Every Picture Tells A Story, Part VIII

Every Picture Tells a Story has been an ongoing series on this blog since 2011. It graphically illustrates the growth in firearm carry rights over time. Going back to 1986, over 90% of Americans lived in states with either no carry permitted or may-issue carry permits. By contrast, approximately two-thirds of all Americans live in a state with either shall-issue permits or constitutional carry.

The area that has shown the most growth in terms of number of states is constitutional or permitless concealed carry. With the recent addition of South Dakota and Oklahoma, there are now 15 states that do not require you to have a permit to carry concealed. This equates to about 11% of the population of the United States.

As the creator of this graphic, Rob Vance, notes, "While the Supes are figuring out if the word "bear" in the 2nd Amendment actually means something - 15 states have already clarified that simple reading of the English word meaning 'to carry.'"

This number would have jumped even more if the Republican leaders of the North Carolina Senate had not refused to bring up the bill allowing permitless carry in the state. The bill had passed the NC House but Senate Republican were afraid of losing their super-majority if they went on record voting for permitless carry. Ironically, they lost their super-majority anyway.

Love This Bill Number

Rep. Jonathan Stickland (R-TX-House 92) is a pro-gun conservative and an advocate for constitutional carry in Texas. The Texas House of Representatives has recently opened their filing of bills for the upcoming session. My friend and fellow podcaster Rachel Malone alerted me to a new bill he has introduced.

I love his announcement of it on Twitter.

Republican Party Priority Constitutional Carry has just been filed. Say hello to my little friend HB 357 #onward #2A #txlege

— Jonathan Stickland (@RepStickland) November 14, 2018

 I see what he did there!

The bill text can be found here.

Use Special Session Of NC Senate To Do Something On Gun Rights!

The North Carolina Senate is being forced back for a special session to deal with the wording of some the proposed constitutional amendments that will be on the ballot in November. One of the amendments to be voted on deals with making hunting and fishing constitutional rights under the NC Constitution. That's nice but the reality is that Republicans in the State Senate think such an amendment will placate gun owners despite their sitting on a bill authorizing permitless concealed carry.

The Republican majority still think backing hunting is supporting the Second Amendment and gun rights. That might have been fine when all you had was Gun Culture v. 1.0 but we have moved to Gun Culture v. 2.0 and beyond.

Grass Roots North Carolina recognizes this and they also recognize that this special session is an opportunity for the Republicans to actually do something with regard to gun rights.

GOP SENATORS CAN STILL EARN YOUR VOTE

Thus far, the NC Senate has made 2018 a dud for gun-rights voters, but there is an opportunity for redemption, and just in time for the election… For better or worse, a judge has effectively forced the NC Senate to convene a special session in order to fine-tune the language in some of this November’s proposed amendments.  This is great news for both gun owners and GOP senators. Republicans Have Miscalculated During this year’s regular session, NC Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, Rules Chairman Bill Rabon, and other Senate Republicans have completely ignored gun owners. Had they simply passed HB-746 (permitless concealed carry), they would have lived up to their recurring campaign rhetoric, as well as their party’s platform. Instead, they chose to punt, perhaps to avoid an issue they perceived to be controversial. Unfortunately, that’s not courageous and that’s certainly not leadership. Disregarding pro-gun voters, who are basically the Republican base, is ill advised preceding a mid-term election where majorities are up for grabs, and Republicans need every vote they can scrounge. With that in mind, perhaps it’s fair to say that Senate leaders have miscalculated. The Good News for Senate Republicans By a serendipitous twist, NC senators now have a chance to redeem themselves in the eyes of their base, and just in the nick of time. With a special session convening this coming week, there is no reason GOP leaders can’t give HB-746 a hearing, and make sure it comes to the floor for an up or down vote. This simple action would please the grass roots voter, while ensuring more freedom and a greater level of safety for all North Carolina citizens. Good News for Gun Voters The good news for gun owners is that the NC Senate may actually use this opportunity to show you, the gun-rights voter, that they haven’t forgotten you. They may actually do the right thing, even if it’s only to court your vote in November. No matter the reason, the right thing is still the right thing, and perhaps we should expect Republican senators see it our way this coming week. Please Encourage Senate Leaders Of course, our public servants will need some encouragement if they are to get this done. Below, see how you can easily contact Senate leadership and urge them to grab this opportunity and use it to impress their voting base, while making North Carolina both safer and freer.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

PHONE SENATE LEADERS AND YOUR REPUBLICAN SENATOR: Find phone numbers below. Deliver the following phone message (if there is no answer, please leave a message or call back): Hello, I am a pro-gun voter, and I am calling to express disappointment in this year’s short session, but also enthusiasm over the opportunity we have in this week’s special session. By using this session to pass HB-746, the permitless concealed carry bill,  Senate Republicans have a chance to redeem themselves in the eyes of their voting base, and just in the nick of time. This mid-term election will surely be precarious for Republicans, and with their recent snub of gun voters, I am not terribly excited about pulling the lever for them. I insist that HB-746 be given a hearing and be brought to the floor for a vote. Make this happen or risk an unmotivated voting base in November. Thank you. EMAIL ALL REPUBLICAN SENATORS: Below, find copy/paste email list(s), along with a copy/paste email message you can use, which is provided under ‘Deliver This Message.’ CONTACT INFO Senate Leader Phil Berger: (919) 733-5708 Senator Rules Chair Bill Rabon: (919) 733-5963 Find your GOP senator’s phone number (click on the ‘Senate’ tab, search by county, district, or your voter registration): https://www2.ncleg.net/RnR/Representation NC Senate Republicans copy/paste email *list(s): John.Alexander@ncleg.net; Deanna.Ballard@ncleg.net; Chad.Barefoot@ncleg.net; Dan.Barrett@ncleg.net; Tamara.Barringer@ncleg.net; Phil.Berger@ncleg.net; Dan.Bishop@ncleg.net; Danny.Britt@ncleg.net; Harry.Brown@ncleg.net; Bill.Cook@ncleg.net; Warren.Daniel@ncleg.net; Jim.Davis@ncleg.net; Cathy.Dunn@ncleg.net; Chuck.Edwards@ncleg.net; Rick.Gunn@ncleg.net; Kathy.Harrington@ncleg.net; Ralph.Hise@ncleg.net; Rick.Horner@ncleg.net; Brent.Jackson@ncleg.net; Joyce.Krawiec@ncleg.net; Michael.Lee@ncleg.net; Tom.McInnis@ncleg.net; Wesley.Meredith@ncleg.net; Paul.Newton@ncleg.net; Louis.Pate@ncleg.net; Ron.Rabin@ncleg.net; Bill.Rabon@ncleg.net; Shirley.Randleman@ncleg.net; Norman.Sanderson@ncleg.net; Vickie.Sawyer@ncleg.net ; Jeff.Tarte@ncleg.net; Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net; Tommy.Tucker@ncleg.net; Trudy.Wade@ncleg.net; Andy.Wells@ncleg.net *Spam filters or email program limitations may cause the need to send more than one email, to cover the entire list of representatives. If so, the list above is split into three pieces, for your convenience.

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: "Motivate Your Base: Pass HB-746 Now"   Dear Senator: After a terribly disappointing short session, I am writing to express both enthusiasm and hopefulness over an opportunity for Senate Republicans to redeem their snub of gun-rights voters. This coming week’s special session presents a golden opportunity for Senate Republicans to live up to their pro-gun campaign language, and to satisfy the pro-Second Amendment principles documented in the Republican Party platform. Basically, pro-gun voters are the base of the Republican Party. That is why it was so surprising to see Senate leadership ignore this critical voting bloc leading up to a mid-term election, one that is sure to be precarious for Republicans. Both polling and history tell us that Republicans will need all the votes they can scrounge in 2018. With majorities on the line, new attention to HB-746 (permitless concealed carry) is the sure path to motivating the base, and I demand that you pursue this during the coming week. Until now, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, Rules Chairman Bill Rabon, and other Republican leaders in the Senate, have let me down. Frankly, I am not excited about voting for increasingly unreliable and complacent Republican candidates, and it’s fair to assume that many other voters are similarly hesitant. A substantive and long-overdue show of support for gun rights, by passing HB-746 during this special session, would go a long way to shrink the chasm GOP senators have opened between themselves and their voting base. More importantly, passing HB-746 would make North Carolina both safer and freer for all of its law-abiding citizens. I insist that you do the right thing during this special session. Do what it takes to give HB-746 a hearing and see that it is brought to the floor for an up or down vote. I will be monitoring your actions on this matter through alerts from Grass Roots North Carolina. Respectfully,

Wisconsin Considers Constitutional Carry

It is amazing how far gun rights and carry rights have advanced in the Badger State since I first started blogging in 2010. Back then, Wisconsin residents had limited open carry rights due to an advisory ruling by then-Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen in 2009. They were one of two states that did not allow any form of concealed carry.

That began to change in late 2010 thanks to a ruling by a county circuit judge who ruled that the ban on concealed carry was unconstitutional. That, however, only applied in a limited area of Wisconsin. It was not until July 2011 when Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) signed SB 93 that concealed carry became a reality in the state. Moreover, the bill that Gov. Walker signed provided for shall-issue concealed carry.

Fast forward a few years and now the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee passed out a bill that would allow constitutional or permitless concealed carry in the state.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal:

The Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee signed off on the bill 3-2, with all Republicans for it and all Democrats against it. The wide-ranging legislation would also allow people to carry Tasers without training or permits and would allow felons to carry muzzle loaders.

Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), the chairman of the committee, said Senate Bill 169 would make the public safer and ensure Wisconsin's policies are the same for carrying weapons openly and concealed. Wisconsin has long allowed people to openly carry guns without training or permits.

"Quite honestly, I think I would rather have an individual that can lawfully possess a firearm and is carrying it, (and) I'd rather have them carrying it concealed because I think it creates a lot less tension when you're in a group of people," Wanggaard said.

