For My Friends In Arizona

What is it with Republican governors in retirement havens? First there was Rick Scott (R-FL) going all squishy in Florida. Now it seems Doug Docey (R-AZ) is going squishy as well.

Arizona Citizens Defense League has the details in this alert:

Action Alert

Today, Governor Ducey revealed his "Safer Arizona Schools" gun control plan.  We posted a copy on our website.  Caution!  You may want to wrap your head with duct tape to prevent it from exploding when you read it.  It looks like a propaganda piece from one of Bloomberg's Astroturf groups.  Odds are they had a big hand in writing it.

The good news is that many in the Legislature aren't all that excited about what they see in the Governor's plan either.  The dream of suspending all the rules and ramming this through without anyone noticing has evaporated.  We're now hearing that the Governor's proposal may be broken into a few smaller bills with the hope that at least one will get to his desk.  That tells us we have a shot at ending this altogether.

The even better news is that your emails are having an effect.  After receiving over 11,000 of your emails they know we're watching and we have their attention.  We can't let up.  Your legislators need to hear from you that there is NO acceptable "gun control."

Click here to send your email

If you have already sent an email to your legislators, please do it again.  If you have not yet sent an email, what are you waiting for?  If you are willing to fight for your rights, we've done most of the work for you by preparing the email to send to your legislators.  All you need to do is click on the link above, follow instructions and click your mouse button a couple more times.

Your legislators need to hear from you, letting them know that you are still paying attention and expecting them to support your rights.  Send your email today!

Along with that alert is another one asking supporters in Arizona to send both letters and RTS (request to speak) notices to the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of two pro-2A bills being pushed by AzCDL. These bills will die if they don't pass out of committee this week.

On Thursday, March 22, the Senate Judiciary Committee will debate AzCDL-requested bills HB 2211 and HB 2212.  If these bills don't pass out of committee this week, they are dead for the session.  The deadline for House bills to be heard in Senate committees (and vice versa) is Friday, March 23.

HB 2211 would add a personal exemption for firearms to the state's bankruptcy statutes.  Currently there is no specific bankruptcy exemption for personal firearms.

HB 2212 would eliminate the restriction that only Arizona peace officers cannot be prohibited from carrying firearms in Arizona.  The proposed law would extend "shall not be prohibited" to any law enforcement officer employed by any jurisdiction (federal, tribal, state, local, etc.) in the U.S.

Since this is the last chance for these bills to get a committee hearing, we going for a double whammy - RTS and a letter to the committee.

If you have a valid and active RTS account, please log in here https://apps.azleg.gov/ and keep your browser open.  Then, click on the links below to register your support for each bill.

For HB 2211 go here: https://apps.azleg.gov/RequestToSpeak/New/102305 .

For HB 2212 go here: https://apps.azleg.gov/RequestToSpeak/New/102316 .

If you do not have an RTS account, or even if you do, please click on the links below to send your emails to all the committee members telling them to support these bills during the committee hearing.

For HB 2211 go here to send your email to the committee:
http://cqrcengage.com/azcdl/app/take-action?engagementId=453514 .

For HB 2212 go here to send your email to the committee:
http://cqrcengage.com/azcdl/app/take-action?engagementId=453653 .

Thanks for taking the time to make a difference! 

Second Amendment Rally, No. 1

Riders USA will sponsor a Second Amendment ride and rally in Phoenix on February 18th. The ride  called Celebrate and Protect the 2nd will begin at Encanto Park and conclude at the Arizona State Capitol. The rally itself will be from 12 noon until 2pm.

Dave Kopp of the AZ Citizens Defense League is one of the featured speakers and AZCDL will have a booth at the event.

If you plan to ride in the procession to the State Capitol, you will need to register. Staging for the ride begins at 11am and the ride itself will begin at 11:45am.

More info can be found on the Riders USA webpage and their Facebook page.

I'll See Your Murthy And Raise You A McSally

The various gun prohibitionist groups were quick to claim victory over the confirmation of Dr. Vivek Murthy as the Surgeon General of the United States.

