U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) and fellow Democrat Shomari Figures, candidate for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, have received an ‘F’ rating from the largest gun rights political action committee in the United States.
The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund, the PAC for the firearm advocacy organization, grades federal legislators based on their voting record and level of effort to safeguard the 2nd Amendment.
Every election, the NRA evaluates hundreds of candidates running for federal office. The organization defines an A-worthy candidate as a “solidly pro-gun candidate” with a “demonstrated record of support on Second Amendment issues.”
The recipient of an ‘F’ is a “consistent anti-gun candidate who always opposes gun owners’ rights.” Along with the grades, the National Rifle Association recently issued a statement regarding the importance of gun owners voting in upcoming elections.
RELATED: Sen. Arthur Orr: Montgomery ‘wasting time and effort’ by passing their own gun laws
“This year’s elections are more important than ever for the future of our country and our Second Amendment rights,” the organization said. “The only protection against attacks on our Second Amendment rights and the democratic process is your vote. And this year, in particular, we will need each and every individual gun owner’s vote in every precinct and every district across the country. We’re all concerned about the direction this country is heading, and we need to make sure that our children and grandchildren enjoy the same freedoms that we do.”
“Your rights are within range. That’s why it all comes down to your vote.”
The NRA gave high marks to all of Alabama’s conservative officials: U.S. Reps. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville), Dale Strong (R-Monrovia), and Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) were all awarded ‘A’ ratings.
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) received an A+, the highest grade given by the organization. A legislator who receives the grade has “not only an excellent voting record on all critical NRA issues but has also made a vigorous effort to promote and defend the Second Amendment.”
Republican Candidate for the 2nd Congressional District, Caroleene Dobson, was also given an ‘A’ by the organization.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten
On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate passed the gun owner financial privacy bill to establish privacy rights for gun buyers. The bipartisan bill was passed unanimously by the Alabama Senate. SB281 is sponsored by State Senator Tim Melson (R-Florence).
The legislation would prohibit a financial institution from declining a payment card transaction for a firearm purchase or purchases from retailers who sell guns. It also would prohibit a government agency from creating or maintaining a list or registry of privately owned firearms or owners of firearms. The bill provides for civil remedies for institutions who break this law if passed.
“This bill is a consumer protection bill,” said Sen. Melson. “What this does is, every merchant assigns a four-digit code – merchant category code. This prevents them from using this information to mark and keep up with gun purchases and ammunition purchases.”
“It does nothing to do with ATF as far as they still have to go through what they normally do when they purchase,” said Melson. “Several states have already enacted this. This was not an issue until they issued a separate code for these transactions.”
Melson asked that the Senate adopt a substitute version of the bill.
“The substitute takes out banking language and leaves just credit card language as we agreed to,” Melson said.
SB281 as substituted passed the Senate in a 32 to 0 vote.
House Bill 389 is the House companion bill to SB 281. HB389 will be addressed by the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.
This bill is an important action item for the National Rifle Association (NRA).
“Contact members of the House Financial Services Committee and ask them to SUPPORT HB 389!” the NRA-ILA wrote to its members in an email on Tuesday evening. “SB 281 and HB 389 prohibit the use of firearm/ammunition specific merchant category codes by payment processors. This is an important protection for gun owners, protecting private purchasing information from abuse by third parties.”
“Collecting firearm retailer financial transaction data amounts to surveillance and registration of law-abiding gun owners,” the NRA-ILA continued.
“Those promoting this scheme are in favor of firearm and gun owner registrations. Therefore, it should be assumed that the goal of this program is to share all collected firearm retailer MCC data with government authorities and potentially private third parties that may include gun control organizations and anti-gun researchers.”
SB281 will now be transmitted to the House for their consideration. Wednesday is a committee day for lawmakers, and Thursday will be day 25 of the 2024 legislative session.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com
Former State Sen. Paul Sanford, Republican candidate for Alabama’s open fifth congressional district seat, has received the highest National Rifle Association (NRA) rating in the crowded GOP primary field.
The NRA-Political Victory Fund (PVF) rates candidates on their support of the Second Amendment by assessing public statements, voting records and answers to the gun rights group’s candidate questionnaire.
Sanford, as a former two-term state lawmaker, is the only congressional hopeful in the six-candidate Republican primary field that holds a legislative voting record.
In a statement reacting to the rating, Sanford spoke to his record of supporting Second Amendment rights as a member of the legislature’s upper chamber.
“As a lifelong supporter and staunch defender of our 2nd Amendment rights, I am thrilled to receive the highest NRA rating out of the entire field of candidates in my race,” said Sanford. “I am proud of the Alabama values I was raised upon, and the efforts I led in Montgomery to protect our rights and liberties while serving in the State Senate.”
As a state lawmaker, Sanford cosponsored legislation in support of constitutional carry and concealed carry in vehicles. The former state senator received a 92% NRA rating in 2010 and a 93% rating in 2014, when his reelection bid earned an endorsement from the pro-Second Amendment association.
Sanford concluded, “This further reaffirms our campaign’s consistent message that I have a proven record, and voters can always count on me to continue to protect and preserve our conservative values as their next Congressman. Our campaign’s momentum has been undeniable since the moment we announced, and I am excited to see more voters turn to a proven record versus first-time promises.”
The primary election will take place May 24, 2022. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election will be held June 21, 2022.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
While the National Rifle Association (NRA) has endorsed U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) in Alabama’s U.S. Senate GOP primary, the gun rights group also extended praise to a second candidate in the three-person field.
The NRA-PVF (Political Victory Fund) awarded former Business Council of Alabama head Katie Britt with an “AQ” rating, which is the highest possible rating for a candidate seeking public office without a prior legislative voting record.
In a letter, NRA-PVF chairman Jason Ouimet offered the association’s appreciation to the first-time candidate over her stance on the Second Amendment.
“[W]e share a common goal to safeguard the Second Amendment and the rights of law abiding Americans who own firearms for hunting, personal protection, collection, or any other lawful purpose,” wrote Ouimet. “We also share a commitment to support law enforcement’s efforts to decrease crime and prosecute those who commit crimes with firearms.”
He concluded in part, “NRA members and law-abiding gun owners in Alabama and across the country thank you for your pledge to uphold and defend the individual right to keep and bear arms.”
In a statement, Britt noted that the Second Amendment serves as a “check” against government tyranny and asserted that the Biden administration had placed the American citizenry “in their crosshairs.”
“I’m excited to have earned the highest possible rating from the NRA-PVF. The Second Amendment is a critical check against the timeless tyranny of government,” said Britt. “Our Founders wisely knew that the Second Amendment will always be necessary to protect our God-given, inalienable right to defend ourselves, our families, our freedom, our homes, and our communities.”
She continued, “As the Biden Administration continues to put law-abiding, hardworking Americans in their crosshairs, we must stand firm and preserve the country we know and love for our children and our children’s children. In the Senate, I will always fight to defend our Second Amendment rights, our personal liberties, and our Christian conservative values.”
Last month, Britt’s campaign released a policy memo outlining the candidate’s legislative intentions surrounding the Second Amendment.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
7. Oakwood Academy files lawsuit against AHSAA as organization faces new issues
- Last weekend, the Alabama High School Athletic Association once again made a decision that drew the ire of an Alabama lawmaker that seemed to unfairly negatively impact student-athletes. This comes as the organization is facing a new lawsuit from Oakwood Academy. Oakwood alleges that their religious rights were violated during the AHSAA regional boys’ basketball tournament. Oakwood Academy is a Seventh Day Adventist School that was forced to forfeit the semifinal game that was scheduled for a Saturday evening.
- In the tournament, the other semifinal game was scheduled for Friday, and Oakwood had requested for the game schedules to be switched on religious grounds. However, their request at the time was denied, and they were forced to forfeit. In the lawsuit, Oakwood is also asking for AHSAA be barred from denying rescheduling requests for religious reasons, and even notes, “[A]lthough it allows for the rescheduling of contests for nonreligious reasons, AHSAA has categorically refused to grant scheduling requests to accommodate other religious observances.”
6. Helping prisoners escape will impact your ability to collect your retirement
- Vicky White, a corrections officer from Lauderdale County, will lose her pension now that she’s been fired, according to an announcement from Sheriff Rick Singleton. The former officer is currently missing, along with inmate Casey White, who has been charged with capital murder.
- Vicky and Casey have not been seen since their escape on Friday, April 29. Singleton said of the couple’s whereabouts, “We don’t really have a clue.” He also said that the information previously released about the couple’s vehicle was not meant to be made public and “was law enforcement-sensitive.” A warrant for Vicky’s arrest has also been issued since the escape.
5. Alabama Republicans react to leaked SCOTUS documents
- Earlier this week, there were leaked documents shared from the U.S. Supreme Court opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, and while U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has already called for the leak to be investigated, Republicans from Alabama have reacted to the move to prematurely release the opinion.
- U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) shared his statement online stating, “The leaking of the draft opinion runs counter to the Supreme Court’s deliberative nature and its independence from political influence.” U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) made a statement along similar lines, where he said, “Any breach is an attack on the institution and an effort to undermine its constitutional authority.” U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) stated that he would agree with overturning Roe v. Wade and added, “Even liberal Supreme Court justices like Ruth Bader Ginsburg believed Roe was too broad. To avoid chaos and further division about the law, the Court should immediately release the final decision.”
4. Brooks endorsed by the NRA
- U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) has received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association (NRA) in the U.S. Senate race. In their endorsement, the NRA said Brooks has a “consistent and proven voting record on Second Amendment issues in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
- The organization noted the stances that Brooks has taken in the past against background checks and delays for gun purchases. It added, “[Y]ou continually oppose the Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gun control agenda of banning lawfully-owned firearms, ammunition and magazines.”
3. Tuberville: Joe Manchin saved the country
- In light of the leaked draft document showing that the U.S. Supreme Court plans to overturn Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) praised U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) for voting against abolishing the Senate filibuster.
- Tuberville said about Manchin, “He saved this country when he voted against busting the filibuster.” He added, “He doesn’t look for the next three or four years of the future, he looks for the next 100, 150, 200 years of our country. He understands that if we make a change now in terms of the filibuster, this group would have passed four or five trillion dollars more money between now and next November…when the election is, and he knows how dangerous that is.”
2. The abortion ban in Alabama could change if Roe v. Wade is overturned
- As Roe v. Wade is expected to be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, states like Alabama that have previously passed abortion bans could see their laws actually taking effect. State Representative Terri Collins (R-Decatur) said that some changes might be needed for the Alabama ban.
- According to Collins, exceptions should be given in some medical cases, as well as cases of rape or incest. She explained, “I do think those are circumstances that would require women to make some choices that I personally would not choose.”
1. Interest rates increased by 0.5%
- To fight the self-created inflation issue, the Federal Reserve increased interest rates by the largest single amount in over 22 years. This follows an increase of .25% in March, which was the first increase since 2018.
- With inflation, consumer prices are increasing at the fastest pace in 40 years, and this will likely not be the only increase we see. Now, borrowing money will be far more expensive to buy houses and cars with home borrowing increasing from below 3% in March to over 6%. The goal is to slow the economy, lower home prices and curb inflation.
Monday, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) announced its endorsement of Gov. Kay Ivey’s bid for reelection as Alabama’s chief executive.
In a statement announcing the endorsement, NRA-PVF chairman Jason Ouimet said Ivey was the “strongest candidate” in Alabama’s 2022 gubernatorial race.
“Kay Ivey has long demonstrated an unwavering support for our Second Amendment freedoms,” declared Ouimet in a release. “She is the strongest candidate in this race and has a proven record of defending our constitutional right to self-defense.”
He added, “We can count on Kay Ivey to protect the rights of Alabama’s law-abiding gun owners. We urge all NRA members, supporters, and outdoorsmen in Alabama to vote Kay Ivey for governor in the May 24 primary election.”
The governor last month signed constitutional carry into law, which made Alabama the 22nd state in the nation to allow law-abiding citizens to carry a firearm without first having to obtain a permit.
Ivey, who holds an “A” rating from the NRA, slammed the national left’s gun control advocacy and stated her intentions to defend Alabamians’ Second Amendment rights.
“Today, in states across the country, the right to keep and bear arms is under attack,” stated Ivey. “Blue state liberals, the mainstream media and Hollywood would love nothing more than to see an America without guns. Well, if they got their way, that country wouldn’t be ‘America’ at all.”
“Here in Alabama, we don’t rely on the permission of gun-control loving liberals to exercise our God-given constitutional rights,” she proclaimed. “We demand them, and no one will ever take them away. I know they won’t be taking my Smith and Wesson. In Alabama, ‘we dare defend our rights’ isn’t just a motto – it’s a way of life. I will always defend the right to keep and bear arms.”
The primary election will be held on May 24, 2022. If no candidate garners a plurality of the vote, a runoff election will take place on June 21, 2022.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
The National Rifle Association (NRA) has awarded State Rep. Shane Stringer (R-Citronelle) with its “Defender of Freedom” award for his successful passage of constitutional carry during the 2022 regular legislative session.
The NRA presents the award to “individuals who have distinguished themselves in preserving and protecting our Second Amendment rights.”
Stringer’s bill allowing law-abiding Alabamians to carry a firearm in certain public settings without first having to obtain a pistol permit was passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey in early March.
Last year, Stringer was dismissed from his position as captain in the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office due to his support of the Second Amendment rights legislation.
In a release announcing the award, Stringer declared that citizens should not have to purchase a pistol permit, which he dubbed to be a “gun tax,” to legally carry a firearm.
“I am humbled by this award from the NRA and share it with all of my House and Senate colleagues across the state who supported and voted for my legislation,” stated Stringer. “Alabamians should not have to pay a gun tax in the form of permit fees in order to exercise the gun rights already guaranteed to them under the Second Amendment, and I am proud beyond measure that Alabama will soon become the twenty-second state in the nation to recognize that fact.”
He added, “As a 30-year veteran of law enforcement, protecting the men and women who wear a badge and patrol our streets is a top priority, so it is important to note that Alabama’s constitutional carry law includes new tools, technologies, and provisions to help keep officers at all levels safe from harm.”
Supporting Stringer’s measure was a bill ushered through the legislature in 2021 by State Rep. Proncey Robertson (R-Decatur) which requires the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) to create a database of individuals who are legally prohibited from owning or carrying firearms.
According to ALEA secretary Hal Taylor, the database will be in operation prior to the October 1, 2022, deadline outlined in the legislation.
During debate on Stringer’s permitless carry bill, various law enforcement agencies contended that the measure would adversely impact revenue from pistol permits. However, the bill’s supporters maintained that law enforcement revenue in other constitutional carry states have remained stable due to the need for individuals to purchase pistol permits in order to carry firearms in reciprocal states.
Included in Alabama’s constitutional carry law is the establishment of a grant program that enables sheriffs who are properly conducting background checks on permit applications to recoup any license fee losses.
Prior state-protected property rights remain in place as land and business owners still have the legal ability to decide whether firearms may be carried on-premise.
Schools, athletic events and secured spaces, such as courthouses and government buildings, are settings in which carrying a firearm remains prohibited.
The constitutional carry law goes into effect on January 1, 2023.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
The National Rifle Association’s (NRA) political arm has released its grades and endorsements for candidates running for the United States House of Representatives, including incumbent members.
In Alabama, only the Seventh Congressional District did not see the NRA Political Victory Fund make an endorsement. This race only features U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), who received an “F” grade. No Republican qualified to run.
The NRA did make an endorsement in each of Alabama’s two open-seat races.
In Alabama’s First Congressional District, the NRA is backing Mobile County Commissioner Jerry Carl, the Republican nominee. Carl will face Democrat James Averhart, who received an “F” grade. The Republican received an “AQ” grade, the highest possible rating for someone who has never been a legislator or in another position that decides Second Amendment-related policies. (more…)
The National Rifle Association (NRA) has endorsed Republican nominee Tommy Tuberville over U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) in Alabama’s 2020 U.S. Senate race.