"If they’re there for a lawful purpose and they’re carrying it for personal protection, they’re not going to be the problem. The one that’s going to be the problem is the dirtball that has one that’s illegal and they’re going to use it to conduct crime."

According to the article, the Democrats on the committee oppose it because they believe there still should be some level of government regulation. While Sen. Wanggaard, the committee chair, believes it will pass both the Senate and the Assembly, there is some question as to whether Gov. Walker will actually sign the bill.

Walker was asked about the constitutional carry legislation back in June and he had this to say at the time as reported by the Wisconsin State Journal.

“I think the law we have right now is a good law. I’m comfortable with that,” Walker told reporters when asked about the bill. “The people that talk to me about it say they like where it’s at. Obviously we’re one of the last states to have concealed carry and people said the world was going to come to an end who were the critics. It hasn’t. We’re one of the larger number of permits in the country and it works well that way. ... What I’ve heard from folks is they are happy with the law as it is.”

Even if the legislation passes, the existing permit system would remain in place for those residents who wanted a permit so that they could carry in other states that recognized the Wisconsin permit.

Kudos to all those in Wisconsin who have fought in the trenches for gun rights in the state for so long. Their efforts have brought the state from virtually no carry to the cusp of constitutional carry. To quote Arthur MacArthur, that native son of Wisconsin who won the Medal of Honor for his exploits at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, "On, Wisconsin!"

Smug Mugs In NC Senate Need A Reminder Who Put Them There

Leave it to Alex Trebek and Jeopardy to help me with a headline.

Nonetheless, the Republicans in the North Carolina State Senate need a reminder that it was gun owners and their votes that helped them get a super-majority. They currently are dragging their feet on HB 746 - the Omnibus Gun Bill - which has passed the House and which contains constitutional carry as one of its provisions. With the projected adjournment date of July 1st fast approaching, they need to act soon or all gun rights legislation will be lost for 2017.

Grass Roots North Carolina is calling upon gun owners to contact the Republican leadership, all Republican state senators, and their own state senator to urge them to get a move on regarding HB 746.

ARE SMUG REPUBLICANS BRUSHING OFF GUN VOTERS?

