HR 6691 May Die in Senate: ...Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) fired this salvo: "If this bill comes to the floor of the United States Senate, I will do everything in my power to stop it." We doubt Mrs. Feinstein's stance would play well in the Shenandoah Valley, where National Rifle Association membership is seen by most as an honor and not the stigma she may think it is. Representatives of the NRA have called this bill their top priority, but it also seems some opponents see its defeat as just as important. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., a staunch opponent of the bill, claimed her efforts to stop it failed "courtesy of NRA threats and campaign contributions." By all indications, this legislation faces a tough road in the Senate, despite the urging of Republican leaders and the Bush administration to bring it to a vote before the Senate adjourns on Sept. 26 until after election day... http://www.dailynews-record.com/opinion_details.php?AID=31539&CHID=36 Wyoming Senators Praise Passage of HR 6691: Wyoming senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, both Republicans, praised the House passage of a bill preserving Second Amendment rights in the District of Columbia Wednesday. "With its landmark June ruling, the highest court in the land left no doubt that the Second Amendment is a fundamental American right to be honored across this great nation," Enzi said. "I applaud the House for going to bat for District residents and protecting their right to own and carry guns." Enzi and Barrasso also joined their fellow senators in writing a letter to Senate leadership, urging them to bring up the Second Amendment Enforcement Act for prompt consideration in the Senate... http://www.ktakradio.com/news/2008/sep/18/wyoming-senators-back-gun-rights/ --- Gura Defends Demand for Heller Fees: Vindication of fundamental civil rights is not an "injury," and asking that the government be held liable for the cost of enforcing our civil rights laws is no "insult" ["Holding Up Taxpayers," editorial, Sept. 6]. Enforcement of our nation's civil rights laws depends on attracting qualified lawyers to fight government agencies with endless resources on behalf of ordinary people who cannot afford legal services. Awarding successful civil rights lawyers below-market rates for taking such enormous risks would send the bar a terrible message: Ignore injustice, unless you can afford to fight it... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/17/AR2008091703064.html --- The Latest DC Firearm Ordinance, in Detail: Today [September 15] Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, joined by members of the Council of the District of Columbia and Acting Attorney General Peter J. Nickles introduced new emergency and temporary legislation to further amend the District's firearms laws. "This new legislation is the second step in the process to do all that we can to minimize handgun violence in the District," said Mayor Fenty. "These actions will continue to protect our citizens from gun violence while respecting the Second Amendment." "We believe that any legitimate concerns by Congress on District gun laws should satisfied by the new laws," said Acting Attorney General Nickles. The legislation will... http://dc.gov/mayor/news/release.asp?id=1380&mon=200809 http://dc.gov/mayor/pdf/showpdf.asp?pdfName=Second_Firearms_Control_Emergency_Amendment_Act_of_2008_Final.pdf --- Park-Carry Ban Struck Down in Ohio: ...The Supreme Court of Ohio held today that a Clyde city ordinance banning possession of firearms in municipal parks is unconstitutional because it conflicts with a general state law that permits licensed individuals to carry a concealed weapon on any public property other than at locations specified in the state statute. The Court's 4-3 decision was authored by Justice Terrence O'Donnell... http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/Communications_Office/summaries/2008/0918/070960.asp From SAF: ..."Anti-gun municipalities across the country have been cooking up ways to challenge state preemption statutes," noted SAF founder Alan Gottlieb, "as a means of harassing legally-armed, law-abiding citizens. Today's ruling by the Ohio Supreme Court struck a necessary blow in the Buckeye State for civil rights and the rule of law...The right of self-defense does not end on the sidewalk at the entrance of a public park," Gottlieb observed. "The rights of law-abiding gun owners are not subject to the whims of anti-gun municipal governments that think they have the authority to ignore state statute. It's because of city officials like those responsible for the Clyde ordinance that the State Legislature acted correctly two years ago and stripped them of the power to adopt such harassment laws..." http://www.saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=275 OFCC Comments: http://www.ohioccw.org/content/view/4065/53/ --- Meanwhile, in Cleveland...: The City of Cleveland has lost in their bid to keep a firearm confiscated from a man who was acquitted of all charges stemming from an April 2007 incident. On April 27, 2007, Antonio Fulton was charged with using weapons while intoxicated, failure to secure a dangerous ordnance, and endangering children. His handgun was confiscated. At his trial, Fulton was acquitted of the charges. Yet, the City refused to return his handgun. Fulton petitioned the Municipal Court to return the firearm, but the Court refused. Fulton appealed the ruling to the Eight Appellate District. Today, the Appellate Court ruled in his favor... http://www.ohioccw.org/content/view/4066/53/ --- Key Electoral States May Hinge on "Sportsmen": Forget spring, summer, fall and winter. In Minnesota, the seasons go by fishing, boating, hunting and snowmobiling. Outdoors passions run so strong that last year lawmakers considered moving the fishing opener to spare anglers the dilemma of having to choose between hitting the lake and marking Mother's Day. It explains why presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama are targeting hook-and-bullet voters - a bloc expected to turn out in especially high numbers because of a state ballot question on natural resource financing. Beyond Minnesota, the campaigns are mobilizing blaze-orange brigades in battleground states including Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin. They're making their cases at game fairs, shooting ranges and hunting camps... http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jKxggEsgqIUPKnfKZQeYUTD4GztwD9399MQG0 --- Shooting Clays for Obama: Former Washington Redskin and president of the American Hunters and Shooters Association Ray Schoenke stopped in Clarksburg Wednesday to shoot a couple clay pigeons and talk about how the Second Amendment comes into play in the presidential campaign. "As a gun rights organization, we believe gun rights should be protected, and it's a right we feel strongly about," Schoenke said, adding he doesn't believe an administration under Barack Obama would decrease gun ownership rights... (No, Obama would just "reasonably regulate" them to death, to the cheeers of shills like Schoenke.) http://www.centralohio.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/B8/20080918/NEWS01/809180302/1002 --- A Familiar Refrain: The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and its Ohio Million Mom March Chapters today endorsed Betty Sutton for re-election to Congress from Ohio's 13th Congressional District..."We make it too easy for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons," Helmke said. "There are only a few national gun control laws on the books, and even those have loopholes. This leads to senseless gun violence devastating the lives of tens of thousands. We know we will have a partner in Betty Sutton in fighting for sensible gun laws to protect you, your family and your community..." http://www.bradycampaign.org/media/release.php?release=1013 --- North Carolina Gun Shops Can Keep FFL's: A federal judge decided Tuesday that Jim's Gun Jobbery of Fayetteville and the Jim's store in Wilmington can keep their licenses to sell firearms. Jim's Gun Jobbery in Fayetteville and Jim's Pawn & Gun in Wilmington sometimes violated regulations requiring dealers to closely track their inventory, U.S. District Judge Malcolm J. Howard said in his ruling. But he decided the violations were unintentional and made up only a tiny percentage of the stores' sales since Jim Faircloth went into business in 1977. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has been trying since 2005 to revoke the licenses of Jim's, said to be the largest gun dealer in North Carolina. The ATF said the stores repeatedly lost track of guns in their inventory over an eight-year period and had not resolved the problem despite repeated warnings... (Didn't BATFE lose 76 firearms of its own over a five-year period, not to mention decades of improper record-keeping in the NFA registry?) http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=304785 --- Reporter Mocks DC-Area Gun Show: The Nation's Gun Show took place this past weekend in Chantilly, Va. I attended looking to meet a few members of armed America and, hopefully, D.C. residents shopping for revolvers - so far the only handguns they can buy...From my brief visit, I discern three phases of gun-nuttery: people who think guns are fun (for hunting, target practice, or just as sexy pieces of machinery), people who fear crime and think guns will make them safe, and people who think owning a gun proves their love of God, country, and freedom. The crazy spectrum seems to run from low to high as you pass from fun-loving gun fans to the God and freedom brand... http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/09/15/one-and-a-half-miles-of-guns-knives-and-accessories/ --- Oops, Wrong House: A man shot and killed a 24-year-old intruder who apparently tried to rob a Vero Beach home Thursday morning, sheriff's deputies said. Indian River County Sheriff's Office detectives said Thomas Thompson was armed with a knife when he broke into the home on 47th Avenue and woke up Francis Hornsby. She screamed, alerting sons Robert, also known as Paris, 20, and Austin, 19. "Someone came through our window, had a knife - they're in my mom's room standing over her bed," Austin Hornsby told WPBF News 25's Terri Parker. "I chased him out, tackled him midway through the house. My brother came out, shot him with a shotgun, end of story..." http://www.wpbf.com/news/17502819/detail.html http://www.wptv.com/content/tcoast/story.aspx?content_id=13fcb937-2235-4ad3-9322-974c87b31eb1 --- Mistaken-Identity Shooting: Phoenix police say one of their officers shot and wounded a man who had been holding a burglar at gunpoint inside his home. Sgt. Tommy Thompson says the incident late Wednesday happened as officers responded to a flurry of calls in an east Phoenix neighborhood, about shots fired, a wounded man who acted strangely after being let into a good Samaritan's home and finally, a break-in at a nearby home. Arriving officers found a screaming woman who had fled the last home with two children while her mate confronted the intruder. Thompson says officers went inside, ordered everyone out and saw the armed resident coming down a hallway. One officer shot the 35-year-old man several times, but he's expected to survive. Officers then detained the intruder. (This is why it's important to be able to safely reholster one-handed, without taking your eyes from the threat, once police arrive on the scene. Whether it's you, a family member or a witness who calls the police, they should be given a description of the good guy, to reduce the risk of this sort of incident.) http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/97088.php Officer on Leave After Shooting Homeowner: (Note the hits to the abdomen and leg, typical for pushing the muzzle low and to the non-dominant side.) http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/09/18/20080918kpnx-policeshooting.html --- Oops, Wrong Driver: Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said an off-duty Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority police Sgt. Darryl Simmons shot Joseph McNair following a traffic dispute Wednesday evening near Graterford. The sergeant dialed 911 after shooting McNair and was at the scene when police arrived. The sergeant told police McNair threatened his family following a near traffic collision. The officer believed McNair was reaching for a weapon when he drew his gun and fired. NBC10 also reported that the officer said he had been threatened by McNair in the past. McNair was struck multiple times and later died at a hospital. Simmons was interviewed by police and released. No charges have been filed. http://www.nbc10.com/news/17502662/detail.html?dl=mainclick --- More on the Sturgis Aftermath: Prosecutors in South Dakota have dismissed a felony assault charge against a Seattle police detective who shot a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle club last month during a bar fight...In addition to Smith, four other members of the Iron Pigs who were with him at the bar face misdemeanor charges. All are charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. A conviction on the misdemeanor could result in up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine... (Of note, while the headline refers to HR 218 [Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act], the article itself does not discuss it. While LEOSA exempts current and retired LEO's from local restrictions on concealed carry, one of its requirements is that the LEO is not under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or substance.) http://www.policelink.com/news/52744-4-cops-charged-with-carrying-hr218-to-be-tested --- California Hunters Burdened by Lead-Bullet Ban: For deer hunters like Aaron Walls of Fresno, Saturday's opener is an annual family tradition...This year, the only difference is the type of ammunition Walls and other hunters are packing to comply with California's recent ban on lead bullets within 2,385 square miles of condor range. Zone D7 is the northern and easternmost area covered by the new law. Zones D5 and D6 are excluded from the new law. Zone D5 runs north of Tuolumne County, and D6 runs from the Madera/Mariposa county lines to Tuolumne County and west to Interstate 5..."I've been hunting D7 since I passed the safety course, and I've never seen a condor," Walls said. "It's just a way to make some money off hunters, and it's an extra hassle for wardens..." http://www.modbee.com/sports/outdoors/story/435147.html -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .