Microstamping Works - Sometimes: New technology currently being tested
by the University of California at Davis could make it easier for police
to identify the gun from which shells left at a crime scene have been
fired. The technology, called microstamping, works by stamping each
shell with an identifying mark unique to the gun from which it was
fired. The recently concluded study found that microstamping is
feasible, however it did not work equally well for all guns and
ammunition in the pilot and wider testing should be done...
http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/323052
---
Appellate Ruling Applauded: The media have been telling us to watch the
gun-control case now before the U.S. Supreme Court, where we await a
decision about Americans' Second Amendment rights. But the 2nd U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals just handed down an equally important gun
decision that has additional implications against judicial supremacy.
The court, which convenes in New York City, shot down the longtime
liberal dream of achieving gun control by suing gun manufacturers for
crimes committed by firearms. In a remarkable decision, this federal
appellate court dismissed City of New York v. Beretta U.S.A. Corp. and
protected gun corporations against frivolous lawsuits in state and
federal courts...This decision provides a road map for how Congress
should withdraw jurisdiction from judicial supremacists in other fields,
too. The decision is a sweeping affirmation of Congress' power to stop
future and pending lawsuits in federal and state courts...
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=64358
---
NRA Touts Annual Meeting: An amazing story is about to take place in
Louisville, Kentucky. Tens of thousands of Americans will gather to
celebrate their freedom, love of country, and devotion to the ideals
upon which this great nation was founded. They will arrive dedicated
and leave motivated...The mainstream media will cover the NRA Annual
Meetings in Louisville. But I doubt they'll capture our passion and
dedication to the Second Amendment. They'll downplay the importance of
our gathering, but that's their mistake. You can bet the politicians
will be paying attention to us in Louisville, and you better believe
we're going to send them a message loud and clear!
http://www.nranews.com/blogarticle.aspx?blogPostId=397
Related Article:
http://www.fox41.com/Global/story.asp?S=8326557
---
Oklahoma Congressman to Join NRA Board: U.S. Rep. Dan Boren on Wednesday
announced his appointment to the National Rifle Association's board of
directors... Nominated for membership in February and confirmed in a
recent vote, Boren is expected to attend the NRA's annual conference in
Louisville, Ky., to join a 76-member board whose members have included
actor Tom Selleck, professional basketball player Karl Malone and rock
musician Ted Nugent. (Note how easy it is to confuse "appointment" and
"election" to the NRA Board of Directors.)
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080515_16_A1_spancl933078
http://www.koco.com/politics/16269844/detail.html
---
How to Become a "Gun Felon": At 2:15 PM on January 8 of this year, the
Milwaukee jury in the trial of United States vs. David R. Olofson
convened. Forty minutes later they emerged, returning a unanimous
verdict against the veteran and National Guardsman: "Guilty." Olofson,
you see, had loaned one of his rifles, and it malfunctioned at a range,
firing off short bursts before jamming. This was called to the attention
of local authorities who seized the rifle, an Olympic Arms AR-15. They
in turn called BATFE, who decided to make a federal case out of it,
charging Olofson with illegally transferring a machinegun. Enter Len
Savage (See "Failing the Test," July 2005), President of Historic Arms,
LLC, brought in by Olofson's defense to testify the automatic fire was
not by design or intent, but rather by mechanical failure, and that the
firearm in question was simply a semiautomatic rifle that needed to be
repaired...
http://gunsmagazine.com/DGR0708.html
Related Commentary:
http://armedandsafe.blogspot.com/2008/05/gun-owners-one-malfunction-away-from.html
---
Let's Get Something Straight: ...Last year, nearly 800,000 walked
through one of the courthouse's two X-ray machines, said David Ricker,
Pima County Superior Court spokesman. In the process, Securitas staff
found nearly 19,000 "potential" weapons, he said. While many are
household items people would never dream of using as a weapon - such as
cigar cutters, tape measures, forks and pocket knives - others are
weapons people claim they carry for self-defense and simply forgot to
leave at home that day, Gauthier said. If the items aren't illegal to
carry, they are checked into a locker and the owners can pick them up on
their way out of the courthouse...(Arizona law requires public
facilities that ban weapons to provide secure, on-site, readily
retrievable storage for them. If people are being instructed not to
bring them to court, that is illegal.)
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/239271
---
Possible Victory Over California Ammo-Registration Bill: The Assembly
Committee on Appropriations has just placed AB 2062 on the Suspense
File. Even though any bill with costs of over $150,000 automatically
goes to suspense, Assemblyman Kevin DeLeon amended his bill in an
attempt to get below this fiscal threshold...The Suspense File is often
used by the committee as a tool to bury bills they want to see go away.
They simply leave the bill on suspense until after the deadline to take
up any more bills. They then claim that the state does not have enough
resources to fund the bill which allows the author to save face...Ask
any pro-gun member of the Appropriations Committee and they will tell
you that the lobbying effort spearheaded by Gun Owners of California was
timely and effective. We will continue to lead the way.
http://www.gunownersca.com/news/display/?id=444
---
"No Guns" Sign Draws Protest: A recently posted sign requesting that
guns not be brought into Boones Mill town hall sparked controversy at a
town council meeting Tuesday night - and drew the attention of the
Virginia Citizens Defense League...More recently, however, debate has
been waged over a series of signs first demanding, then requesting that
weapons not be carried by those attending meetings. Frith said the first
sign went up about a month ago after it was approved at the last council
meeting. However, according to Mark Flynn, director of legal services
for the Virginia Municipal League, Virginia law prohibits a city or town
from banning guns in most public buildings or property, although there
are exceptions for schools, courthouses, jails and police stations...
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/161882
---
From AzCDL:
The pressure you put on the Rules committees last week had an impact!
The log jam has broken, and AzCDL requested and supported pro-rights
bills are finally moving towards floor votes in the House and Senate.
HB 2389, an AzCDL requested bill that clarifies that it is permissible
to carry a weapon, without a CCW permit, visibly or concealed, anywhere
within a means of transportation, excluding public transit, passed out
of the Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) on Tuesday, May 13, 2008.
However, amendments were added during the COW debate, by Senators
Cheverount, O'Halleran and Waring, which did not alter the existing
language of HB 2389, but advanced their issues. You can read each
amendment here:
Cheverount -
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/48leg/2r/adopted/s.2389cheuvront.pdf
O'Halleran -
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/48leg/2r/adopted/s.2389ohalleran.pdf
Waring -
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/48leg/2r/adopted/s.2389waring.pdf
Unfortunately, without informing AzCDL or either bill's prime sponsor,
Senator Waring included the language of HB 2634 (Rep. Murphy's bill that
allows former felons whose right to bear arms have been restored to
obtain a CCW permit, see page 19, line's 23-25 using the above link) in
his amendment. Adding this language could effectively kill both bills
at the same time if the Governor should veto HB 2389. AzCDL must now
try to get HB 2389 into a Conference Committee, where the differences
between the original House version and the amended Senate version can be
worked out in favor of law-abiding gun owner's rights. We must also now
ensure that HB 2634 continues to move through the process, and that no
excuses are used that "the bill has already been debated", since it has
not been, as apparently no one was aware of this maneuver but Sen. Waring.
It's time to let Senator Waring know that YOU don't appreciate his
actions. His contact information is as follows:
Phone: 602-926-4916
Fax: 602-417-3150
Email:
[email protected] .
Personalized letters are always preferred. Below is a sample letter you
can use as a template. Please be sure to include your name, address,
and phone number in all correspondence.
Subject: HB 2389 & HB 2634 sabotage
Senator Waring:
The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) has informed me that the
amendment you added to HB 2389 contains language that could facilitate
the defeat of both HB 2389 and HB 2634 if HB 2389, in its current form,
goes to the governor.
Instead of just amending HB 2389 with language from bills you had
sponsored, you added the language from Representative Murphy's HB 2634,
allowing former felons whose right to bear arms had been restored to
obtain a CCW permit. HB 2634 enjoys broad bi-partisan support, passing
in the House with a unanimous (59-0-1) vote. It stands a good chance of
becoming law.
If the Governor should veto HB 2389 containing the language from HB
2634, then HB 2634 is effectively dead. Why would you wish to give an
opposition party Governor the opportunity for a "two-for-one" veto of
good, pro-rights legislation? If the Republican party is going to be
moving in that direction, what incentive do I, as a gun owner and
supporter of the right to keep and bear arms, have to go to the polls
this fall?
The only way to mend this situation, and your reputation among gun
owners in Arizona, is to see to it that HB 2389 is heard in a Conference
Committee, and have the language from HB 2634 removed before the bill is
sent to the Governor.
Senator Waring, do the right thing!
Sincerely,
Your name
Street Address
City, State & zip
telephone number
Meanwhile HB 2634, the original AzCDL requested bill that clarifies that
a person with an expunged or set-aside felony conviction, or one who has
had their rights restored, may obtain a concealed weapons permit,
finally passed out of the Senate Rules Committee on May 12, 2008. Next
stop is Senate COW, assuming that Senate leadership is still willing to
hear the bill on the floor. Its fate could be dependent on removing the
same language from the amended HB 2389.
We do have some good news! SB 1070, an AzCDL requested bill that makes
it easier for lawful gun owners who have satisfactorily completed
training to obtain a permit, or renew an expired one, and SB 1106,
Senator Chuck Gray's bill that provides for an optional lifetime CCW
permit, both passed out of the House Rules Committee on May 13, 2008.
From here they move on to the House COW.
Stay tuned! Information on these and other bills can be found at the
AzCDL website:
http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html
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 � 2008 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