Mark Kelly (aka Mr. Gabby Giffords) said of the confirmation of Murthy that:

Tonight, the United States Senate did the responsible thing: It stood up to the gun lobby, stood up for common sense, and voted to ensure that the United States has a qualified medical professional as its top doctor.

Dan Gross, President of the Brady Campaign, was even more bombastic in his proclamations about Murthy's confirmation:

"This is a huge victory for Brady and for the public health and safety of our nation. Now we have a Surgeon General who recognizes that gun violence is a serious public health issue that America urgently needs to address,” said Dan Gross, President, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “This victory represents a major triumph over the corporate gun lobby ‘lap dogs’ in the Senate who fought to defeat Dr. Murthy’s confirmation on behalf of their billion-dollar benefactors...

Gross adds, “Dr. Murthy’s confirmation is part of an exciting, growing trend of victories for the American public over the interests and influence of the corporate gun lobby. In the recent elections, the voters of Washington state demonstrated where the American public stands on this issue by overwhelmingly passing expanded background checks. The American people know that gun violence is a public health issue and they support sensible measures to reduce gun deaths and injuries.”

PR professional mom Shannon Watts was not to be denied either. While Everytown Moms for Illegal Mayors had nothing on their official web page, they did say this on their Facebook page:

Yesterday the Senate stood up to the gun lobby and confirmed Dr. Vivek Murthy for Surgeon General.

The NRA strongly opposed Dr. Murthy because he dared to acknowledged that gun violence is a public health threat.Yesterday the Senate stood up to the gun lobby and confirmed Dr. Vivek Murthy for Surgeon General.

The gun lobby has spent decades trying to quash research into the causes and cures for gun violence--because the less we know about gun violence, the more the gun lobby can dictate public health policy.

Even the lesser lights of the gun prohibitionist groups had to put in their two cents. The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (sic) called it a "historic rebuke to the NRA". Meanwhile, the Violence Policy Center's Kristen Rand said "we applaud every senator who stood up to the gun lobby."

Murthy was going to be Surgeon General even if the lame ducks hadn't turned their back on their constituents and voted to confirm him. I have no doubt that Murthy would have been an another of President Obama's recess appointments.

While the gun prohibitionists have been exceedingly vocal over Murthy's confirmation, they have been equally as quiet over an event that happened yesterday. With the recount having been concluded in Arizona's Second Congressional District, Col. Martha McSally (USAF-Ret) was declared the winner by 167 votes over Democrat incumbent Ron Barber. She actually picked up six votes in the recount.

Lest anyone forget, McSally now represents Gabby Giffords' former congressional district. She ran on a pro-gun, balance the budget, and secure the borders platform. She was rated AQ and endorsed by the NRA-PVF.

Americans for Responsible Solutions waged a vicious campaign against McSally and still lost. They spent $2,007,611.68 in ads and mailings opposing McSally. This amount is just a little less than what the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent attacking McSally. ARS spent an additional $238,584 in support of Barber. This was a personal battle for Giffords and Kelly and they lost.

By contrast, "the corporate gun lobby" in the form of the NRA-Political Victory Fund spent the magnificent sum of $14,068.79 in support of McSally.

According to the Arizona Republic, Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly did respond to McSally's electoral victory.

Giffords' group was criticized for running an ad that implied McSally didn't support gun background checks that might have prevented a woman from being murdered by a stalker. The group pulled the ad off the air after McSally said she had been a victim of stalking and supported banning stalkers from buying guns.

Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, said after McSally's victory was announced that they were glad the campaign included a debate over guns.

"We commend her for defying the corporate gun lobby on this important public-safety issue, and look forward to working with her to craft and help pass this badly needed legislation," Giffords and Kelly said in a written statement.

The National Rifle Association cast McSally's win as a rebuke to gun-control groups like Giffords'.

"Martha stood on principle and supported our constitutional freedoms, despite being relentlessly attacked by the gun-control movement," NRA Political Victory Fund Chairman Chris W. Cox said in a statement. 

The response of Giffords and Kelly is not on the Americans for Responsible Solutions website and was probably the bare minimum they could do without looking like sore losers. As to the rest of the gun prohibitionists, no comment. I have checked all the usual suspects - their own websites, Facebook pages, and Twitter - and can't find a thing.

Rep.-elect McSally, a former A-10 Warthog pilot with combat hours, has been appointed to serve on the House Armed Services and House Homeland Security committees.

Comparing the appointment of Murthy with the election of McSally, I submit that McSally can make more of a difference. Murthy's position is primarily symbolic. The office of the Surgeon General no longer holds the power that it once had. To expect Murthy to make any pronouncement on any subject including guns without first checking with the White House is unrealistic. Moreover, his actual experience as a practicing physician is virtually nil. He is more of a politician and manager.

By contrast, McSally, while one of 435, does have a vote, can craft and submit legislation, and is under no obligation to coordinate with Speaker John Boehner on anything. Moreover, by virtue of her 26 years as a serving officer in the Air Force and her committee memberships, she should have an impact on both defense issues and border security.

While I could be wrong about the relative impacts of Murthy and McSally, I don't think so. If you think I'm wrong in my assessment, let me know in the comments.

If This Holds Up, It Will Be A Big Slap In The Face To Gabby Giffords And ARS (Updated)

Gabby Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly have a lot invested in keeping her old Arizona seat Democratic. It is currently held by Rep. Ron Barber (D-AZ) who was Giffords' congressional district director. He was wounded in the same attack that injured Giffords.

Giffords and her gun control organization Americans for Responsible Solutions have poured approximately $2 million into the district for ads attacking Col. Martha McSally USAF (Ret). McSally lost to Barber for the same seat in 2012. According to the latest Federal Elections Commission reports, they put in over $500,000 in the first half of October alone.

Americans for Responsible Solutions had been running the ad below which was inaccurate. They removed it 24 hours before it was supposed to go off the air. Politico ran a full story on Giffords' and ARS' misleading attacks on McSally. They claimed it was because McSally reversed her position on stalkers and guns.



Thus, it has to be a big slap in the face to Gabby, Mark, and Americans for Responsible Solutions to see McSally leading Barber by 36 votes with the ballots from Cochise County yet to be counted.

Technical problems with voting machines in Cochise County have delayed results in the region’s most-watched race, but it could bode well for GOP challenger Martha McSally.

She and Democrat Ron Barber, the incumbent, were separated by only 36 votes, according to the latest totals this morning.

However, Cochise County tallies are missing and McSally was expected to have another strong showing in the county she won in 2012 by 59 percent to 41 percent.

 McSally currently has 78,785 votes to Barber's 78,749 with 49 precincts uncounted.

If things go the way that they should, McSally will win this race. Assuming that happens, it will be amusing to see how Giffords and Kelly and their henchmen at Americans for Responsible Solutions spin the result. There is just no way to do it without looking foolish.

UPDATE: According to the official Arizona Secretary of State election returns, Martha McSally is leading  Rep. Ron Barber by 2,078 votes with all precincts reporting. The final unofficial tally is 90,345 votes for McSally and 88,267 votes for Barber.

No word yet from Giffords. Barber's camp released a statement that they are waiting for the early ballots to be counted and won't concede until then. There is no time stamp on their statement so I don't know if it was before or after McSally took a 2,000 vote lead.

UPDATE II: Even with more early and provisional ballots having been counted, Martha McSally still maintains a slight lead over Rep. Ron Barber (D-AZ). It now stands at a 363 vote lead with McSally having won 98,918 votes and Barber 98,555. This reminds me in a way of when Al Franken first won over Norm Coleman in Minnesota. It was not declared over until enough votes had been found to put the Democrat in the lead.

The Tucson Daily Star reports that Barber has sent out a fundraising appeal for a recount. They report this is unusual because the state would pay for any recount. As it is, unless the margin drops to 200 votes, a recount is not ordered.

