Litigation
U.S. District Chief Judge Thomas S. Kleeh of the Northern District of West Virginia has ruled that a federal law prohibiting FFL handgun sales to 18-20-year-olds is “facially unconstitutional,” and granted a summary judgment in a case brought by the Second Amendment Foundation, saying, “(B)ecause Plaintiffs’ conduct – the purchase of handguns – ‘fall[s] [within] the Second Amendment’s ‘unqualified command’ and the challenged statutes and regulations are not ‘consistent with the Nation’s historic tradition of firearm regulation,’ the Court FINDS 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(b)(1) and (c)(1) facially unconstitutional and as applied to Plaintiffs.” He enjoined the defendants — in this case the ATF and its Director Steven Dettelbach and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland — from enforcing the provisions “against Plaintiffs and otherwise-qualified 18-to-20-year-olds.” The case, Brown v. the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) [pdf link], was filed in September 2022 by the Second Amendment Foundation, the West Virginia Citizens Defense League and two individual citizens.
ATF: Still violating (examples here and here).
In response to the SCOTUS Bruen decision which affirmed that people in the U.S. have the right to carry guns, California banned gun carry in most places. The state is being sued in federal court in the case May v. Bonta. In September, GOA and GOF filed that suit against the law, which specifically challenged the “sensitive location” prohibitions. A newer lawsuit filed this week challenges the psychiatric evaluation, excessive fees, and extensive wait times currently imposed by several local police departments on Californians trying to secure a permit. In addition, the new lawsuit challenges the fact that non-residents have no means to lawfully conceal carry in California, as there is neither reciprocity for other state permits nor a means for non-residents to secure a California issued permit. [pdf links here and here]
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown is seeking a rehearing before the entire 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a three-judge panel last month struck down Maryland’s unconstitutional handgun licensing requirement. The petition for en banc reconsideration triggered a temporary stay, so the state’s unconstitutional Handgun Qualification License requirement remains in effect until the 4th Circuit decides whether to rehear the case.
We are still waiting on a federal lawsuit to throw out any sort of government-issued permission slip requirement to exercise any civil right.
Newsletters
The ACLDN and Rangemaster [pdf link] December newsletters are out.
NRA
NRA EVP Wayne LaPierre apparently has been stealing from us for a long time:
- Notes From 27 Years Ago
- Astonishing Testimony Of Steve Hart, NRA Board Attorney
- NY Vs. NRA; Judge’s Key Order Published
Jury selection for NRA’s New York trial will begin on January 2. Still no word on criminal charges for LaPierre & Co.
Magazine limits
I don’t go far down the rabbit hole of “justifying” hardware. You have a right to it, whether or not anyone – including yourself – thinks you “need” it.
Enemies
The New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence gun ban group recently announced yet another gun “buyback” event, but no 3D-printed guns are accepted. Why?
a) They aren’t really worried about 3D-printed guns and they are lying when they say they are.
b) Gun “buybacks” don’t work and they know it, and they are lying when they say buybacks work.
c) Both (a) and (b)
Jackson MS Police Chief Joseph Wade says he is planning to ask state lawmakers to pass legislation restricting the open carry of firearms in the capital city. Apparently the proposed restrictions don’t include his officers. Also apparently Chief Wade hasn’t read the state constitution, which gives the legislature the authority only to restrict concealed weapons, not openly carried ones. And there’s a little matter of the U.S. Constitution, of which I doubt he is aware.
Nunsense.
That little bunch of Catholic “sisters” who support criminal organizations and want to ban guns are preparing to file a lawsuit against the board of Smith & Wesson, alleging that the company exposed shareholders to unnecessary liability by selling and promoting AR-15 rifles and thus violating their fiduciary duty. The gun ban group holds shares in the company and allege that the board of Smith & Wesson “knowingly allowed the Company to become exposed to significant liability for intentionally violating federal, state, and local laws through its manufacturing, marketing, and sales of AR-15 style rifles and similar semiautomatic firearms.”
Since every step of the gun making and marketing process is licensed, regulated, and approved by the federal government, right down to each individual retail sale, we are unaware of any lawbreaking going on by S&W or any other gun company.
Another commenter noted that by buying shares, the nuns fraudulently entered into a contract with the premeditated intent of filing lawsuits, undermining the board, eroding profits, and devaluing shares. Perhaps that’s an SEC violation? And isn’t fraud a sin?
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 48 other Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday urged top payments companies to resume work on implementing a “merchant category code” gun dealers, which could be used to abuse them and their customers.
Liars
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People with colds cause methamphetamine deaths.
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The Only Ones
- Federal secrets.
- An unidentified FBI special agent was carjacked at gunpoint near the 1200 block of Constitution Ave., NE. in Washington, D.C., last week.
- Former FBI agent Michael Van Aelstyn, 45, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and possessing an unregistered firearm, according to court documents. He was originally charged with possession of a firearm made in violation of the National Firearms Act, possession of an unregistered firearm, and unlawful transfer of a firearm to an out-of-state resident, according to a May indictment. Van Aelstyn is alleged to have removed two illegal firearms from a suspect’s home, transported them to an FBI office for storage, and later removed them from the evidence room, taking them to his residence.
- The Florida City, Florida Police Department has been illegally confiscating ammo from crime victims and keeping it. In other words, stealing. They say they’re going to stop. No word on prosecuting any cops.
- The Chicago PD Office of Community Policing handed out expired gift cards at a gun “buy back” event last Saturday. Would you trust someone who can’t even keep up with gift cards with a bunch of guns?
DGUs
The Armed Citizen:
- American’s 1st Freedom – December 1, 2023
- American’s 1st Freedom – December 4, 2023
- American Rifleman – December 1, 2023
- American Rifleman – December 4, 2023
GFZs
- About terrorists and GFZs
- You heard about the shootings at the University of Nevada Las Vegas campus this week in which an unsuccessful faculty applicant killed three and critically injured a fourth faculty member. Gun Free Zone. But the killer was killed by cops with guns – AFTER he did his damage.
Tactics & Stuff
- Home defense, by Tom Givens
- A burglar speaks.
- Saps & blackjacks. Or as the Bri-ish say, coshes.
- Active killers and slippery floors. However, it seems to me that greasing a floor might be a great idea IF no potential victims have to cross that area.
- Pearl Harbor & small arms. Ayoob.
- More on that 3800 meter Ukrainian sniper shot.
Safety
- Airgun reminder. Airguns are deadly weapons.
- Don’t burn yourself up in a deer stand.
- Starline .45 ACP +P brass correction.
- AR pressure washer gun. Probably a bad idea at a public car wash.
Industry News
RemArms – the current version of Remington Arms, the nation’s oldest gunmaker – will close its historic Ilion facility on or about March 4, 2024 & finalize consolidating and moving its headquarters to LaGrange, Georgia. Killed off by socialist politicians and costs of dealing with the United Mine Workers of America labor union. Remington was founded in Ilion and has produced firearms there since Eliphalet Remington built his first rifle by hand in 1816.
Illinois man reported to be the second black man to open gun range in Illinois, fifth in the U.S. If that is accurate, I was certainly unaware.
Products
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