Tuberville received an “AQ” rating from the NRA, which is the highest possible grade for candidates without a voting record in public office. The association officially describes holders of that rating as, “A pro-gun candidate whose rating is based solely on the candidate’s responses to the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire and who does not have a voting record on Second Amendment issues.”
“Too many members of the U.S. Congress believe that the Second Amendment is merely a suggestion and not a hard-earned constitutional right,” Tuberville said in a statement. (more…)
Chilton County Commissioner Allen Caton has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) in the House District 42 special Republican primary election to fill the seat of the late State Rep. Jimmy Martin (R-Clanton).
The endorsement was made in a letter to Caton written on Friday and announced on Monday.
Caton was the only candidate in the race given an “AQ” rating, which is the highest the association gives to candidates without an established record on Second Amendment issues in office. Chilton County Commissioner Jimmie Hardee was rated with a “B-” while Autauga County Commissioner Van Smith was given a “C.” Shannon Welch was handed a “?,” indicating he did not complete the NRA’s questionnaire. (more…)
Earlier this month, the National Rifle Association-Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) released its report card rating candidates based on voting records, public statements and their responses to a questionnaire so that voters have the organization’s assessment of the candidates headed into the next month’s general election.
Coming out on top in the race between incumbent Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) and his Democratic opponent Mallory Hagan was Rogers with an A+ rating. Hagan received an F rating.
That A+ rating is the highest among the seven-member Alabama U.S. House delegation.
A group of Alabama protesters showed up at the Alabama State House Wednesday in Montgomery to voice their disdain for the National Rifle Association (NRA).
In the video sent to Yellowhammer News, protesters can be heard chanting, “The NRA has got to go.”
(more…)
Lt. Col. Oliver North, the newly named president of the National Rifle Association, told Fox & Friends on Tuesday morning he’ll serve as a “quick reaction force” for an organization that finds itself under attack as it defends the constitutional right to keep and bear arms: (more…)
President Donald Trump is going to be speaking at the National Rifle Association’s annual Institute for Legislative Action leadership forum in Atlanta later this month. He will become the first sitting president since Ronald Reagan in 1983 to address this group.
As a candidate, Trump received the earliest ever endorsement by the association. In February, NRA president Wayne LaPierre said the organization would have President Trump’s back “for the next eight years.”
Related: Locked and loaded: Alabama ranks in the top five for registered guns per captia
In March, the Trump administration reversed a last-minute Obama administration regulation banning the use of lead ammunition on wildlife refuges.
Gun control groups are already threatening to demonstrate in conjunction with Trump’s address. Anti-gun activist and Mom’s Demand Action for Gun Sense in America founder Shannon Watts said “volunteers” will be in Atlanta during the convention and “will not be silenced.”
The event is Friday, April 28th. Other notable speakers include Alabama’s own Sen. Luther Strange, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, former congressman and retired Lt. Col. Allen West, Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), and others.
Over 80,000 are projected to attend the event, and 800 vendors are also expected to be on hand.
2016 was reportedly the deadliest year in two decades for the city of Chicago. Following reports that 762 murders took place, NRA-ILA executive director Chris Cox says the news is further proof that Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions is needed as Attorney General.
“The political response to this situation has been immoral. But help is on the way with a new AG,” Cox tweeted.
Chicago is one of the few cities in the U.S. that imposes strict gun control laws. Often, the city proves to be a poster-child for the failures of anti-Second Amendment policies.
In addition to a staggering number of murders, the Windy City also experienced 4,338 total shootings in 2016. The Chicago Tribune notes that the increase of both numbers doubled over 2015.
The NRA has suggested in prior statements that Sessions’ appointment to Attorney General could allow the Alabama Senator to take action against “illegal” laws that curb gun ownership rights.
During the presidential election, Senator Sessions stood by Donald Trump as a fierce advocate for gun rights. At the time, he chiefly warned against what could happen if Hillary Clinton had the ability to appoint gun control-friendly Supreme Court Justices to the bench.
“And what that means is, it’s no longer a personal right to have a gun, but every city, county, and state can completely ban firearms in America,” Sessions told Fox News at the time. “This would be the greatest reduction of Second Amendment rights since the founding of the republic.”
Sessions has long been known for his firm stance against gun control measures. Senator Sessions is expected to face confirmation hearings next week, amid Democratic opposition.
The political response to this situation has been immoral. But help is on the way with a new AG. #confirmsessions. https://t.co/Bp0oIs9zN0
— Chris Cox (@nracwc) December 31, 2016
WASHINGTON — Alabama Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL7) joined her Democratic colleagues on the House floor tuesday for a sit-in designed to force Republicans to vote on more stringent gun control measures.
Several proposals that would have expanded background checks in various ways failed to meet the 60-vote threshold needed to push forward in the Senate, sending Democratic lawmakers into a public meltdown.
Several Democrats openly said that Republicans’ refusal to pass new gun control laws in the wake of the recent Orlando nightclub terrorist attack meant conservatives would rather sell guns to the so called Islamic State than buck the National Rifle Association (NRA).
.@ChrisMurphyCT said it right: The @SenateGOP have decided to sell weapons to ISIS.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) June 20, 2016
The NRA shot back with an email blast to its members saying, “They’re blaming you… for the terrorist attack in Orlando and taking advantage of this tragedy to push their gun control agenda while emotions run high.”