UPDATE III: Martha McSally maintains a 341 vote lead going into Monday. There are still reported to be 9,000 provisional ballots left to be counted in Pima County.

The McSally campaign has threatened a lawsuit to stop the counting of those ballots that don't have the required signature from an election official. Barber's campaign officials are calling this an effort "to disenfranchise" voters. I guess what the Barber folks really object to is having their ballot box stuffing called out.

I just hope that McSally isn't "Al Franken'ed" by Arizona election officials. The good news is that Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett is a Republican.

Smart Move In Arizona

Given the recent spike in sales in AR-15s, the Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association is holding a class called AR-15 101 for new owners of the carbine. They estimate 7,000 have been sold in that state within the last 10 days.

The class will be held this coming Saturday, Jan. 5th, at the Ben Avery Shooting Complex and costs a mere $10.

Follow this link for more information on the event.

I think this is a brilliant move and one that other gun clubs and gun rights organizations should copy. It brings new owners into the gun rights fold as well as gives them a taste of training.


H/T Firearms and Politics List

Consult An Expert!

Sometimes you come across stuff that just makes you laugh because it so outrageous. Here is a case in point.

Jack Dunning is the Phoenix Political Buzz Examiner for Examiner.com. He wanted to know about state requirements for training for gun owners. Being in Phoenix, you might have thought he'd go to Alan Korwin who has published a number of books on gun laws in both the United States and individual states. Indeed, Alan's website is even called gunlaws.com which should have made it simple.

No, he decided to consult a "real expert":

This gun show loophole/background checks issue is one area that needs fixing. But another is required education and training before you can own a gun. Arizona has nothing, zip. Most states don’t. I decided to ask an expert so I contacted Ladd Everitt, Director of Communications for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and asked the following question: “Can you tell me the average gun training/education a gun owner is required to have?”

Calling Ladd Everitt an expert on gun laws is such an oxymoron that it borders on incomprehensible.

Mr. Dunning is a bit to the left of Mao and Lenin and is extremely anti-gun rights. His non-Examiner blog, Nasty Jack, makes that pretty clear. If you have been banned by Daily Kos and you're not a conservative, that says something!

Now This Is An Interesting Question

Local reporters in Arizona are asking whether guns, ammo, and cash found in a raid on a "stash house" are tied to Operation Fast and Furious. The story is from CBS 5, KPHO, out of Phoenix.

The items were found in a raid by the AZ DPS Gang Task Force. The house was reportedly by used by a "rip crew." If you'll remember, it was a rip crew that got into the shootout that left Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry dead.

Ten Arizona Sheriffs Say Enough Is Enough

Sheriffs from six  ten Arizona counties held a press conference outside the Arizona State Capitol today. They said it was time for an independent investigation into Operation Fast and Furious.




The sheriffs represent Pinal, Cochise, LaPaz, Mohave, Greenlee, and Yavapai counties and are both Democrats and Republicans. They all agreed that it was not a partisan issue for them but rather a feeling of betrayal by the Federal government. According to the report by ABC 15 reporter Lori Jean Gliha,  all the sheriffs were united in their call for an independent investigation.

"It's embarrassing to this country and me," said LaPaz County Sheriff Don Lowery. "I've spent fifty years in uniform, and it's embarrassing for me to stand before you and apologize for people that we elect."

Lowery, a Democrat, said when it comes to this case, he is not a politician and believes people should be held accountable for the case, no matter what their party affiliation is.

"If this guy (Holder) done something wrong," Lowery said, "He needs to be terminated, if he did. It needs to be investigated first."

 UPDATE: According to other news reports it was not just six Arizona sheriffs who called for an independent investigation but ten.

More "Fast And Furious" Guns Found In Arizona

ABC15 investigative reporter Lori Jean Gliha appears to be a really dogged investigator. That is good for the truth but bad for those in the Obama Administration that just want Project Gunwalker to go away.

By matching serial numbers from weapons on previously disclosed ATF documents with recently unsealed court documents in Federal drug cases in the Phoenix area, she was able to conclusively pin an additional 43 "gunwalked" firearms to arrested drug traffickers in Arizona. ATF Senior Agent John Dodson was correct in his bleak assessment that these guns are going to keep turning up at crime scenes for years.