Does it now appear that NC’s Republican Senators were never serious about Constitutional Carry…?  Are Smug Republicans Working to Kill Constitutional Carry? After pro-gun posturing by Republicans in the NC Senate, it turns out they may never have had any intention of voting with gun owners on HB746. Senate leadership insisted, as long as gun owners were patient, as long as we were quiet, and we minded our "Ps&Qs," we could count on the Senate to uphold their own Party platform, live up to campaign rhetoric, and push Constitutional Carry to the governor’s desk. Well, we’ve re-learned the lesson about the value of a politician’s promises. With the projected date of adjournment fast approaching, July 1st, Republican senators have yet to budge on Second Amendment legislation.  If they don't move NOW, all gun legislation is likely dead for 2017! Remind Senators of Approaching Elections Thank goodness for the ballot box. Every time an election is over, there is always another one just down the road. And nowadays, voters have electronic reminders on their phones, a twenty-four hour news cycle, GRNC’s alerts, and GRNC's “Remember in November” campaign to remind them during Primary season, and again in November, which politicians stood with them, and which did not. Nowadays, finding new blood to send to Raleigh is almost too easy. With that in mind, we’re asking you to once again phone a couple of key Republican senators, along with your own senator, and to also send an email to the entire Republican Senate. It appears that the entire Republican caucus may be giving you the brush off, and one wonders if they're having a good laugh over the little trick they played: “Be patient with us, and we’ll live up to our Party’s platform and our campaign promises.” Wipe That Smug Smile off Their Faces Well, we’re not laughing, and if these senators do not immediately redeem themselves in the eyes of gun rights supporters, we the voters will have the last laugh—during election season. Below, see how you can convey this message to the Republicans in the Senate, particularly a couple of senators in leadership positions.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
CALL KEY SENATE REPUBLICANS AND YOUR SENATOR (Do this immediately. Time is running out. Leave a voice-mail if you must): Phone numbers for two key Senate leaders are listed below. Use the link provided find your own senator’s phone number. Use the following text to deliver a phone message: Hello, I am calling Senator [name] because I’m incensed over the treatment gun owners like me are receiving from Senate leadership, and by extension, from all Senate Republicans. Gun voters like me have been politely requesting the advancement of HB746, and we’ve been patiently waiting amid promises that the bill will be heard in caucus and sent to the Senate floor for a vote. None of this is happening and time is up. You must move HB746 Thursday (June 22). It's beginning to seem as though gun owners  were duped by the double-talk of establishment politicians. With this in mind, I demand that HB746 be sent to the floor for a vote, and then on to the Governor’s desk immediately. If it is not, you can be 100% sure that this will not be forgotten, and I will be looking for a primary candidate in 2018. Reminders on my phone will be set so I don’t forget how the Senator treated me during a non-election year, and I will be paying close attention to GRNC alerts and their “Remember in November” campaign during 2018. Get HB746 to the floor, and to the Governor’s desk now. Thank you. EMAIL THE ALL SENATE REPUBLICANS: use the copy/paste email address list(s) below, and the copy/paste text provided under ‘Deliver This Message.’ CONTACT INFO Sen. Phil Berger: (919) 733-5708 Sen. Bill Rabon: (919) 733-5963 Click Here to find your Senator, and call him/her, too (or go to: http://www.ncleg.net/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.aspx). NC Senate Republicans copy/paste email *list(s): John.Alexander@ncleg.net; Deanna.Ballard@ncleg.net; Chad.Barefoot@ncleg.net; Tamara.Barringer@ncleg.net; Phil.Berger@ncleg.net; Dan.Bishop@ncleg.net; Danny.Britt@ncleg.net; Andrew.Brock@ncleg.net; Harry.Brown@ncleg.net; Bill.Cook@ncleg.net; David.Curtis@ncleg.net; Warren.Daniel@ncleg.net; Jim.Davis@ncleg.net; Cathy.Dunn@ncleg.net; Chuck.Edwards@ncleg.net; Rick.Gunn@ncleg.net; Kathy.Harrington@ncleg.net; Ralph.Hise@ncleg.net; Rick.Horner@ncleg.net; Brent.Jackson@ncleg.net; Joyce.Krawiec@ncleg.net; Michael.Lee@ncleg.net; Tom.McInnis@ncleg.net; Wesley.Meredith@ncleg.net; Paul.Newton@ncleg.net; Louis.Pate@ncleg.net; Ron.Rabin@ncleg.net; Bill.Rabon@ncleg.net; Shirley.Randleman@ncleg.net; Norman.Sanderson@ncleg.net; Jeff.Tarte@ncleg.net; Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net; Tommy.Tucker@ncleg.net; Trudy.Wade@ncleg.net; Andy.Wells@ncleg.net *Spam filters or email program limitations may cause the need to send more than one email, to cover the entire list of representatives. If so, the list above is split into three pieces, for your convenience.
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
Suggested Subject: "Move HB746 Now or Face Voters' Wrath"   Dear Senator: I am writing today because it appears that the Republican Senate’s interest in passing Constitutional Carry and other pro-gun legislation, in the form of HB746, may have been entirely insincere. To be clear: I am insisting that HB746 be moved through caucus and to the Senate floor on Thursday, June 22nd; not a day later. I fear that senators’ talk about gun rights was only posturing designed to hush gun owners while Republicans quietly brushed us off. I am insisting you alleviate that fear with action.  This non-action on gun rights is unacceptable, and I assure you, if the Republicans in the Senate do not redeem themselves by sending HB746 to the floor for a vote, and ultimately to the Governor’s desk, there will be heavy political consequences. Keep in mind, after you adjourn this year, there is yet another legislative session next year, and gun owners like me will not stop pushing for our civil rights. We will continue to demand that you live up to your pro-gun rhetoric. Thank goodness for the ballot box, and the times we live in do indeed complement the ballot box quite well. Never have voters had so much power at their fingertips. Memories have never been longer, with electronic reminders on our phones (which can be setup years ahead of the next election), a twenty-four hour news cycle, GRNC alerts, and GRNC’s “Remember in November” campaign to name a few useful tools. Yes, these simple tools remind gun voters like me, during Primary season, and again in November, which politicians stood with me, and which did not during an odd-numbered year.  Frankly, I am incensed over your treatment of gun owners like me. We’ve done our job. We have consistently renewed your veto-proof majority, and supported you when you needed us, with our money and our votes. Now, as our representatives, it’s time to live up to your end of the bargain. Support the Party platform you profess to believe in. Follow through on your pro-Second Amendment campaign rhetoric. Move HB746 to the Senate floor for a vote now---on Thursday, June 22nd. Vote “yes,” and send it to the Governor’s desk. Voters will not forget your actions during this critical time. I will be monitoring your actions on Constitutional Carry through alerts from Grass Roots North Carolina. Respectfully,

Now We Have To Get HR 746 Through The NC Senate

Now that HR 746 - the Omnibus Gun Bill - has passed the North Carolina House we need to get it moving through the State Senate. Grass Roots North Carolina issued an alert aimed at getting the bill to the floor of the Senate. As a reminder, the Omnibus Gun Bill includes permitless concealed carry or constitutional carry.

The sooner we can get it through the Senate, the sooner we can get it to Gov. Roy Cooper's desk. Assuming the likely veto, the key to its passage will be convincing six of the eight House Republicans to stand with their party and not with Michael Bloomberg.

TELL YOUR SENATORS THAT H746 NEEDS TO BE PASSED UNAMENDED!