Democrats in the House then decided to stage a sit-in on the House floor, which they hoped would gain widespread coverage on television. However, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) put the House in recess, meaning the C-Span cameras that normally capture the action on the floor were turned off. Democrats then turned to social media apps like Periscope and Twitter to get their message out.
Sewell, a three-term House member from Birmingham, tweeted out an image of her sitting “in solidarity” with her Democratic colleagues.
Sitting in solidarity with my colleagues on the house floor. #goodtrouble #StopGunViolence pic.twitter.com/lwy5IqlI1U
— Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) June 22, 2016
Second Amendment issues often unite conservatives and liberals in Alabama, where gun rights are deeply engrained in the state’s culture. This time, however, Sewell — the state’s lone Democratic member of congress — has put herself out on an island.
The sit-in is a misdirected attempt to distract the public from the true issue, radical Islamic terrorism.
— Gary Palmer (@USRepGaryPalmer) June 22, 2016
(Video above: Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) discusses Trump on Fox News Sunday)
WASHINGTON — Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) is warning gun rights advocates that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton would be “the most anti-Second Amendment president perhaps we’ve ever had.”
During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, that Alabama senator, who also heads up presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump’s national security advisory committee, echoed the billionaire real estate mogul’s claim that Clinton would be a disaster for gun rights.
Clinton said recently that she opposes the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, which protects individual Americans’ right to keep and bear arms for self-defense.
“And what that means is, it’s no longer a personal right to have a gun, but every city, county, and state can completely ban firearms in America,” Sessions said. “This would be the greatest reduction of Second Amendment rights since the founding of the republic.”
Sessions noted that the Supreme Court is currently split evenly, four-to-four, on the Heller decision, and that the next President will appoint the deciding vote on the issue.
Trump recently garnered the support of the National Rifle Association. This is the earliest point during a presidential election cycle that the influential advocacy group has endorsed a candidate, signaling their growing concern with the possibility of a Clinton presidency.
Upon receiving the endorsement, Trump said Clinton “wants to abolish the Second Amendment.”
“We’re not going to let that happen,” he told the enthusiastic crowd. “We’re going to preserve it, we’re going to cherish it.”
Clinton has defended her position on guns, calling for “common sense” reforms that would preserve the Second Amendment but make the country safer.
“Unlike Donald Trump, I will not pander to the gun lobby, and we will not be silenced and we will not be intimidated,” Clinton said at a Trayvon Martin Foundation event in Florida.
Politico predicted Sunday that the presidential race will turn into an “epic battle over guns.”
“Guns are going to be on the ballot like never before this November,” wrote Politico’s Sarah Wheaton.
If Sessions’ comments on Fox News and the NRA’s early endorsement are any indication, they both appear to agree.
(h/t Washington Examiner, Politico)
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama Senate is getting praise from the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action for passing a bill that would even out gun permit fees across the state.
SB 304, which passed the Senate 27-0, eliminates the significant cost difference in concealed weapon license (CWL) fees between counties. Currently, a standard 5-year permit issued in Jefferson County costs $40, while the same permit in Baldwin, Coosa, DeKalb, Lowndes, and Macon Counties costs $125.
The NRA has said Alabama’s current system allows counties to charge excessive fees and generate revenue off of law-abiding citizens.
“This bill acknowledges the simple truth that law-abiding Alabamians should not be charged different amounts for the same permit,” said Catherine Mortensen, NRA spokesperson, in a press release. “The NRA believes that concealed carry permit fees should be limited to the actual cost of processing the permit and complying with all statutory obligations. Anything above that is a discriminatory tax on law-abiding gun owners and a revenue generator for the county.”
The current system states that gun owners must obtain a concealed carry permit from the county in which they live. SB 304 will allow them to get their permit in any county in the state, as long as they are not statutorily disqualified from doing so.
No matter what county a gun owner receives a license from, the sheriff of the individual’s county of residence would receive notification that the license was issued and would have full authority to revoke a license if he or she would have done so upon application.
The NRA also threw its support behind Alabama’s SB 14 earlier this month, which would extend the so-called Castle Doctrine into an individual’s car. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa), passed the Senate with a 26-7 vote and brought praise from the NRA.
“On behalf of the NRA’s members across the state of Alabama, I want to thank Senator Gerald Allen for sponsoring this pro-freedom bill. Senator Allen is a true friend of the Second Amendment,” NRA spokesperson Catherine Mortensen said.
SB 14 and SB 304 are both working their way through the House of Representatives now.
In a long-rumored move, the Obama Administration signaled last week that the President is preparing to roll out executive orders on gun control.
Politico, which first broke the story, explains what the President is expected to do:
According to gun industry insiders and others familiar with the proposals, the changes include requiring an expanded number of small-scale gun sellers to be licensed — and therefore conduct background checks — whenever selling a weapon. This wouldn’t close the so-called gun show loophole, though it has the potential to narrow it.
The administration is also expected to impose tighter rules for reporting guns that get lost or stolen on their way to a buyer.
Neither comes close to the stronger gun control measures Obama sought in the wake of the 2012 mass shooting of schoolchildren in Sandy Hook and that he has said he still wants. But with Congress unlikely to approve any new gun curbs before the 2016 election, the measures are in line with what gun-control advocates were hoping would be adopted before Obama leaves office.