Local TV Station Undercovers Gunwalked Guns At Crime Scenes In Arizona

Reporter Lori Jean Gilha of ABC 15 in Phoenix has undercovered evidence that some of the gunwalked guns from Operation Fast and Furious are turning up at crime scenes in Arizona. The video below is a teaser for her longer story that will air Thursday evening.






So let's tally this up. Two Federal law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, an estimated 150 Mexican citizens killed in Mexico, and an unknown number of residents of Arizona killed by criminals using firearms that the ATF intentionally allowed to be walked in Operation Fast and Furious. Brilliant move there!

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer Is Not Pleased With ATF

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R-AZ) released a statement yesterday after listening to the Operation Fast and Furious hearings. She is not a happy camper - nor should she be given the impact of Project Gunwalker on her state.

Statement by Governor Jan Brewer

Federal Operation Fast and Furious placed Arizonans at risk

“I am outraged by findings in a new Congressional report that alleges federal agents were instructed to stand aside and do nothing as up to 2,000 weapons were illegally purchased in Arizona and resold. In many cases, the end result appears to have been the arming of violent drug cartels south of the border.

“During Operation Fast and Furious in 2010, according to this report, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms were ordered to simply track these „straw buyer‟ weapons sales but not intervene. Longtime federal agents have now testified before Congress that allowing these weapons to leave the premises, a practice generally known as „gun walking,‟ was a marked departure from accepted law enforcement practices.

“ATF agents lost track of many of these weapons, including assault weapons and .50 caliber sniper rifles. A significant number undoubtedly found their way to Mexican drug cartels. Tragically, two AK-47s traced back to Operation Fast and Furious later turned up at the crime scene near Rio Rico, Arizona, where Arizona Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered by bandits. Authorities are still looking for the murder weapon.

“If the allegations contained in this Congressional report are accurate, then Operation Fast and Furious endangered the lives of innocent people on both sides of the border. The people of Arizona deserve answers from the Department of Justice and ATF as to how this could have been sanctioned, let alone encouraged. We may never know how many weapons illegally sold as part of this operation later turned up at a crime scene. But the connection between this failed federal operation and the death of Border Patrol Agent Terry is clear. The Congressional report puts it best: „The death of Border Agent Brian Terry was likely a preventable tragedy.‟”

###

Phoenix Sued For Censoring Gun Training Billboards

The Goldwater Institute filed suit yesterday against the City of Phoenix for censoring and removing billboards that promoted gun safety and training. The lead plaintiff in the case of well-known author and activist Alan Korwin.

From the webpage set up to give details on the case:

Korwin v. Cotton (Bus Shelter Ads case)


On May 11, 2011, the Goldwater Institute filed a lawsuit on behalf of Alan Korwin and TrainMeAz LLC to challenge the decision by Debbie Cotton, director of the Phoenix Public Transit Department, to remove posters at 50 bus shelters advertising the company’s website. Ms. Cotton has claimed the ads didn’t promote a commercial transaction as required by city policy. Ms. Cotton’s explanation ignores the express purpose of TrainMeAz to make a profit while providing resources to people who want training on self-defense and marksmanship. In addition, the city of Phoenix has no written standards to explain to potential advertisers what specific messages and logos are acceptable at city bus shelters. Ms. Cotton and the city of Phoenix have arbitrarily denied Mr. Korwin’s right to free speech.

How are we upholding the Constitution?

The right to free speech is a fundamental freedom protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court has granted governments leeway in regulating commercial speech and product advertising on public property. But governments must adopt consistent standards that provide potential advertisers fair notice about when their messages might be restricted, and such standards can’t favor some viewpoints over others.

The Arizona Constitution provides an independent right of free speech in Article 2, Section 6: “Every person may freely speak, write, and publish on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right.” This lawsuit upholds the sovereign authority of a state to protect more liberty and further restrict government censorship beyond what is required by the U.S. Constitution.

