GOA Contradicts NHFC on Ovide Lamontagne

Website ^ | September 14, 2010 | Pro-Gun New Hampshire

[Revtwo]

So which “No Compromise” organization is misleading its followers? Is Ovide Lamontagne an “A” or an “F”? Does he demonstrate “duplicity on the right to keep and bear arms” as claimed by NHFC, or has he demonstrated “unwavering support of the right to keep and bear arms” as claimed by GOA?

Both groups cannot be correct in their assessment. You decide.

[pissant]

The NHFC are full of crap. Ovide is a staunch supporter of the 2A, much more so than Ayotte.

[NonValueAdded]

NHFC = New Hampshire Firearms Coalition

[pissant]

A guest post by the Hon. Paul Mirski in light of the negative attack (once again) by the NHFC on Ovide Lamontagne

GraniteGrok endorsed Ovide Lamontagne for US Senate, and continues to give its unwavering support to him. Given his unexpected rise in the polling, it was only a matter of time that he would come under attack from those (and their surrogates)

The New Hampshire Firearms Coalition is such a surrogate - unlike the ‘Grok that makes its views well and publicly known, it seems that the NHFC wishes to operate in the dark corners of NH politics via it’s “ratings”. This is not the first time this group, led by Dave Wheeler, has played political favorites for gain or revenge.

Thus, we are delighted to post up Paul Mirski’s guest column concerning this matter:

Guest post by the Honorable Paul Mirksi, NH House of Representatives

September 9, 2010

The preeminent issue that ought to govern every single American’s choice of a candidate for any elected office ought to have to do with that candidate’s seriousness on the matter of securing the right of self-defense for each and every person they hope to represent. Without the guarantee that every person may take up arms in defense of “…themselves, their families, their property, and the state.” as the N.H. Constitution so forcefully provides in Part I, Article 2-a, there is no remedy for contesting tyranny on the part of those who want all-encompassing government.

In “Live Free or Die,” New Hampshire, determining who to support in any election is pretty serious business. In particular, candidates want to convince prospective voters of their reliability on the right to bear arms. Unscrupulous candidates will work to disparage their opponents as being against the Second Amendment and where possible, they’ll encourage surrogates to do their dirty work.

Ovide Lamontagne, a good and honest man, is now the subject of a vicious eleventh hour smear by the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition [NHFC]. The NHFC has charged that back in 1994, when he was the Chair of the State Board of Education, Lamontagne championed a statewide gun ban as part of a “Safe Schools” initiative that was being promoted by the State Board of Education. The purpose of the “Safe Schools” initiative was to find a way to keep kids from bringing firearms to school.

Because I support Mr. Lamontagne, and because of my fierce interest in the defense of the right of self-defense and of the Second amendment, immediately upon hearing of the charge against my candidate I immediately sought out the record on the 1994 safe schools initiative. I never want to be associated with anyone who would promote a “state wide firearms ban. “

The record proves the NHFC charge to be utterly malicious and demonstrably false.

What the record shows is that in 1994 a so called “Safe Schools” bill, HB1558-FN-Local, was sponsored by Representatives Skinner, Buessing, Franks, Carter and Hill and by Senators King, Currier, and Russman. The Skinner “Safe Schools” Bill did indeed contain draconian anti-Second Amendment language.

Mr. Lamontagne’s testified before the legislature on the subject of HB1558 and against the anti-Second Amendment language that the sponsors had provided. Lamontagne recommended instead, the adoption of agreeable legislative language that “…can be supported by gun owners and knife owners and other sportsmen, educators and so forth.” He further said that

“…the last thing I would intend and wish to achieve through this legislation is to infringe upon the rights of those who seek to bear arms. I am one of the members of that community. I don’t want this legislation to interfere with my right to do that. I think we can fix that [offending] language.”

When I read the final amended version of the bill that was ultimately passed by a Republican legislature and signed into law by Republican Governor Steve Merrill I noticed that the Bill had been amended in a manner that was consistent with Mr. Lamontagne’s appeal and recommendation. This is exactly the opposite of what the NHFC has charged.

In no way had Mr. Lamontagne’s urged the adoption of any language that would have made it, “…unlawful for any person to possess or carry any weapon or deadly weapon within a safe school zone at any time of year.”

The NHFC charge against Lamontagne is false. Ovide Lamontagne is the victim of a vicious and calculated smear.

Following Second District Congressman Dick Swett’s vote in favor of the Assault Weapons Ban after he had pledged to oppose it I filed and ran for the NH House. The first bill that I filed in the Fall of 1994 was to compel the Attorney General to join with other states in challenging the newly adopted assault weapons ban. Because our legislature unresponsive, it became the first Bill that I filed in following campaigns.