Gun rights advocates say the new executive actions could drastically expand the power of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the agency that would be responsible for the implementation of the regulations. They also note that none of the expected orders would have done anything to stop recent mass shootings, which President Obama has used as his stated reasoning for unilaterally imposing stricter gun control.
In structure, the Presidential orders could be similar to Obama’s executive actions on immigration, which conservatives dubbed “executive amnesty” and insist are an unconstitutional overreach of the executive branch.
Alabama Republicans, who enjoy supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature, are already considering their response, and looking to other states for inspiration.
Georgia, which in 2014 passed a “guns everywhere” law, is one of those states.
Under Georgia’s law, “gun free zones” have been effectively eliminated, as licensed gun owners are now permitted to carry a firearm almost anywhere, including schools, churches, bars and even some government buildings.
The National Rifle Association called it “the most comprehensive pro-gun reform legislation introduced in recent history,” and Georgia Governor Nathan Deal hailed his state’s commitment to the Second Amendment.
“Today I will put into law a gun bill that heralds self-defense, personal liberties and public safety,” Governor Deal said just before signing the legislation into law. “While we still guard against tyranny, America today cherishes this right so that people who follow the rules can protect themselves and their families from those who don’t follow the rules.”
Republican lawmakers Yellowhammer spoke with Monday morning said they are anxious to see what the President does, and acknowledged the ensuing fight will likely play out in the courts, but added they would like to see Alabama continue to increase its protections for gun owners and sellers.
Alabama is one of the most pro-Second Amendment states in the country, with support for gun rights cutting across traditional party and ideological lines. But pro-gun legislation has not always enjoyed smooth sailing through the Legislature, even under Republican control. In 2013, a bill to expand the rights of gun owners resulted in a tense showdown between the National Rifle Association and the Business Council of Alabama before a compromise was ultimately reached that drew support from both groups.
The 2016 legislative sessions begins next month. With President Obama’s gun control actions expected to come any day, Alabama legislators could once again look to strengthen the state’s protections for gun owners.
RINO, or “Republican in Name Only,” has for the last couple of decades been the pejorative term of choice for conservatives looking for an easy way to describe Republicans who do not adhere to the Party’s limited-government, free-market, pro-family principles.
RINOs have existed as long as the Republican Party itself, just under different names. In the 1930s and ’40s they were called “Me-too Republicans,” because they basically agreed with the Democratic Party platform, but believed they could implement it better. In later years they were known as “Rockefeller Republicans,” because they held liberal or moderate views similar to former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller.
In modern politics, a Republican candidate who supports universal taxpayer-funded healthcare would undoubtedly qualify as a RINO. So would a candidate who pledges to raise taxes on the so called “rich” or supported a ban on so called assault weapons. Any Republican who donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to liberal Democratic politicians and causes would also surely fit the RINO mold, as would any Republican who defends the Kelo Supreme Court decision that allowed the government to seize private property in the name of progress.
Or would they?
Every one of those statements describes Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, and a man who many genuine conservatives point to as the most fiercely anti-RINO candidate in the current GOP field.
So how can one spot a RINO?
Conservative “scorecards” have emerged as one of the most common ways. Heritage Action, the political advocacy wing of the staunchly conservative Heritage Foundation, puts out the most well-known and arguably most trusted conservative scorecard. The average Senate Republican only scores a 59 percent on the Heritage Action scorecard, so senators whose lifetime scores ascend into the 90s occupy rarified conservative air. Americans for Prosperity, the American Conservative Union, Club for Growth, the National Rifle Association and National Right to Life are other trusted organizations whose scorecards and rating systems are looked to by conservatives as a way to measure candidates’ bonafides.
Or are they?
Marco Rubio, the most recent presidential candidate to whom the RINO label has been attached, scored a 94 percent rating from Heritage Action, 98 percent from Americans for Prosperity, 98 percent from the American Conservative Union, 93 percent from Club for Growth, 100 percent from National Right to Life and received an “A” rating from the NRA.
Rubio was recently endorsed by South Carolina Congressman Trey Gowdy, a Tea Party darling.
The moment Gowdy announced he was backing Rubio, conservatives who had once hailed Gowdy as the ideal candidate for Speaker of the House suddenly declared him a RINO.
The "Trey Gowdy is a RINO" emails have started trickling in. pic.twitter.com/NMhMT9iy97
— Cliff Sims (@Cliff_Sims) December 26, 2015
Lori Hendry, who hosts a conservative talk radio program, provides a perfect example of the sudden shift:
#WakeUpAmerica
TREY GOWDY FOR SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
RETWEET IF YOU AGREE
#TCOT pic.twitter.com/xqdLzdlpia
— Lori Hendry (@Lrihendry) September 27, 2015
RINO Alert! Something doesn't add up with Gowdy https://t.co/oAgswoOihe #tcot pic.twitter.com/armjLpwauh
— Lori Hendry (@Lrihendry) December 27, 2015
Donald Trump himself took to Twitter earlier this year to suggest Gowdy could be his pick for Attorney General, before returning to Twitter this week to tweet about Gowdy being a “loser” who is probably “finished” politically.
It is not my goal to successfully defend the records of Marco Rubio or Trey Gowdy. I profoundly disagree with Rubio’s participation in the Gang of Eight debacle, for instance. But it did not make him a RINO or negate his impeccable conservative voting record on countless other issues, it just made him flat-out wrong on “comprehensive immigration reform,” and perhaps more than a little naive on the legislative process.