What happened to bring about this challenge?

In 2010, the Arizona Legislature repealed a requirement to have a state-issued permit before carrying a firearm concealed from public view. Alan Korwin saw a business opportunity to help people who want to safely exercise their right to own and carry weapons. Mr. Korwin worked with training instructors and other organizations to create TrainMeAz.com, a website devoted to providing information about weapons safety training and locations to practice shooting skills. The business raises money by selling sponsorships to other companies for expanded promotion on the website, advertising in printed maps, and other sources of revenue.

TrainMeAz launched an advertising campaign in mid-2010 to attract customers to the website that included roadside billboards [2]. Mr. Korwin also signed a contract with CBS Outdoors, a private vendor hired by the City of Phoenix to manage advertising at city-funded bus shelters. On Oct. 11, 2010, CBS Outdoors placed an advertisement for the website at 50 bus shelters.

On Oct. 20, 2010, CBS Outdoors informed Mr. Korwin that the City of Phoenix objected to the bus shelter posters. In a telephone conference call, city officials told Mr. Korwin the posters didn’t comply with a written requirement [3] that bus shelter advertising only be used for speech that “proposes a commercial transaction.” However, city officials were unable to provide Mr. Korwin with any standards that would explain what kind of messages would meet that requirement.

Meanwhile, CBS Outdoors removed the posters at the city’s direction before the expiration of TrainMeAz’s contract.

What does Goldwater Institute want from this legal challenge?

The Goldwater Institute is asking a judge to strike down the City of Phoenix Transit Advertising Standards under the free speech protections of the Arizona and U.S. constitutions. Phoenix should be required to develop constitutional standards that make clear beforehand what kind of advertising will be approved, so all businesses are treated fairly and none will be subject to potential censorship based on a city official’s subjective views. As an alternative, the TrainMeAz poster should be considered acceptable advertising under the existing standards and allowed to appear on City of Phoenix bus shelters.

Who is the client?

The Goldwater Institute’s Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation represents Alan Korwin, a Phoenix resident and manager of TrainMeAz, a limited liability company with a website devoted to providing customers with information about gun safety training and locations for practicing their skills.

What are the key issues?

The TrainMeAz poster clearly complies with the requirements of the city of Phoenix for bus shelter advertising.

The poster promotes a for-profit business website where legitimate commercial activity takes place every day. The poster doesn’t include any information listed as unacceptable in the Phoenix Transit Advertising Standards [3]. The poster deals with an issue, firearms ownership and use, which the city routinely approves for advertising such as upcoming weekend gun shows.

The city of Phoenix’s written standards to explain what types of advertising would be acceptable for city bus shelters are unconstitutionally vague.

The Phoenix Transit Advertising Standards [3] list several specific items that bus shelter ads cannot advocate including false or misleading information, violence, tobacco, alcohol, and obscene language. But the standards provide no explanation about what ads are acceptable except to say they must propose a commercial transaction. This provides little guidance to potential advertisers about what messages will be accepted or rejected by the city. Clear standards are required under the Arizona and U.S. constitutions to prevent arbitrary discrimination by government officials against messages they don’t like.

Whom are we suing?

Debbie Cotton, in her official capacity as director the Phoenix Public Transit Department, enforces the advertising rules at city bus shelters.

The City of Phoenix, as its official actions must comply with the Arizona and U.S. constitutions.

Can we win?

The City of Phoenix must comply with the First and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution, which requires the city to provide equal protection of every person’s constitutional rights. Also, the city cannot interfere with those rights without due process of law.

The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has provided Phoenix significant leeway in regulating advertising for city bus shelters under federal law. But the Arizona Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled the Arizona Constitution provides protections for speech that are even broader than the First Amendment.

Case Timeline

May 11, 2011: Complaint filed in Maricopa County Superior Court

The Legal Team

• Clint Bolick is the Goldwater Institute’s litigation director. He has extensive success before trial judges and appellate courts. He has won two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He was named as a Lawyer of the Year in 2003 by American Lawyer magazine.

• Christina Kohn worked to advance liberty as a law clerk at the Pacific Legal Foundation in California and a research intern at the Michigan-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy before joining the Goldwater Institute as an attorney in 2010. Christina earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law, where she served as notes editor of the law review and president of the campus Federalist Society.

• Carrie Ann Sitren strives to defend property rights, enforce fiscal responsibility, and protect school choice. A graduate of the Wake Forest University School of Law, she also has been a strong advocate for public access to information about government policies before final decisions are reached, using Arizona’s public records law to compel city governments to release key documents that they would prefer to keep hidden.

A high-resolution sample of the censored bus-stop ad can be found here.

Arizona Citizens Defense League Response To Brewer's Veto

The AZ Citizens Defense League, the Arizona pro-gun rights organization, issued this response on their Facebook page to Gov. Jan Brewer's veto of SB 1467.

SB 1467, the AzCDL-requested Campus Carry bill, was vetoed by Governor Brewer on April 18, 2011.

SB 1467 would simply have prevented the governing boards of colleges and universities from prohibiting the "lawful possession or carrying of a weapon on a public right-of-way." That covers streets, sidewalks, etc. open to public use. Her press conference cited concerns about the lack of a definition of a "public right of way" that sounded suspiciously similar to the complaints of the anti-rights forces that have been bombarding the governor and urging her to veto the bill. Apparently, the fact that the term "public right of way" is used numerous times throughout Arizona law does not provide sufficient clarity, at least not when it comes to protecting the rights of the law abiding on our college and university campuses.

The anti-rights crowd has pulled out all the stops this year to prevent teachers, staff, and students in Arizona from having a safe learning environment. East Coast based national groups have beefed up their staff in Arizona. At the Capitol, they have spared no expense on lobbying, including holding a closed meeting with "freshmen" legislators in the House (AzCDL tried to attend but we were stopped at the door). On college and university campuses, they have conducted a series of fear-mongering indoctrination sessions, disguised as "forums," to stop Campus Carry. Sadly, they have also exploited the victims of the January Tucson shooting tragedy in order to intimidate nervous legislators. Now, they appear to have succeeded in convincing an otherwise pro-rights governor to ensure that campuses remain safe havens for criminals and dangerous places for students.

Let's make sure the governor doesn't make any more mistakes because she listened to bad advice. SB 1201 is still awaiting action by the governor, and if we act now, we can make sure the anti-rights crowd isn't the only voice heard.

SB 1201 is the AzCDL-requested bill that says that if a state or local government office (Public Establishment) is going to ban firearms, then security measures (metal detectors, armed guards, etc.) must be in place to ensure that no one is capable of bringing in a firearm without detection. Under current law, all that's needed is a "No Firearms" sign and a place to lock up your firearm. This has had the perverse effect of disarming the law-abiding while allowing those with no respect for the law to remain armed at will.

It's time to let the Governor know that you support the passage of SB 1201 and urge her to sign it into law.

Gov. Jan Brewer Vetoes Campus Carry Bill In Arizona

FoxNews out of Phoenix and the AP are both reporting that Gov. Jan Brewer, the Republican Governor of Arizona, has vetoed SB 1467. This bill would have allowed concealed carry on public rights of way on university and community college campuses. The bill would not have allowed concealed carry in college buildings.

"This bill was very sloppily written and drafted, and I believe when it affects not only our education system, all the way from K-12 all the way through the university, and we can't even find out a definition, what is a right of way? It just wasn't defined to be able to tell the courts or the policeman how they are going to enforce a law like that," Governor Brewer told us. (Fox News)

The bill was opposed by university presidents even though it had been gutted in the State Senate. The original bill would have allowed concealed carry in campus buildings. ABC 15 out of Phoenix said on this:

University presidents opposed the bill. They said allowing guns on campuses would endanger employees, students and visitors, and it would be difficult for officers responding to a shooting to quickly identify a wrongdoer.