The Senate Needs Your Support As H746 moves through the North Carolina Senate, it's critical that we keep telling our elected representatives that H746 is a good bill that will help law-abiding North Carolinas stay safe, and that the bill needs to be passed by the Senate without crippling amendments. This is especially important with well-heeled special interest groups opposing the lawful exercise of your fundamental, Constitutionally-protected freedoms.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
CALL KEY SENATORS: use the phone numbers provided below to phone these key players in the NC Senate. You can use the text directly below to deliver a message of encouragement regarding HB 746. Please add your Senator to this list as well! Hello, I am personally contacting Senator [name] to encourage [him/her] to pass H746, the Omnibus Gun Bill, to pass it quickly, and to pass it without amendments. This bill has the full support of the people. Thank you. Phone Numbers for Key Senators:  Sen. Tamara Barringer – (919) 733-5653 Sen. Danny Britt – (919) 733-5651 Sen. Ron Rabin – (919) 733-5748 Sen. Norman Sanderson – (919) 733-5706 Sen. Tommy Tucker – (919) 733-7659 EMAIL SENATE REPUBLICANS: use the copy/paste email address list below, and the copy/paste text provided under ‘Deliver This Message.’   Copy/Paste Email Address List for Senate Republicans: John.Alexander@ncleg.net; Deanna.Ballard@ncleg.net; Chad.Barefoot@ncleg.net; Tamara.Barringer@ncleg.net; Phil.Berger@ncleg.net; Dan.Bishop@ncleg.net; Danny.Britt@ncleg.net; Andrew.Brock@ncleg.net; Harry.Brown@ncleg.net; Bill.Cook@ncleg.net; David.Curtis@ncleg.net; Warren.Daniel@ncleg.net; Jim.Davis@ncleg.net; Cathy.Dunn@ncleg.net; Chuck.Edwards@ncleg.net; Rick.Gunn@ncleg.net; Kathy.Harrington@ncleg.net; Ralph.Hise@ncleg.net; Rick.Horner@ncleg.net; Brent.Jackson@ncleg.net; Joyce.Krawiec@ncleg.net; Michael.Lee@ncleg.net; Tom.McInnis@ncleg.net; Wesley.Meredith@ncleg.net; Paul.Newton@ncleg.net; Louis.Pate@ncleg.net; Ron.Rabin@ncleg.net; Bill.Rabon@ncleg.net; Shirley.Randleman@ncleg.net; Norman.Sanderson@ncleg.net; Jeff.Tarte@ncleg.net; Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net; Tommy.Tucker@ncleg.net; Trudy.Wade@ncleg.net; Andy.Wells@ncleg.net
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
Suggested Subject: "Voters Support H746, the Omnibus Gun Bill. Pass it Quickly!" Dear Senator: I am writing this brief note today to encourage you to move H746 to the Senate floor and pass it without changes. This bill has the full support of the people. I will continue to monitor your actions on this matter through alerts from Grass Roots North Carolina. Respectfully,

Constitutional Carry Passes Vote In NC House But.....

House Bill 746, the Omnibus Gun Bill which contains a provision for permitless concealed carry, passed its first two votes on the floor of the North Carolina House yesterday. The bill will have its third and final vote on Thursday. It passed on a vote of 65 yea, 54 nay, and 1 not voting. All weakening amendments were either defeated or tabled.

This should be a moment of joy and celebration for gun rights supporters in North Carolina and the nation. It should be except it isn't. The bill if it passes the North Carolina State Senate will almost certainly be vetoed by Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC). For the bill to have been veto-proof it required 72 yea votes. In other words, the bill needed either a few Democrat supporters which was unlikely or fewer Republican defections.

Now the question that remains is whether those eight Republicans are anti-rights, have been bought off by Michael Bloomberg and his hired guns, or both. It is too soon to see if campaign contributions will be made by Bloomberg to any of these eight. Nonetheless, it appears that Bloomberg's hiring of lobbyist Chris McClure was a smart tactical move given McClure's Republican connections. As for their stand on gun rights, most of them were considered wobbly given their ratings by GRNC with only two having 3 stars or better ratings.

So the question remains as to whether any of the "Elite Eight" or "Elitest Eight" (as they are called by Grass Roots North Carolina) will change their vote Thursday.

In the meantime, here are the eight Republicans that voted against constitutional carry and against their own party's platform. Links to their legislative webpage are in the captions below each picture.

Rep. Ted Davis (R-New Hanover)

Rep. John Faircloth (R-Guilford))

Rep. John Fraley (R-Iredell)

Rep. D. Craig Horn (R-Union)

Rep. Frank Iler (R-Brunswick)

Rep. Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson)

Rep. Samuel Watford (R-Davidson)

Rep. Linda Hunt Williams (R-Wake)

You can read GRNC's alert on the defection of these eight Republicans here. It contains a pre-written email to send to them.

If these eight had voted against funding abortions or against free lunches for school kids you know the Democrats would be sending their minions to demonstrate in front of their homes and offices. The news media would run the story as the lead item on the local broadcast. I rarely see gun rights supporters adopting their Alinskyite tactics. The only exception I can think of is the demonstrations by activists from the New Jersey Second Amendment Society (NJ2AS) outside the home of Senate President Steve Sweeney after the death of Carol Bowne who was murdered while waiting for a carry permit. I can't say whether or not these type of demonstrations would be effective in North Carolina but they certainly would get the media's attention.

UPDATE: A reader who is active in North Carolina gun rights politics sent me this by email and he is 100% correct.

With respect to your article, I would add only that what matters is not how the eight voted today, but rather how they would vote on an override. Many who oppose the bill will vote for an override out of loyalty to their party.