It is my goal, however, to remind my fellow conservatives that our movement is one of ideas and principles, not of emotion. This truly sets us apart from liberalism, which so often judges policies by their intent–how warm and fuzzy they made people feel in theory–rather than by their outcome.
We justifiably despised the personality cult of Barack Obama that emerged as he smugly manipulated low-information voters with hollow promises. Why, then, are we so quick to attach the RINO label to individuals who point out when Trump is so obviously playing the same con game?
There is a large and growing industry full of “conservative” profiteers that exists to manipulate the conservative movement into thinking we are losing. The profiteers bashed Congressional Republicans with good reason for not slashing the deficit, but did not say a word when Trump dismissed the need for entitlement reform. They blasted Republicans for not fully dismantling ObamaCare, but sat idly by as Trump unashamedly promoted a single-payer healthcare plan that could have just as easily been proposed by self-avowed socialist Bernie Sanders.
In truth, conservatives are not losing, even though we are not achieving reforms as quickly as we all would like. In recent years, we have successfully moved the Republican Party to the right, to the point that the Establishment has no choice (bye, Jeb!) but to view a candidate with Marco Rubio’s conservative credentials as a viable option.
This is not to say the inside-the-Beltway Establishment is any less loathsome than it ever was. Their hatred of Ted Cruz admittedly makes me like him even more. But I would not vote for Cruz just because people I don’t like don’t like him. I would vote for him because I believe he is a rock-ribbed conservative with whom I align on almost every policy issue, which is why I happily agreed to play host at his most recent event in Alabama.
But even Ted Cruz has attracted the RINO label at times, particularly from defense hawks who argue his foreign policy veers into libertarian-leaning isolationism.
Which really gets us to the point: RINO has devolved into a buzzword that basically means “a politician I’m not supporting or a person who supports anyone other than the politician I’m supporting.”
In other words, RINO has entirely lost its meaning, and it’s time for us to get back to debating issues, instead of attaching a useless acronym to anyone with whom we don’t 100 percent agree.
By: Jim Porter
What AL.com writer John Archibald is really saying in his December 4 column, “To hell with the NRA; this country has to talk about guns,” is to hell with the Constitution, to hell with democracy.
The National Rifle Association is the nation’s oldest civil right organization whose strength lies in the grassroots support of our 5 million dues-paying members and tens-of-millions more who want their Second Amendment rights protected.
The National Rifle Association is not to blame for the San Bernardino terrorist attack, or any other act of violence and neither are our Second Amendment freedoms. The American people understand that an act of evil unfolded in California. They know the government isn’t protecting them. That is why Americans now, as much as ever, want to ensure they can exercise their Second Amendment freedoms to protect themselves and their families.
Mr. Archibald would have you believe that violent crimes and murder are on the rise in this country. The nation’s murder rate has been cut by more than half since 1991. In 2013, it fell to perhaps an all-time low, as Americans’ firearm acquisitions soared. On December 3, the Washington Post reported that gun crime has been on the decline for nearly 20 years, except for high-profile shootings in gun-free zones. According to the Post, shootings in gun-free zones are the ones that are increasing.
Mr. Archibald made the uninformed claim that the “NRA [is] firing money into politics like a Gatling gun.” He claims that over the past 17 years the NRA has spent more than $38.5 million in federal campaigns. What he isn’t telling you is that according to the New York Post, gun control advocate Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City, has spent $72 million in just the last 4 years alone to push his gun control agenda. The NRA’s true strength lies in our grassroots support. Our members and supporters are savvy, engaged, and most importantly, they vote for elected officials who will protect their Second Amendment freedoms.
Mr. Archibald makes the wildly inaccurate claim the “NRA [wants to] make sure as many guns as possible are bought and sold and left lying around.” He clearly hasn’t heard about the NRA’s nearly 100,000 firearms instructors who since 1982 have trained more than 16 million people in firearms safety and marksmanship. No organization in the world does more to promote gun safety, education, and training than the NRA.
In a rare moment of truth, Mr. Archibald admits he doesn’t have the answers and doesn’t know how to solve the problems. The State of California thought they had all the answers. Turns out, they didn’t, either. California has already adopted President Obama’s gun control wish list: “universal” background checks, registration, waiting periods, gun bans, magazine bans and an expansion of prohibited gun categories. But those laws did nothing to prevent this horrific crime from taking place. Nothing. In fact, California’s gun laws are so restrictive, fewer than two people out of a thousand even have a license to carry.
When we find ourselves under attack, no one is there to protect us. That responsibility is ours and ours alone. The American people — including law-abiding gun owners — are scared these days. As a nation, we sit helpless and watch as innocent and defenseless people are slaughtered.
The NRA will continue to stand and fight for law-abiding gun owners who are both disgusted and heartbroken by these heinous acts — whether committed by madmen, gang members or terrorists. The NRA will not accept the blame for the acts of murderers. We will not apologize for fighting for our right to defend ourselves against them.
Jim Porter is a former NRA president and current board member, He lives in Birmingham, Alabama.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The National Rifle Association (NRA) over the weekend honored Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) during its annual board meeting for his “unwavering support of and commitment to the Second Amendment” throughout his over four-decade tenure in elected office.
“Throughout his career in the U.S. Congress, Senator Shelby has stood strong against the gun control agenda in Washington, and has continuously fought for the rights of law-abiding citizens to own firearms for hunting, recreational shooting, and self-defense,” said NRA Institute for Legislative Action Executive Director Chris Cox.
