Free Republic

Gary Marbut is an underappreciated mover and shaker in the movement to restore the right to keep and bear arms in the United States, particularly in Montana. Gary was a primary force in the front lines and behind the scenes, working hard to reform legislation, write legislation, and to keep harmful legislation from being passed. It is doubtful anyone in Montana or in the nation, is more knowledgeable about the state of law, regarding arms, and the people’s right to arms, in Montana than Gary. I have admired Gary for many years. He founded the Montana Shooting Sports Association. His...

Bills 'nullifying' Washington overreach gaining momentum across the country It was called the strongest pro-gun bill in the country, and now it’s the law in Kansas. The law is designed to counter the push by liberal federal lawmakers for increased restrictions on gun rights. It nullifies any new limits on firearms, magazines and ammunition – whether enacted by Congress, presidential executive order or any agency. If Congress would have passed the Senate amendment expanding federal background checks, for example, the Kansas law would nullify it in the state. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican, signed Senate Bill 102 into law...

MISSOULA, Mont.—With a homemade .22-caliber rifle he calls the Montana Buckaroo, Gary Marbut dreams of taking down the federal regulatory state. He's not planning to fire his gun. Instead, he wants to sell it, free from federal laws requiring him to record transactions, pay license fees and open his business to government inspectors. For years, Mr. Marbut argued that a wide range of federal laws, not just gun regulations, should be invalid because they were based on an erroneous interpretation of Congress's constitutional power to regulate interstate commerce. In his corner were a handful of conservative lawyers and academics. Now,...