2A News: April 22, 2016 Newsletter by Jeff Pittman

MS legislation update

SB 2515 has passed the legislature and been signed by the governor. It takes effect July 1.

Exempts the records of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks relating to applications for and holders of hunting licenses from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, AND records shall be released only upon proper court order or to law enforcement upon request.

HB 786 has been signed by the governor and is now in effect.

Church carry and holster carry bill:

Expands current permitless carry options to include belt and shoulder holsters. (Previous law already allowed permitless carry in purses, handbags, satchels, other similar bags or briefcases or fully enclosed cases. It appears to me that the new law will also restrict the places one can carry by such methods, beyond previous law.);

Allows church authorities to develop security programs that designate members as armed security and if enhanced carry permit holders (or qualified) or those with military or law enforcement backgrounds, to protect places of worship and receive the benefits of existing immunity protections under the state’s “Castle Doctrine” law; and

Prohibits state or local enforcement of federal executive orders or agency regulations not approved by Congress which conflict with the US or MS Constitutions.

The questionable language in this bill which I have brought up before, concerning not allowing holster/bag carry in a list of places, apparently applies or is intended to apply to concealed carry without a permit, and not to open carry without a permit. But the bill is not very clear on this, if one is carrying in a holster/sheath, and there may be a conflict with the open carry law.

The anti-gun Mississippi Association of Police Chiefs continues to rail against the law because they apparently think that it legalizes or facilitates carry by violent criminals, who they didn’t get a chance to check out. I think criminals don’t obey laws in the first place, and don’t ask for police permission, regardless of whether the law requires such permission.

And a couple of weeks ago, one Ariel Draper started a petition on thepetitionsite.com to ask Governor Bryant to veto the bill. The goal of the petition was to get 1,000 signatures in support. The petition had 3 signatures when the bill was signed into law Friday. The petition also lied about the bill, saying:

“Mississippi House Bill 786 introduces legislation that would grant the following:

To provide that killing a person while acting as a participant of a church or place of worship security team is JUSTIFIABLE homicide ; and for related purposes.

Literally making a ‘Church Police’ legal, allowing a church’s ‘security team’ to take it upon themselves to decide whether others live or die, and have legal protection!”

CO mag ban repeal

Colorado is in the process of repealing its ban on over-15-round magazines, a poor law passed in 2013 after the Newtown/Sandy Hook massacre.

Gunwalker

Remember Fast and Furious? Remember AG Eric Holder? Remember him being held in contempt of Congress for refusing to provide subpoenaed documents in the case? A court-ordered document dump earlier this month has revealed Holder is in fact dirty. I told you so.

Litigation

The Second Amendment Foundation has filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Montana, challenging a state law that does not allow concealed carry licenses to be issued to legal resident aliens, because only citizens are issued such permits in that state.

“The Courts have repeatedly stated that lawful resident aliens have the same Second Amendment rights as everyone else, and still some states choose to discriminate against them on this point,” said attorney David Sigale of Glen Ellyn, IL., who is handling this case for SAF. “It is our hope this unfair and illegal law will be swiftly struck down.”

Copy of the Supreme Court’s decision in the case Jaime Caetano v. Massachusetts (overturned the stun gun ban)

http://www.gunlaws.com/pdf/Caetano-2016.pdf

Election

“When it comes to guns, we just have too many guns. On the streets. IN OUR HOMES. In our neighborhoods.” — Hillary Clinton, speaking alongside contemptuous former Attorney General Eric Holder this week (emphasis mine)

“It matters to me that my mom also recognizes the role the Supreme Court has when it comes to gun control…. So if you listen to Moms Demand Action and the Brady Campaign and the major efforts pushing for smart, sensible and enforceable gun control across our country, disclosure, have endorsed my mom, they say they believe the next time the Court rules on gun control, it will make a definitive ruling. So it matters to me that my mom is the only person running for president who not only constantly makes that connection but also has a strong record on gun control and standing up to the NRA.” — Chelsea Clinton, also this week

• No word on Clinton disarming any of her bodyguards….
• Also no word on background checks for presidential candidates.

GRPC 2016

SAF’s 31st Annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC 2016) will be in Tampa, Florida at the DoubleTree by Hilton on September 23, 24, & 25, 2016. I think all the conference events are free and you get a bunch of free literature. Early registration is open.

Gun Rights Policy Conference

Massacres

France’s interior minister said this week that in response to November’s Islamic State shootings in Paris, the country will guarantee a 20-minute (initial) response of police and military anti-terrorism units to any future militant attacks on population centers anywhere in France.

You do the math.

DGU

• In Henderson, Nevada last week, a man was kidnapped from his home and stuffed into a car backseat by two criminals, who already had one of his jewelry store employees zip-tied in the backseat. But the man, who was carrying a concealed gun, entered the car to appease the kidnappers, then shot both of them while riding down the street. The car veered off the road and crashed into a home, bursting into flames. Count: 2 dead perps and 2 victims with minor injuries.

• There was another homicide in a church (Dallas area) this week. The cause of death has not been given by police. The suspect was wearing “Police” emblazoned “SWAT” gear. This is the answer to the question some keep asking about why one would need a gun in church.

You decide

If given five options — a whistle, a phone, a stun gun, pepper spray, or a gun — which one would you allow your own daughter to legally carry to stop a hopped-up rapist/murderer almost twice her size?

Why I don’t like purse carry

This week an Indianapolis 2-year-old grabbed a Bersa .380 pistol from his mother’s purse on the kitchen counter after she momentarily stepped away, and fatally shot himself.

Karma

A wannabe rapper nicknamed “Thugga” was shot and killed while filming a music video with a group on Chicago’s South Side this week. Four other people were wounded in the shooting by someone who walked up to the group and opened fire.