The NRA presented Shelby with a resolution at the meeting expressing its “sincere admiration and great appreciation” for his “advocacy and staunch support for individual gun ownership rights, the Second Amendment, and the NRA’s legislative agenda.”
The resolution, which can be read in full here, specifically mentions Shelby’s efforts to “protect sensitive firearms trace data from public disclosure,” his co-sponsorship of legislation to “end reckless lawsuits against America’s gun manufacturers,” and his vote to “prohibit gun confiscation from law-abiding Americans during states of emergency or major disaster,” among other examples of his pro-Second Amendment legislative record.
Shelby said he has made the defense of gun rights one of his top priorities since he was first elected to the Alabama state senate in 1970.
“I believe that it is imperative to protect Alabamians’ constitutional right to keep and bear arms,” he said. “I have a long-standing record of unwavering support for the Second Amendment, and I will continue to fight against any attempts to infringe upon the rights of law-abiding citizens.”
NRA board meetings are typically held in Washington, D.C., but they chose to gather in Birmingham this year because current NRA President Jim Porter is a Birmingham resident. Porter’s two-year term concludes in May.
Like this article? Follow me on Twitter and let me know what you think.
— Cliff Sims (@Cliff_Sims) December 3, 2014
Target, the United States’ third largest “mass merchant” retailer, last week issued a public statement requesting that shoppers no longer bring guns into their stores.
“As you’ve likely seen in the media, there has been a debate about whether guests in communities that permit ‘open carry’ should be allowed to bring firearms into Target stores,” Target’s interim CEO John Mulligan wrote on the company’s blog. “Our approach has always been to follow local laws, and of course, we will continue to do so. But starting today we will also respectfully request that guests not bring firearms to Target – even in communities where it is permitted by law.”
The internal debate at Target began after Open Carry Texas, a gun rights group in the Lone Star State, began openly carrying firearms in Target stores as a demonstration of their rights and documenting it on Facebook.
Moms Demand Action, an anti-gun group financed by former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, began pushing for Target to respond by turning its stores into gun free zones.
Surprisingly, The National Rifle Association initially slammed the open carry demonstrations as “foolishness” and “downright weird,” prompting Open Carry Texas to rip into them.
“The NRA has lost its relevance and sided with the gun control extremists and their lapdog media,” the group tweeted. “We don’t fight for rights at the discretion of the NRA.”
The NRA’s top lobbyist, Chris Cox, quickly walked back the NRA’s initial statement, saying it had been put out by an un-named employee sharing his personal beliefs and not those of the organization as a whole.
“The National Rifle Association unapologetically and unflinchingly supports the right of self-defense and what that means is that our members and our supporters have a right to carry a firearm in any place they have a legal right to be,” Cox said. “If that means open carry, we support open carry.”
Target was also quick to point out that they were making a request, not issuing a ban.
“We’ve listened carefully to the nuances of this debate and respect the protected rights of everyone involved. In return, we are asking for help in fulfilling our goal to create an atmosphere that is safe and inviting for our guests and team members,” Target’s interim CEO said. “This is a complicated issue, but it boils down to a simple belief: Bringing firearms to Target creates an environment that is at odds with the family-friendly shopping and work experience we strive to create.”
Target has 22 locations in Alabama, where open carry is legal without a permit.
Does Targets’ announcement make you more or less likely to shop in their stores? Let us know in the comment section below, or by tweeting @YHPolitics.
(h/t Trussville Tribune)
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims
National Rifle Association President and Alabama native Jim Porter told the Birmingham Business Journal (BBJ) Tuesday that he believes more gun manufacturers will follow in Remington’s footsteps and move to Alabama. He even alluded to some projects that may already be in the works, although he declined to get into specifics.
“I think Remington is doing what Mercedes did for us in the automobile business — it opens the doors to opportunity,” Porter said in a brief video interview with the BBJ. “There are a lot of things that we’re working on now for the state.”
Porter cited Alabama’s low tax, low regulation business climate and pro-Second Amendment policies as two of the main reasons gun manufacturers are looking to relocate to the Yellowhammer State.
“We’ve been fortune to have the most pro-gun state and the most pro-business state in the country,” Porter said. “I told (Remington CEO) George (Kollitides), ‘You will not make a better business decision in your lifetime other than to come to the State of Alabama. You will have the support of the Administration. You will have the support of the population. Everybody in the state is going to be lining up to work for Remington, to put on one of those green t-shirts.’ Through that we were able to get them to come down to Alabama and find a place that they absolutely love. And as you can see now, they have integrated a lot of their separate businesses into the facility there in Huntsville. They’re going to end up over the next couple of years with over 2,000 jobs being generated.”
Porter also expressed optimism that Alabama will continue its recent run of high-profile economic development successes.
“It’s absolutely fabulous,” Porter said of the Remington deal in particular. “And in my view there are a lot more opportunities out there that are available.”
Check out more of Yellowhammer’s Remington coverage:
1. Remington Arms moving 2,000+ jobs from NY to Alabama
2. Remington moves Bushmaster production line to Alabama
3. VIDEO: Alabama’s ‘We Dare Defend Our Rights’ motto played role in landing Remington
4. Ted Nugent: ‘God bless Alabama and God bless Remington!’
5. Birmingham Attorney Jim Porter Elected NRA President
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims