your drunk college-age daughters are bad with their iPhones? Imagine them with guns.” Author Anne Skomorowsky writes about her fears concerning her college-aged daughter, who left for college last year at age 17. Specifically, she is worried her daughter will be raped in college.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Several potential Republican candidates for president are scheduled to speak at the National Rifle Association's annual meeting in Nashville in April. The speakers include U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. The NRA's annual meeting takes place April 10-12, and the GOP politicians are scheduled to appear as part of an event put on by the NRA's lobbying arm, the Institute for Legislative Action.