HB 746 passed its Third Reading yesterday on a vote of 64-51. Rep. Craig Horn and Rep. Sam Watford who are mentioned above did not vote as they had excused absences. Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) did vote and he voted for passage.

The Omnibus Gun Bill has been ordered engrossed and will now be sent to the North Carolina State Senate for their consideration.

The Best Shills A Billionaire's Money Can Buy

HB 746 has been reported favorably out of both the House Judiciary IV and Finance Committees. Among other things, this bill would allow permitless concealed carry by anyone 18 and above who is legally entitled to possess a firearm. In other words, this bill would bring constitutional carry for concealed firearms to North Carolina.

As you can imagine, the usual suspects are lining up against it. The Raleigh News and Observer reports that the North Carolina chapter of the Moms Demand and Everytown, Americans for Responsible Solutions, and the leftist advocacy group Progress NC are joining forces to defeat HB 746. They have also commissioned "polls" which purport to show the majority of North Carolinians are against constitutional carry.

The mainstream media is doing its part by finding "hunters" and "gun owners" who oppose the bill as this tidbit from the N&O shows.

John “Curly” Brazelton of Havelock, a former Marine who belongs to a hunting club, said in an interview with The N&O last week that everyone in his hunting club opposes the idea of eliminating concealed-carry permits.

“We all have them,” Brazelton said. “We have the best law in the country right now.”

Of course the proposed law does not eliminate NC Concealed Handgun Permits. They will still be available for those who want to take advantage of reciprocity from those states that recognize the North Carolina permit.

However, all of this pales in comparison to the amount of money that Mike Bloomberg is spending on registered lobbyists. Not content with all the free support he is getting from the mainstream media and their efforts to find "gun owners" who oppose constitutional carry, he has hired a fleet of lobbyists from some of the leading North Carolina law and lobbying firms.

Knowing he has to convince just enough Republicans to side with the Democrats so that any anticipated veto of the bill by Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) cannot be overrode, one of Bloomberg's primary hires is lobbyist Chris McClure. McClure is a native of Haywood County where I resided for many years and made his bones working for Mark Meadows and Patrick McHenry. He also served as Executive Director of the NC Republican Party. The North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research ranked McClure the 24th most effective lobbyist in 2013. I'm sure his effectiveness rating is now higher.

Grass Roots North Carolina has more info on the other shills - I mean lobbyists - hired by Bloomberg to curtail constitutional rights in the Tar Heel State. They also request that you help stiffen the spine of the Republicans to withstand this onslaught.

Is NC For Sale? Bloomberg Thinks So.

Yesterday we broke the news that Michael Bloomberg and his collection of astroturf gun grabbing organizations have purchased the service of several registered North Carolina lobbyists in an attempt to bring their dangerous big-government, anti-freedom agenda to North Carolina. Despite their staggering losses (constitution carry is now the law in 16 states), they continue to burn up the out-of-state millions that Bloomberg has pledged to whittle away your freedoms, and they're now bringing paid Bloomberg mercenaries to the table to do their legislative dirty work. Worse yet, they've been stoking media fears by making wild (and untrue) claims about Gun Omnibus Bill H746. Some of their wildest gesticulations are around allowing law-abiding North Carolinians to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. Despite the usual fear-stoking and prognostications about blood in the streets, the evidence from the other 13 states that now allow permitless carry suggests the opposite -- that empowering people to defend themselves and their families correlates to a reduction in violent crime. As a supporter of Grass Roots North Carolina, you value transparency and accountability. You know how important it is to follow the law in letter and spirit, and you know that public officials need to be held accountable for all of their actions. Because lobbyists are bought and paid for by special interests, the law requires that they be registered. In that spirit, we'd like to introduce you to the bought-and-paid-for "Everytown" influencers that are now working hard to further Michael Bloomberg's agenda in North Carolina. Go ahead and contact them if you'd like to, but if you do make sure you keep the tone polite, and if you call them, only call once. Be a role model of polite civility, and demonstrate that law-abiding gun owners are model citizens. Meet lobbyist Christopher McClure (chrismcclure@brookspierce.com, 919-882-2502) of the law firm Brooks Pierce. Despite his long history of voting in Republican primaries (why don't you look up his voter registration, which lists his home address as 223 Crisp St., Durham, NC), Chris now finds himself with the unenviable task of convincing lawmakers (many of whom proclaimed to be staunchly pro-second amendment) to do Michael Bloomberg's bidding. Meet Lobbyist Elizabeth Biser (ebiser@brookspierce.com, 919-882-2508), also the law firm Brooks Pierce. Her long history of voting in Democratic primaries (address withheld) is more in line with what we'd expect from a paid freedom-grabbing Bloomberg shill. Meet Brian Lewis (brian@newframellc.com, 919-413-2580). His company, New Frame LLC, is on the Bloomberg take. Like Elizabeth, Brian has a long history of voting in Democratic primaries (his home address is listed in the voter rolls as 114 Southwold Dr., Cary, NC), suggesting that he, too, might be sympathetic to anti-freedom causes. Meet Skye David of New Frame LLC (skye@newframellc.com, 812-881-0200). It's surprising that a person who claims to advocate for victims of domestic violence would align herself with a group that seeks to empower domestic violence aggressors by disarming their victims. Skye's voter registration is recent (address withheld), but her alignment to Bloomberg's blood money make her politics plainly clear. Meet Christy Jones (christy@newframellc.com, 336-905-0428), the third leg of the New Frame LLC Bloomberg anti-gun lobbying tripod (address withheld).

