Free Republic

“46 Prince George's County officers suspended or on administrative duty,” The Washington Post headline informs us. The three Prince George's County police officers arrested as part of the sweeping federal investigation into corruption in the county represent only a fraction of those accused of wrongdoing, according to police officials and internal department records. Bear in mind: [T]hree of these cases are known to have a direct relationship to the federal probe that led to the arrest this month of County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D). Charges against “at least 10 of the suspended officers… include driving while intoxicated, assault and...

“Profiteers of Hate,” the cover of the Spring 2010 issue of The Social Contract accuses. “The smear-mongering agenda of the Southern Poverty Law Center…” In this special issue The Social Contract presents an unsparing indictment, and a timely debunking, of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Acclaimed expert on America’s political fringes Laird Wilcox skewers the bogus scholarship and smear tactics by which SPLC has successfully sold itself to government and media as an impartial arbiter of “hate,” in an exclusive, keynote interview with Peter Gemma. TSC’s team of accomplished contributors from the left, right, and center exposes SPLC’s unsavory...

“Ex-Con: Where Do I Fit In Anti-Gun Campaign?” the New Haven Independent headline reads. The “ex-con” is James Hanton, “released from jail this spring, [who] complained that he can’t vote to retain or replace elected officials who have a direct impact on how thoroughly or not gun violence is going to be rooted out of his community.” “A lot of us coming out of prison want to go in a different direction,” Hanton said, “but because we have these roadblocks in the way ... You’re saying in order to make these changes we need to vote, or we need to...

“Recently, the NFATCA took the lead on an issue that could have far-reaching consequences in the NFA and Sporting communities,” the National Firearms Act Trade & Collectors Association reports. What issue? It was learned that ATF was seeking to create a definition of small arms ammunition under the aegis of the Safe Explosives Act. The definition was being created as an opinion letter and had no input from the firearms community. Why is a revised definition needed? What is the impetus behind this effort to increase the Bureau’s regulatory control reach? And why exclude the people who it would compel...

“Now you’re either going to conceal it, or I’m going to take you off here or I’m going to lock you up. I’m not going to play games.” The threatening speaker is a Philadelphia police lieutenant, coercing activist Mark Roote, who attended a weekend “End the Fed” rally open carrying—as is his right and in accordance with Pennsylvania law. Indeed, in the accompanying video (see sidebar), we see the initial “officer” who approached Roote actually REFUSES TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF upon a legitimate citizen request that he do so. Apparently, in the city of Independence Hall, secret police wearing full length...

“This target shoots back,” the click-through ad at the top of the MyFoxMaine.com news page tells us, inviting viewers to watch the season premiere of “Human Target” with its action hero protagonist, guns in each hand blazing. How exciting! And the “Top News Story,” directly under the banner? Virginia Tech Shooting Survivor Speaks in Portland It’s Colin Goddard, on his mission to spread the gospel of citizen disarmament (see sidebar video). Except that’s not what he calls it: "If you say the word gun control, it's the big horrible word," Goddard said. "But if you break it down to the...

Breaking News: Between the time I began composing today’s Gun Rights Examiner column and finishing it, Mike Vanderboegh reported ATF has rescinded their ruling declaring selected Airsoft-type guns as firearms. What in the world is going on, and how is the bureau so out of control they can issue top level directives under the signature of their acting head guy, and then pull it back with no detailed explanation? Per Vanderboegh: The ATF Pressroom admitted to me by phone this morning that ATF Ruling 2010-4…has been rescinded! I’ve decided to go ahead and present what I wrote before this news...

On Monday, we asked, in the context of the Southern Poverty Law Center conflating Constitutionalists with haters, if a video warning law enforcement to cue their behavior in citizen encounters off of bumper stickers could either chill free speech or endanger Americans expressing political sentiments. We followed up yesterday asking if video co-narrator/former ATF Special Agent in Charge James Cavanaugh was a credible SPLC spokesperson. Here’s someone—a leading “respected” academic and activist who agrees with “Waco Jim” and the SPLC about the armed political right: "It's racist, it's armed, it's hostile, it's unspeakable," she said. "White people armed, demanding an...

"Licensed gun-holder loses guns & permits after he and cops lock horns -- twice," Stephanie Farr of the Philadelphia Daily News reports. What in the world is going on here? On two afternoons in a row last week, [John] Solomon, 24, was arrested after hanging out at a North Philadelphia bus stop, and each time, the cops confiscated from him a legally owned gun and a separate license to carry a gun, the licensed security guard said yesterday. Solomon maintains he was waiting for a bus and let some pass him by "because it was about 3 p.m. and he...

The Southern Poverty Law Center has produced a video, “’Sovereign Citizens’ and Law Enforcement: Understanding the Threat,” warning police that traffic stops involving “right wing” citizens could end up as deadly encounters. I’ve embedded it in the sidebar video player. Go ahead and watch it before reading on. There’s no question the officers were murdered. The question is, do we blame an ideology or the individuals who committed the act? And if the former is a factor, what responsible actions have the finger-pointers taken to limit the blame to a narrow spectrum of violence initiation advocates—as opposed to conflating their...

"As the Tea Party gears up for big wins on Tuesday, Adam Winkler sounds the alarm on an overlooked part of their radical agenda to overturn gun control laws in America—and their ties to revolutionary militia," The Daily Beast tells us.A "constitutional law professor at UCLA" is evidently hostile to the Founders' Second Amendment. This is my shocked face. If we listen to him, we just can't win. Those agreeing with the "militia" part are "extremists." As for "shall not be infringed: Rand Paul showed his true colors with a campaign promise that, if elected, he “will fight all attempts...

“Mayor Bloomberg's plan to slash fees for pistol permits is facing a blaze of opposition in the City Council,” Sally Goldenberg of The New York Post reports. What’s that? “Furious Mike,” the notorious anti-gunner plotting to impose Big Apple controls on Heartland America wants to “put more guns on the street”? Not exactly. It seems this is a preemptive ploy, anticipating if they don't do something, they’ll be vulnerable to lawsuits in the post-Heller /McDonald era. But a comment from Councilman Erik Dilan (D-Brooklyn) is instructive: Since I've been in the council, we've voted on numerous bills where fees and...

“Gunmaker's 'Adaptive Combat Rifle' Too Combat-y: Fires Full Auto!” The Violence Policy Center’s Josh Sugarmann breathlessly warns Huffington Post readers. When is a "combat rifle" for the U.S. civilian gun market too combat-y? When it fires like a full-auto machine gun. Batty invented terminology aside, he’s referring to a product recall notice issued by Bushmaster on Oct. 15 for its ACR rifle: Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC has become aware of a possible firearms performance issue that may develop with a small number of ACR rifles and we are requesting you discontinue the sale of these firearms that remain in your...

“As Reid Falters, Schumer Subtly Stands in the Wings,” The New York Times headline warns gun owners. A perennial leading political enemy of the right to keep and bear arms, Schumer’s potential ascendancy to a vacated leadership slot would seem to validate NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox’s “four words” parroted by so many Fairfax apologists: Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Before the chorus of “We told you so” begins, let me just say this:So what?Unless all major political pundits are wrong, the House of Representatives, which the Senate needs consensus with in order to pass any bill up to the President...

As Election Day 2010 approaches, there is much to be found in the media about the National Rifle Association and its political grades and endorsements. There's another, albeit smaller organization out there working hard to bring us candidate evaluations that gun activists are well aware of, Gun Owners of America, designated "The only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington" by Rep. Ron Paul. Because GOA takes a somewhat different approach that can yield different performance assessments, tensions sometimes arise between its supporters and NRA's, along with often acrimonious, even bitter debate. And because this election has such potential to impact gun...

"Hey David," the Facebook message began, "Thought you might be interested in Brian Aitken, in jail in NJ for 7 years for owning legal guns." .... At trial Brian Aitken’s defense team showed the jury Brian’s three FBI background checks to lawfully purchase firearms, a number of witnesses—including a Mount Laurel police officer—testified that Brian was moving between residences and all witnesses—including the Mount Laurel police officer—testified that Brian’s firearms were unloaded & locked in the trunk of his car exactly as New Jersey State Law requires…Brian knew how to do this because he had called the New Jersey State...

Almost two weeks ago we discussed an "Intelligence Brief" by the Kansas City Regional TEW Inter-Agency Analysis Center focused on Mike Vanderboegh and his in-development novel "Absolved." Relying heavily on Southern Poverty Law Center talking points that conflate patriots with haters (indeed, we've seen the relationship between SPLC and "homeland security" enforcement solifidify into one of quasi-official symbiosis), the report claimed: Vanderboegh’s novella is very similar in nature to a 1978 novella, The Turner Diaries. In The Turner Diaries, an overthrow of the U.S. government and race war was depicted. The novella became, and is still considered, a staple of...

Beneficary may "buy...bigger gun""More than 250 guns traded for gas," staff writer Steven Ward of The Advocate tells us. The program, Gas for Guns, is a no-questions-asked, voluntary gun buyback program sponsored by Circle K and local law enforcement agencies. "No-questions-asked" means those of you with stolen guns--or even ones used in "guncrimes!"--can not only count on the police to dispose of evidence for you, they'll also act as your fence and reward you for your enterprising ways. And they'll do this knowing it won't make a damn bit of difference in "combating gun violence." Something that's pretty well been...

Beneficiary may "buy...bigger gun" "More than 250 guns traded for gas," staff writer Steven Ward of The Advocate tells us. The program, Gas for Guns, is a no-questions-asked, voluntary gun buyback program sponsored by Circle K and local law enforcement agencies. "No-questions-asked" means those of you with stolen guns--or even ones used in "guncrimes!"--can not only count on the police to dispose of evidence for you, they'll also act as your fence and reward you for your enterprising ways. And they'll do this knowing it won't make a damn bit of difference in "combating gun violence." Something that's pretty well...

NRA-ILA head Chris Cox attempted a curious evasion when Tom Gresham asked him if the Political Victory Fund had given Harry Reid almost $5,000 for his reelection. Replied Cox: We gave zero to his general election…we did support him for some primary events… The fact remains—they gave Reid $4,950 for the 2010 election cycle. It’s not like the incumbent senator had a strong Democrat primary challenger who stood a chance of unseating him. And it’s not like unspent money isn’t rolled forward. Curious that Cox is backing away from the guy his boss called "a true champion of the Second...