The shooting was recorded on the video, a performance of a song called “Two Techs and a 50 Shot,” which are gang-banger references to their preferred guns.

Go figure.

The Only Ones

• Veteran San Francisco sheriff’s deputy Rhonda Gaines brought a “non-duty” Glock pistol to work last week inside the Hall of Justice and was apparently not familiar with how it operated, so she handed it to Sotero Santos, apparently an unarmed deputy/bailiff, for help. Deputy Santos then reportedly pointed the weapon at Deputy Gaines and pulled the trigger. The round narrowly missed Deputy Gaines and went through an equipment storage cabinet before lodging in the office wall.

• Last week the University of South Alabama offered an official apology to a student who was given a citation the day before for “threatening the safety of campus” with an empty holster during an “empty holster protest” event. Apparently USAPD officers arrived at the location and, following an on-site interview with a student wearing an empty gun holster, issued a “campus judicial citation” to the student. But, according to USA, “upon further investigation, it has been determined that the citation should not have been issued and it has been rescinded. University Police are conducting an internal investigation of the matter.”

Will that go on his “permanent record?” No citations of the offending cops were reported.

• NYPD Deputy Inspector Michael Endall, Sgt. David Villanueva and Officer Richard Ochetal are reportedly under investigation in a federal case involving bribery of the NYPD officers for issuance of gun permits. In addition, five other senior officials were also reassigned and a community affairs detective was suspended after he refused to testify before a grand jury. No criminal charges against any of the cops have yet been filed.

• An unidentified Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police officer dry-fired an unloaded weapon at the head of another officer during a first district roll-call meeting last Saturday afternoon, possibly under orders from an unidentified sergeant as part of a “training exercise,” according to four MPD sources. Apparently the sergeant later told officers in the room that they had secretly ordered the officer to unload his weapon and then pretend to fire on his colleague as part of a “training exercise” on situational awareness. And if the targeted officer or any other officer in the room had been “aware,” what would have happened? It’s amazing that the perpetrator didn’t die from multiple perforations. That is also what is commonly classified as the crime of assault.

• Five former New Orleans cops pleaded guilty this week to charges of criminally killing two people and wounding four others in the Danziger Bridge incident during the Hurricane Katrina flooding in 2005, and of criminally covering up the facts by planting a gun, fabricating witnesses and falsifying reports. Due to misconduct by federal prosecutors, original sentences were thrown out and the new deal resulted in sentences of up to 12 years instead of up to 65 years for the cops. Guilty in the case were Robert Faulcon, Kenneth Bowen, Robert Gisevius, Anthony Villavaso, and Arthur Kaufman. Two assistant US attorneys resigned and a Justice Dept. attorney was reprimanded due to the case, while a US attorney resigned without being implicated. Apparently no criminal charges were filed against the attorneys, who leaked case information to the media and made anonymous online comments about the case.

Not gun related, but too ironic to miss:

• Former President of the St. Louis Law Enforcement Officer Association, Darren Randal Wilson, was indicted on multiple fraud charges. According to the US Attorney’s Office, Wilson was involved in misappropriation of over $80,000 from the Ethical Society of Police, an association of African American St. Louis police officers.

• Former Ellis County, TX, sheriff’s lieutenant Philip Gary Slaughter II has been charged with three counts of theft, tampering with a government record, and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. He was accused of stealing guns from the department’s evidence room before he resigned abruptly as criminal investigations division lieutenant, which involved overseeing the evidence room.

About those “gun free” zones

http://ccdl.us/blog/2016/04/21/post-office-armed-robbery/

Can’t have those “Jesus lunches” off campus, now can we?

Again not gun related, but the same sort of enemies…. “High School Demands End to Off-Campus Christian Lunch Group”

“Friends” follow-up

Last week we mentioned the NRA’s questionable scheduling of country music star Toby Keith as entertainment at the annual meeting next month, because Keith has a history of supporting anti-gun presidents. I forgot to remember to also mention that Keith’s “I Love This Bar And Grill” restaurants reportedly commonly post “no guns” signs to keep NRA members out.

Update on how deer see

http://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/big-game-hunting/whitetail-deer/new-research-deer-vision/

Check “yes” or “no.”

Gun range proposal. This is almost as good as my own engagement story.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/04/21/potd-range-proposal/

NRA magazine

It appears that the NRA is now offering Shooting Illustrated as a magazine choice with your membership. Other magazines are American Rifleman, American Hunter, and America’s First Freedom.

Products

• Wilson Combat is making their Recon Tactical AR rifles in .338 Federal (.308 Win. necked up to .338). $3,205-$3,285.

• The FosTech Origin-12 is a new AK-style detachable-box, magazine-fed (5 rounds) semi-automatic shotgun made in the US. 20- and 30-round drum magazines available. 12 ga, 3″, 18.25″ barrel, length-adjustable stock, 9 lbs. 3 oz. $2,600

• SilencerCo says its Maxim 9 pistol is the first-ever successful, holsterable, hearing-safe (suppressed) handgun that meets a duty-grad performance standard with all factory ammo. Uses Glock 17 magazines. Not out yet. Expected to MSRP under $2000.

• The OATH ammunition TSR (Tango Shotgun Round) slug, on which we have previously reported, expands to 2600 caliber (2.6″). $7 each.

• Winchester has introduced Winchester 572, a new Ball Powder® for shotshell loading. Also suitable for some non-magnum handgun cartridges.

• Chainsaw bayonet. Fits on your Picatinny rail.

Quote of the Week

“You don’t hear them asking NASCAR drivers to comment on crimes involving cars.” — Kim Rhode, medalist at 5 different Olympics