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
EMAIL NC HOUSE REPUBLICANS: Use the copy/paste email list(s) below, and the copy/paste text under ‘Deliver This Message.’ With paid, anti-gun lobbyists now working in Raleigh to thwart your Natural rights, it is more important than ever for you to keep in touch with your Representatives. Larry.Yarborough@ncleg.net; Susan.Martin@ncleg.net; Frank.Iler@ncleg.net; Chris.Malone@ncleg.net; Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net; John.Szoka@ncleg.net; John.Sauls@ncleg.net; John.Faircloth@ncleg.net; John.Blust@ncleg.net; Pat.Hurley@ncleg.net; Lee.Zachary@ncleg.net; Harry.Warren@ncleg.net; Linda.Johnson2@ncleg.net; Rena.Turner@ncleg.net; Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net; Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.net; John.Fraley@ncleg.net; Bill.Brawley@ncleg.net
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
Suggested Subject: "Pass HB 746 Now; Represent the Voters, Not Bloomberg's Paid Lobbyists"   Dear Representative: I understand that a vote on the omnibus gun rights had to be postponed last week due to late-night budget negotiations. That is disappointing, but I also understand the bill will be brought to the floor for a vote this week. That's good news. I am writing today to ask you to vote ‘Yes’ on this bill on the House floor, and to vote ‘No’ on any weakening amendments. The right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental human right, and North Carolinians are finally making headway in rolling back the oppressive erosion of this right that has taken place in recent decades. Let’s keep that freedom trend going! On that same note, I would also remind you that strong support for “constitutional carry” is an explicit part of the Republican Party’s 2016 platform (see page 12), just as gun rights in general are. With this fact at the forefront, I can see no reason for any Republican to shy away from supporting this gun-rights legislation. In fact, among other things, pro-Second Amendment policy is precisely what voters had in mind when they chose you as their representative. We are aware of the Bloomberg-funded lobbyists that are whispering in your ear. Do you really want to align yourself with Bloomberg's carpetbagging mercenaries?Represent voters, and not the big-money, anti-gun interests from New York City! I’ll be eagerly awaiting more news on this topic from Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts. Respectfully

Omnibus Gun Bill Finally Moving In NC General Assembly

HB 746 is finally moving forward in the North Carolina House of Representatives. This bill, the Omnibus Gun Changes, favorably passed out of the House Judiciary IV Committee yesterday. It will now go to the House Finance Committee for review. The most important feature of this bill is that it provides for constitutional carry or permitless carry of concealed handguns. Open carry without a permit has been the law in North Carolina since 1922 thanks to the NC Supreme Court's ruling in State v. Kerner.

Grass Roots North Carolina has issued an alert thanking those on the House Judiciary IV Committee who voted in favor of sending this bill forward. They also note that Rep. Sam Watford (R-Davidson) has said he has plans to introduce weakening provisions to this bill even though constitutional carry is part of the 2016 NC Republican Platform.

From GRNC:

ONE STEP CLOSER

Good news! Today, freedom lovers scored a big victory in the House Judiciary IV Committee … Your efforts are paying off! Due to the hard work of gun rights supporters like you over the last several weeks, the omnibus gun bill, which includes constitutional carry, has cleared its first major hurdle. It is exciting to report that this evening, the House Judicial IV Committee voted 9 to 6 to move the bill to the next step, and all weakening amendments were defeated. Kudos to the ‘Critical Nine!’ Thanks to Sponsors & Outspoken Supporters Many, many thanks to the bill’s courageous sponsors and other representatives who actively supported this bill. The sponsors are: Rep. Jay Adams, Rep. Beverly Boswell, Rep. Chris Millis, Rep. Larry Pittman, and Rep. Michael Speciale. We can also thank Rep. George Cleveland and Rep. Bert Jones for their outspoken support during the committee meeting. Well done, all! A Couple More Hurdles On Thursday (6/1), the bill will be shuttled to the Finance Committee. Once it’s through Finance, it’s off to the House floor. It’s possible that this important bill could land on the House floor for a vote as early as Thursday afternoon, so kindly follow up with the 'Immediate Action' below as soon as possible.  One Republican Plans Unforced Error The hurdles mentioned above may be set relatively low, as long as Republicans live up to their party’s platform, which has a very strong stance on gun rights, and specifically supports constitutional carry. Unfortunately, there is one hurdle that may come in the form of an “unforced error” by one or more Republicans. It sounds as though, in defiance of Republican and Second Amendment principles, Rep. Sam Watford (Davidson County) is planning to offer weakening amendments in an attempt to water down this omnibus bill. Make no mistake, GRNC will oppose ANY weakening amendments to this gun bill, whether they come from Rep. Watford, or anyone else. We will oppose these amendments, insist that other House members vote against them, and we’ll be keeping tabs on who does what. In fact, we encourage you to phone Rep. Watford right now, and politely insist that he not propose anything that would weaken the right of the people to keep and bear arms. His legislative office phone number is 919-715-2526. You can politely remind him of the strong, pro-gun stance taken in the 2016 Republican Platform. The Next Step The victory in committee is great news, but we need to keep reminding legislators that voters are serious about their right to keep and bear arms. Let’s keep the pressure on, and make sure everyone in Raleigh knows what the people expect. Below, see how you can easily email House Republicans to do just that. Before you know it we’ll have constitutional carry here in North Carolina!

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
EMAIL NC HOUSE REPUBLICANS:  Use the copy/paste email list(s) below, and the copy/paste text under ‘Deliver This Message.’ PHONE REP. SAM WATFORD: Politely tell him that gun voters are watching and we will not accept weakening amendments to the omnibus gun bill. Remind him of the very strong, pro-gun stance spelled out in the 2016 Republican Platform, and ask him to live up to that platform. His legislative office number is: 919-715-2526. CONTACT INFO NC House Republicans Email *List(s): Dean.Arp@ncleg.net; John.Bell@ncleg.net; Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net; John.Blust@ncleg.net; Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net; John.Bradford@ncleg.net; Bill.Brawley@ncleg.net; Mark.Brody@ncleg.net; Dana.Bumgardner@ncleg.net; Justin.Burr@ncleg.net; Mike.Clampitt@ncleg.net; George.Cleveland@ncleg.net; Jeff.Collins@ncleg.net; Debra.Conrad@ncleg.net; Kevin.Corbin@ncleg.net; Ted.Davis@ncleg.net; Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.net; Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net; Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net; Andy.Dulin@ncleg.net; Jeffrey.Elmore@ncleg.net; John.Faircloth@ncleg.net; Carl.Ford@ncleg.net; John.Fraley@ncleg.net; Holly.Grange@ncleg.net; Destin.Hall@ncleg.net; Kyle.Hall@ncleg.net; Jon.Hardister@ncleg.net; Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net; Cody.Henson@ncleg.net; Craig.Horn@ncleg.net; Julia.Howard@ncleg.net; Pat.Hurley@ncleg.net; Frank.Iler@ncleg.net; Linda.Johnson2@ncleg.net; Bert.Jones@ncleg.net; Brenden.Jones@ncleg.net; Jonathan.Jordan@ncleg.net; Donny.Lambeth@ncleg.net; David.Lewis@ncleg.net; Chris.Malone@ncleg.net; Susan.Martin@ncleg.net; Pat.McElraft@ncleg.net; Chuck.McGrady@ncleg.net; Allen.McNeill@ncleg.net; Tim.Moore@ncleg.net; Gregory.Murphy@ncleg.net; Larry.Potts@ncleg.net; Michele.Presnell@ncleg.net; Dennis.Riddell@ncleg.net; David.Rogers@ncleg.net; Stephen.Ross@ncleg.net; Jason.Saine@ncleg.net; John.Sauls@ncleg.net; Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.net; Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net; Bob.Steinburg@ncleg.net; Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.net; Scott.Stone@ncleg.net; Larry.Strickland@ncleg.net; John.Szoka@ncleg.net; John.Torbett@ncleg.net; Rena.Turner@ncleg.net; Harry.Warren@ncleg.net; Sam.Watford@ncleg.net; Donna.White@ncleg.net; Linda.Williams@ncleg.net; Larry.Yarborough@ncleg.net; Lee.Zachary@ncleg.net *Spam filters or email program limitations may cause the need to send more than one email, to cover the entire list of representatives. If so, the list above is split into three pieces, for your convenience.
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
Suggested Subject: "Vote 'YES' on Omnibus Gun Bill without Weakening"   Dear Representative: I understand that the omnibus gun bill has cleared the House Judicial IV committee (J4), and is on its way to the Finance Committee. I also understand the bill passed though J4 without any weakening amendments. This is fantastic news! A big ‘thank you’ to the sponsors of this bill and to others who actively supported it. I am writing today to ask you to vote ‘Yes’ on this bill if you happen to be on the Finance Committee, to vote ‘Yes’ on this bill on the House floor, and to vote ‘No’ on any weakening amendments. The right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental human right, and North Carolinians are finally making headway in rolling back the oppressive erosion of this right that has taken place in recent decades. Let’s keep that freedom trend going! On that same note, I would also remind you that strong support for “constitutional carry” is an explicit part of the Republican Party’s 2016 platform (see page 12), just as gun rights in general are. With this fact at the forefront, I can see no reason for any Republican to shy away from supporting this gun-rights legislation. In fact, among other things, pro-Second Amendment policy is precisely what voters had in mind when they chose you as their representative. For reasons that are quite clear, voters expect you to support this bill in committee, on the House floor, and without weakening amendments. Please do so. I’ll be eagerly awaiting more news on this topic from Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts. Respectfully,