During the ten years that I served in the NH House I Sponsored and co-sponsored many pro Second Amendment bills. One of those that I co-sponsored in the 2005-2006 session of the legislature was one of two “castle doctrine” bills that provided that if appropriately threatened, a person had the right, to defend themselves with deadly force wherever they had the legal right to be. The castle doctrine bill passed the House and Senate that session was vetoed by Governor Lynch upon the recommendation of Attorney General, Kelly Ayotte. Despite Ms. Ayotte’s active intervention to deny NH residents the right to defend themselves wherever they have a legal right to be, the NHFC has given Ms. Ayotte its highest recommendation among those candidates running for the US Senate.

And further, so far as objective judgment is concerned, the NHFC persists in encouraging the election of Ryan J. Murdough, in Grafton House District 8, giving him an ‘A’ rating despite the Republican Party’s widely publicized condemnation months ago of Mr. Murdough as a “despicable racist.” Mr. Murdough is a white supremacist and was, last I knew, chairman of the American Third Position Party. Outrageous!

Ovide is a lifelong gun owner and has been a member of the NRA since 1992. He has always been a strong advocate for our unalienable right to keep and bear arms. The people backing his campaign for U.S. Senate represent some of the finest Second Amendment leaders our state has to offer [click here -Skip]. They stand strong with Ovide, and so do I.

When it comes to New Hampshire Firearms Coalition rankings of prospective candidates, my advice to gun owners statewide is to consider the source, then discount NHFC’s rankings, and support Ovide Lamontagne for U.S. Senate.

Hon. Paul Mirski, POB 190, Enfield Center, NH 03749 / 603 632 5555

http://granitegrok.com/blog/2010/09/a_guest_post_by_the_hon_paul_mirski_in_l.html

[ConservativeDude]

Is Ovide going to win today?

[andy58-in-nh]

I asked Ovide this morning about the 2nd Amendment issue and he told me exactly what you posted. Thanks for providing the details for us.

[pissant]

He had no shot two weeks ago, but all the momentum has been towards him since. Will it be enough to overcome Palin’s endorsement of Ayotte? I hope so!!

[pissant]

That was a real sucker punch from the NHFC

[andy58-in-nh]

The latest polls are tight (7 point spread officially, but the internals are getting very interesting). Ayotte still leads, but as with all primaries, it really depends who turns out.

[andy58-in-nh]

Yep. He told me it was a smear and I know the guy well enough to believe him.

[pissant]

Some of the Palin brigades have been more than happy to advance that fiction, in the unreality that Ayotte is the conservative in the race.

Panel urged to reject expanded deadly force

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Panel+urged+to+reject+expanded+deadly+force&articleId=2dbc72a0-547e-4804-8837-f4ab7ab9e213

[who knows what evil?]

Thanks...that was making a LOT of potential Ovide supporters nervous...

[nhwingut]

OVIDE GETS AN F

Enough said.

[Hal Appleton]

He gets and F from a group that has NO, as in NONE, as in NEVER GONNA HAVE, as in NADA credibility.

He gets an F because Dave Wheeler has a personal grudge against Ovide........and somehow we are suppose to close our eyes and stick fingers in our ears to buy that bull over all the other Pro-Gun NH and GOA support, never mind our own common sense?

Here is what respected NH outdoorsman John Harrigton is saying about Ovide:

COLEBROOK – Veteran outdoor columnist and former publisher John Harrigan said last night that he usually doesn't make political endorsements, but he was making an exception with U.S. Senate candidate Ovide Lamontagne

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Outdoorsman%2C+former+publisher+Harrigan+for+Lamontagne&articleId=ac1b8c8e-d77b-4ba6-a8b3-8b3f4f5e2796

[ArmedConservative]

I am a life member of the NRA, a member of GOA & GO-NH and I proudly cast my NH ballot this morning:

Senate: Ovide
CD1: Rich Ashooh
Gov: Jack Kimball

[nhwingut]

GOA is Eric Erickson’s firm... Erickson supports Lamontagne.

Connect the dots.

NH Firearms gives Ovide an F. In comes Erickson’s bos to the rescue for cover.

A bunch of out of state hacks who know nothing.

NH Firearms is a local group that knows the FACTS!

[Hal Appleton]

http://www.pgnh.org/grading_the_graders_the_nhfc_2010_primary_election_guide

Obviously we know what PGNH thinks about NHFC........and we agree.

So lets make it EASY for the readers to understand that both GOA and PGNH agree that Ovide is the “good guy” in this discussion and the NHFC orgnanization (aka Dave Wheeler) is the “scum”.

Don’t be afraid to tell the PGNH side of the story!

[Hal Appleton]

I am also a life member of the NRA, a member of GOA & GO-NH and I proudly cast my NH ballot this morning:

Senate: Ovide Lamontagne

[pissant]

Thanks for helping to clear this NHFC fiction up.

[Hal Appleton]

An organization like NHFC (Dave Wheeler) can continue to try to SMEAR a good man like Ovide, but in the end all it is going to do is to continue to marginalize itself until they don’t exist......or better yet, no one listens.....which is exactly what they deserve.

Look yourself in the mirror man......and face the truth.