There are no comments yet from gun rights organizations such as the Arizona Citizens Defense League nor the sponsors in the Arizona legislature. Surprisingly for the Brady Campaign and CSGV, they haven't issued a press release crowing about Brewer's veto...yet.

UPDATE: I have embedded Brewer's veto message below. The chief sponsor of the bill, Sen. Ron Gould, R - Lake Havasu, was none too pleased by the veto nor the veto message.

Gould said he was surprised by the aggressive nature of the governor's statement.

"I thought it was a very rude veto letter," Gould said, adding that he thought "her spin on it ... is a stretch." He was referencing her remarks about how it could potentially affect K-12 schools.

The university presidents were all very pleased by Brewer's veto.

Crow, University of Arizona President Robert Shelton and Northern Arizona University President John Haeger wrote a letter to the governor, asking her to veto the legislation.

Haeger on Monday said that if signed into law, the legislation would have had a "chilling effect" on the university's intellectual climate. The veto helps protect the safety of faculty, staff and students.

"We are very grateful for the governor's action," he said. Crow and Shelton also released statements on Monday, thanking the governor for her veto.

Arizona Board of Regents Chairwoman Anne Mariucci expressed similar sentiments.
"Because of (the governor's) veto, the universities can focus on their core mission of providing a high-quality education to students without the distraction of the increased opportunities for violence Senate Bill 1467 would have allowed."

Chairwoman Anne Mariucci's statement about "increased opportunities for violence" is utter bullshit but typical for what comes out of universities nowadays.

The Brady Campaign must keep banker's hours because they haven't responded yet. Ladd Everitt of CSGV who apparently has no social life didn't waste much time in proclaiming the news on Twitter.

Great news from #Arizona tonight. Gov. Brewer vetoed insane #NRA guns on campus bill! #p2 #politics #congress #AZ http://fb.me/v0HTFNFJ

0418gun Veto

Bloomberg Challenges Obama On Gun Control

Michael Bloomberg, not satisfied with conspiracy to commit a felony in Arizona, is now pushing Obama on gun control according to the Washington Post.

And he is now on a media blitz to push Obama on the issue. The White House has said Obama will soon "address" the issue of gun control, but it has been vague on exactly what he will say or whether he will propose any additional funding or new laws.

"The president should stand up" on gun issues, Bloomberg said in an appearance Tuesday on "The Rachel Maddow Show." He added, "It's one of the issues he can build a legacy on."

I'm not sure that Obama wants his legacy to be a one-term President.

Here is the video from the Rachel Maddow show. The discussion of gun control starts at about the one minute mark.

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If any prosecutor had the gumption enough, he ought to seek an indictment of Bloomberg for conspiracy. If the private investigator buyers are non-residents of Arizona and Bloomberg funded them, no matter what his good intentions were, this is conspiracy to violate Federal gun laws which is a felony. However, I doubt any charges will ever be brought against Bloomberg.

Did Someone Put Something in the Water at the Washington Post

On Sunday, the Washington Post ran a story on Raymond Woollard who is challenging Maryland's concealed carry law. Today, they have a story entitled "Gun-toting soccer moms a scary thought in D.C. area, but not out west". Did someone spike the water cooler in the Post's newsroom?

The story is well worth reading and is remarkable for its relatively non-judgmental attitude towards firearms and firearm owners.

H/T Instapundit.

Obsolete Signs

Now that Arizona has passed constitutional carry - concealed carry without a permit - signs in Tucson parks that warned "Carry a firearm in this park is limited to persons who possess a permit" are coming down. Why? They are obsolete!

Here is a link to the KVOA story with video. Of course the reporter goes into anti-gun hysterics about kids being scared and that they will less safe.

Move Over Dale Peterson!

Dale Peterson made quite a splash earlier this year with some of his ads for Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture featuring Dale riding off into the sunset atop his horse and carrying his Winchester 94.

Well, I think it is time for Dale to move over for Pamela Gorman of Arizona. She not only safely handles a firearm (unlike Dale) but does it in full auto.



BTW she is running in the Republican primary to replace Congressman John Shadegg who is retiring.