Straight talkabout what you

can do topreServe your

right to keep andbear armS

citizenS committee

for the right to keep andbear armS

(a non-profit corporation)

National Headquarters:12500 N.E. Tenth Place

Bellevue, Washington 98005

Capitol Hill Office:1090 Vermont Ave., N.W., Suite 800

Washington, D.C. 20005

September2004

Volume XXIX No. 9

Campaign to Renew Ban Flawed 1Gun Rights in Nat’l Campaigns 2AWB Not Dead 3Armed Pilots 4Anti-Gun Gov Dumped 4FOP Should Support CCW 5Citizen Action Project 5Defender of the Month 6Quick Shots 7

IN THIS ISSUE

Campaign to renew ‘assault weapon’ ban mired in mythology

ByJoeWaldronandDaveWorkman

Touringthecountryinanefforttorenewtheten-year-oldbanonso-called“assaultweapons,”thenumerically-challengedMillionMomMarchhasbeenconductingacampaignbuiltlargelyonfiction. Asfarbackas1988,gunprohibitionistsfiguredtheycouldfoolthepublicintosupportingabanthathasbeenessentiallysymbolic.JoshSugarmanwiththeViolencePolicyCenterputthecampaigninitsproperperspec-tive,admitting,“Theweapons’menacinglookscoupledwiththepublic’sconfusionoverfullyautomaticmachinegunsversussemiautomaticassaultweapons–anythingthatlookslikeamachinegunisassumedtobeama-chinegun–canonlyincreasethatchanceofpublicsupportforrestrictionsontheseweapons.” Contrarytomyth,gunsaffectedbythisbanarenotmachineguns.Theyfireoneshotwitheachpressofthetrigger,thesameasanyshotgunusedbyduckhunters,orrifleusedbybiggamehunters. Thesegunsarenotthe“weaponofchoice”amongcriminals.Studies,beforeandafter thebantookeffect,haveshownthatso-called“assaultweapons”areusedinlessthan2%ofviolentcrimes. BanproponentsclaimthatafterthebanexpiresSept.13,America’sstreetswillbe“flooded”withtheseguns.The“ban”onlyplacedafreezeonpro-duction.Thoseriflesarestilloutthere,legallyforsale–albeitatpremiumpricesbecauseofallthemediahype–andmostofthemareinthegunsafesandcabinetsoflaw-abidinggunowners.Banningtheirproductiondidnoteliminatethem,andhadnothingtodowithadropinhomiciderates,as,apparently,neitherdoanyotherguncontrollaws. LastOctober,theCentersforDiseaseControlandPreventionreleasedareviewof51previous“studies”ofguncontrollaws.Theirconclusion?Noneof these lawsreducedcrime.That includesgunandammunitionbans,waitingperiods,school“zerotolerance”laws,safestoragestatutes,andlicensingorregistration. OnMarch11,VPC’sTomDiazadmitted toNationalPublicRadio,“Iftheexistingassaultweaponsbanexpires,Ipersonallydonotbelieveitwillmakeonewhitofdifferenceonewayoranotherintermsofourobjective,whichisreducingdeathandinjuryandgettingaparticularlylethalclassoffirearmsoffthestreets.” Anti-gunnerswanttoeliminateprivategunownership,period,nomat-terhowtheymaskit,howtheyaccomplishit,orwhichgunstheygetfirst.Theyshouldcutoutallthehypeandjustbehonestaboutit.

“Straight talk about what you can do to preserve your right to keep and bear arms.”

Editor JohnM.SnyderPublisher AlanM.GottliebManagingEditors J.H.Versnel DaveWorkmanAssociateEditors TomGresham MerrillJacobs BobKukla HerbStupp PeggyTartaro JoeWaldron

POINTBLANKispublishedmonthlybyCitizensCommitteefortheRighttoKeepandBearArms,LibertyPark,12500N.E.TenthPlace,Bellevue,Washington98005.

Copyright©2004CCRKBA

CorrespondenceandmanuscriptsshouldbesenttoPOINTBLANK,CCRKBA,1090VermontAve.,N.W.,Suite800,Washington,D.C.20005Address Change:Writenewaddress,city,state,andzipcodeonaplainpieceofpaper.AttachmailinglabelfromanissueofPOINTBLANKandsendto CCRKBA, 12500 N.E. Tenth Place, Bellevue,Washington98005.Pleaseallowfourtosixweeksforchangetobecomeeffective.

Asthenationalpoliticalcampaignsmoved into full swing, CCRKBAofficials noted that the individualSecond Amendment civil right oflaw-abiding American citizens tokeepandbeararmsonceagainisamajorissueinthecampaign. CCRKBAsaidthatbyofferingra-bidlyanti-gunRep.CarolynMcCar-thyofNewYorkaplumopportunityto promote legislation expandingtheso-called“assaultweapons”banduringitsconventioninBostontheDemocraticPartyonceagainshoweditstruecolorstomillionsofAmericangunowners. “Formonths,”observedCCRKBAChairmanAlanM.Gottlieb,“Demo-crats have been out hustling gunowners for their votes, trying toportray themselves as pro-SecondAmendment. Giving McCarthya microphone proved Democratshaven’tabandonedtheirfailedguncontrolpolicies.” McCarthy’s husband was mur-deredbyaderangedracistgunmannamed Colin Ferguson, who alsowoundedhersoninashootingonacommutertrainin1993.Fergusondidnotuseaso-called“assaultweapon”in that crime, but a handgun hepurchasedinCalifornia,astatewithsomeofthemostrestrictivegunlawsinthenation. “Democratsmayaswelleraseanycredibility they may have gainedamonggunownersoverthepasttwoyears,”Gottliebstated.“SomuchforJohnKerry’spheasanthuntingandskeet shooting opswith borrowedfirearms, or any other lip serviceDemocratsareofferinggunownersbackintheirdistricts.AllowingMc-Carthyaforumtocampaignagainstthefirearmrightsofmillionsoflaw-abidingAmericansinthemiddleof

theirnationalconventionshouldtellfirearmownersalltheyneedtoknowaboutthetrueDemocratagenda.” Gottlieburgedallgunowners toreviewMcCarthy’sspeechandtheapplause it elicited from the partyleadership,“andthendecidewhetherDemocratsdeservetobetrustedwiththeirSecondAmendmentrights.” Duringthepreparedversionofherspeech,McCarthycastigatedseverelyPresident George W. Bush for notaskingtheRepublicanleadershipinCongress“totakeactionandextendtheban.Hehasnotdonehisparttoprotectourchildren.Orhisparttoprotectourpoliceofficers…IknowPresident JohnKerrywill fight forabanonassaultweapons. IknowJohnKerrywillstandupto”thegunlobby. Indeed,sogunghoforguncontrolwere the delegates in Boston thatalmostnineoutof10describedthem-selvesassupportersofguncontrol,accordingtoaBostonGlobepollofacrosssectionof400delegates. In an article headlined, “GunControlAnEmergingIssue,”DavidLightman,WashingtonBureauChiefof the Hartford Courant, reported,“Democratsareconfidenttheyfinallyhaveagunissuetheycanenthusiasti-callyrunwith…The10-yearbanonsemiautomatic, assault-style weap-onsendsSept.13,andbecausethereislikelytobenocongressionalactionbeforethentoextendit,apresidentialcampaignissueisreadytoignite. “Democrats can claim hypocrisy,becausePresidentBushhassaidhesupportsextendingthebanbuthasdone little to followup. Theycanrun against the powerfulNationalRifle Association, which is aggres-sivelyopposingextension,andtheycanfightSenateRepublicans,many

ofwhomareleadingthechargetokeepitfromavote.Republicanswhooppose the ban are playing to theGOPbase and counter that it is ‘aphonydeal.It’smoresymbolicthatreality,’asSenateJudiciaryCommit-teeOrrinG.HatchofUtahputit.”Hatch, a CCRKBA CongressionalAdvisor,holdsaCCRKBAGunRightsDefenderoftheMonthAward.

CCrKba sees gun rights as maJor Campaign issue

As this issue of Point Blankwasgoing topress, it appeared certainthattheten-year-oldbanonso-called“assaultweapons”wasgoingtodie,andbymid-month,Americanswouldonceagainbeabletoenjoytheirrighttoownfirearmsdemonizedbythedo-nothingban. However, leaders at theCitizensCommitteefortheRighttoKeepandBearArmsarenotexpectingthefightoversemiautomaticriflesandshot-gunstodisappearfromthepoliticallandscape.WhilethebanwasbeingpromotedbygungrabbersonCapitolHillandinthepress,CCRKBAtookstepstocounterthepropaganda. CCRKBA Executive Director JoeWaldron andCommunicationsDi-rectorDaveWorkmanteameduponanOp-Edessaycirculatedtoeverynewspaperinthecountry,strippingaway themyths thatgungrabbershavebeenusingtopushforrenewaloftheban. Intheirarticle,theynoted,“Asfarbackas1988,gunprohibitionistsfig-uredtheycouldfoolthepublicintosupportingabanthat,ashistoryhasshown,hasbeenessentiallysymbolic.Sixteen years ago, Josh SugarmanwiththeViolencePolicyCenterputthecampaigninitsproperperspec-tive,admitting,‘Theweapons’men-acinglookscoupledwiththepublic’sconfusionoverfullyautomaticma-chinegunsversussemiautomaticas-saultweapons–anythingthatlookslikeamachinegunisassumedtobeamachinegun–canonlyincreasethat chance of public support forrestrictionsontheseweapons.’ “Prohibitionists,”theycontinued,“argue these firearms have no le-gitimatepurpose.Thousandsofcom-petitiveshooters,whoparticipateinregisteredmatcheswiththeserifles

all over the country almost everyweekend,woulddisagree.Mostofthese guns are suitable for homedefense,manyarelegitimatecollec-tor’sitems,andothersareusedforhunting.” Pullingnopunches,WaldronandWorkmanexposedthehypocrisyofanti-gunners byquotingTomDiazfromtheViolencePolicyCenter,whoadmitted toNational Public RadioMarch 11, “If the existing assaultweapons ban expires, I personallydonotbelieveitwillmakeonewhitofdifferenceonewayoranotherintermsofourobjective,whichisre-ducingdeathandinjuryandgettingaparticularlylethalclassoffirearmsoffthestreets.” Theyfurthernotedthattwoimpor-tantstudies,independentfromoneanother, have acknowledged thatgunlawshavenotbeenshowntobeaneffectivetoolinthefightagainstcrime. Last October, they recalled, theCenters for Disease Control andPreventionreleaseda reviewof51previous “studies” of gun controllaws.“Theirconclusion,”theauthorsnoted,“Noneoftheselawsreducedcrime.TheCDCreportadmittedthat‘…theTaskForcefoundinsufficientevidence to determine the effec-tivenessofanyofthefirearmslawsreviewed for preventing violence.’Thatincludesgunandammunitionbans,waitingperiods, school ‘zerotolerance’laws,safestoragestatutes,andlicensingorregistration. “Justdaysago,”theyadded,“theWashington Times revealed that areportfromtheNationalInstituteofJusticesays,‘Wecannotclearlycreditthebanwithanyofthisnation’sre-centdropingunviolence…Shoulditberenewed,theban’seffectsongun

violencearelikelytobesmallatbestand perhaps too small for reliablemeasurement’.” Inmid-August,theanti-gunBradyCenter to Prevent Gun Violence,knownformerlyasHandgunCon-trol,Inc.,obviouslyupsetabouttheprospectofthesunset,complainedthat, “some Americans are simplydrooling at the notion of deadlierguns.” TheycrankedupthevolumeeverlouderastheSept.13deadlineap-proached, attacking one gun com-pany, ArmaLite, Inc., for allegedly“contemptiblycateringtothosewhoaredesperateforextraordinaryfire-power.” They’refrothingatthemouthandwilldowhattheycantomakethisamajorissue.Nodoubt,especiallyifSen.JohnKerrywinsinNovember,anti-gunnerswillbeclamoringforanew,expandedversionoftheban. “Therenewaloftheassaultweap-onsban,”asStephenBealewrotefortownhall.com,“isthecausedujourforliberals.TheAtlantaJournal-Con-stitution,BostonGlobe,LosAngelesTimes,MiamiHerald,NewYorkTimes,Portland Oregonian, San FranciscoChronicle,andTheWashingtonPost–tonamejustafew–haveallsoundedacalltoarms.” But Waldron and Workman putthisbattleinitsproperperspective,whentheynotedattheconclusionof their essay, “Anti-gunners wanttoeliminateprivategunownership,period,nomatterhowtheymaskit,how they accomplish it, or whichgunstheygetfirst.Theyshouldcutoutallthehypeandjustbehonestaboutit.”

‘assault weapon’ ban not dead issue

Even though the 108th Congressseems to bewinding down in an-ticipationoftheNovemberelections,CCRKBAcontinuesonCapitolHillin Washington, D.C. to promoteenactmentoftheproposedCockpitSecurity Technical Corrections andImprovementsAct. Theproposal,S.2268,bySen.JimBunningofKentucky,and itscom-panionpiece,H.R.4126,byRep.JoeWilson of South Carolina, woulddirect the Transportation SecurityAdministration(TSA)tostopitsfoot-draggingwithregardtoimplementa-tionofthearmedpilotsprogram. CCRKBA Public Affairs DirectorJohnMichaelSnydersaid,“WearesupportingtheeffortsoftheAirlinePilots Security Alliance (APSA) inworkingforenactmentofthisneces-sarylegislation.” APSA noted that, “almost a year

andahalfago,CongressorderedareluctantTSAtoarmAmerica’sair-linepilotstodefendtheirpassengersfrom terrorist attack. Obstructivebureaucratssabotagedtheprogram,rejectinghundredsofapplicantpi-lotson‘psychologicalgrounds’andaddingdangerousandnonsensicalrulestodeternewvolunteers.Tensofthousandsofpilotsarenowavoidingthearmedpilotprogramandonlytwo to three percent of our pilotsaretrainedtoflyarmed,asgovern-mentbureaucratsputtheirpoliticalagendasaheadofyourlives. “Inoneof thehighest threaten-vironments we’ve ever faced, andtrusting a security system that letacollegestudentgetfakeweaponsonto airliners 100 percent of thetimeshetried,andwithourcriticalairmarshalscoveringonlythesmall-estfractionofourflights,ourpilots

andpassengersaredefenseless…Aconfluence of events has causedAPSA’ssecurityconsultantstobelieveAlQaedamaybeinthefinalstagesofpreparationforamajorattackontheUnitedStates.” Congress, stated APSA, “is sud-denly very interested in terrorismlegislationandshowingtheAmeri-can people they are engaged. WewantthemtoseetheCockpitSecurityActasthefastest,easiestwaytoprovetothepublictheyareseriousaboutfighting terrorism! To do that, weneedtogetthebilloutoftheHouseAviation Subcommittee (Rep. JohnMicaofFlorida,chairman)andtheSenateCommerceCommittee(Sen.JohnMcCainofArizona,chairman).Ifeverweneededstronggrassrootssupport,now is that time!Pickupthephone!”

CCrKba Keeps pushing armed pilots measure

Last month’s primary defeat ofanti-gunMissouriGov.BobHoldenshouldserveasanobjectlessonforotherpoliticianswhoplacepoliticalcorrectness ahead of the personalsafetyoftheirconstituents,theCiti-zensCommitteefortheRighttoKeepandBearArmsstated. “Show Me State gun ownersshowedBobHoldenthedoor,”saidCCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb.“Althoughtheytriedtodownplayit,boththeSt.LouisPost DispatchandKansasCityStar acknowledgedthatHolden’s veto of concealed carrylegislation cost him critical votes.Thegovernorandhispoliticaladvi-sors shouldhave seen this comingtheinstantthatMissourilawmakers

camebacktoJeffersonCitylastyeartooverridehisarrogantveto.” CCRKBA Executive Director JoeWaldronadded,“IttakesexampleslikeBobHoldentoremindanti-gunpoliticiansthattheyshouldneverun-derestimatethefuryofgunowners.Grassrootsactivisminthefirearmscommunityisaliveandwell,astheprimaryvotedemonstrated.” Formorethanayear,Missourigunownershavebeenwaiting for thisopportunity,thegunrightsleadersnoted.Itwasthefirst timeinstatehistorythatanincumbentgovernorwasoustedbyachallengerfromhisownparty. “BobHolden’s veto last year gotMissourigunownersmad,”Gottlieb

observed,“andgunownersgoteven.The governor ’s other leadershipproblemsoneducation,theeconomyand social issues certainly crippledhim,buthisanti-gunphilosophywastheproverbial strawthatbroke thecamel’sback.” “You do not take a position thatundermines the personal safety ofyourconstituents,leavingthemde-fenselessagainstcriminals,”Waldronstated. “Politicians who think theycangivelipservicetogunrightsandpersonalprotection,whilevotingorvetoingotherwise,shouldtakeales-sonfromHolden’sprecedent-settingprimarydefeat.Gunownersareoutthere,inthetallgrass,andtheydon’tforget.”

mo gun owners hammer holden

The Citizens Committee for theRight toKeep andBearArmshascalled on the Fraternal Order ofPolice (FOP) to support nationalconcealedcarryforprivatecitizens. CCRKBAnotedthatgunownersstronglysupportedrecently-passedfederallegislationthatallowswork-ingandretiredpoliceofficerstocarryalloverthecountryas“adeterrenttocrimeandterrorism.” CCRKBA Executive Director JoeWaldronobservedthat,“theseciti-zenslobbiedvigorouslyonbehalfofthepoliceintheirefforttopasstheLaw Enforcement Officers SafetyAct.Itisonlytherightandproperthingtoexpectthatactivedutyandretiredpoliceofficersnowbenefit-ingfromthatlaw,alongwithpolicegroupssuchasFOP,wouldstepupto the plate and support nationalconcealedcarryforalllegally-armedprivatecitizens.”

“Weallknowthatevenretiredpo-licemencan’talwaysbetherewhentheyareneededtopreventorstopacrime,”Waldronsaid,“butthelikeli-hoodoflegalinterventionincreaseswhenyouaddseveralmillionlaw-abiding licensedprivatecitizens totheequation.” Dozens of states have enactedreciprocityagreementsamongthem-selvesandahandfulofstateshavepassed“universalrecognition”lawsthatsimplyhonorconcealedpistollicenses issued by all other states,Waldron said. The problem is thatthese state reciprocity agreementsdonotcoverallthestates. “Private citizens have the sameself-defenserightsasworkingandre-tiredcops,”hesaid.“Afterall,outsidetheirjurisdictions,andafterthey’veentered retirement, these officersarejustplaincitizenslikeeveryoneelse.Citizensdonotleavetheirself-

defense rights at state borders, nomatterwhattheydoforaliving.” Waldron said also that, “the vastmajority of these citizens have re-ceivedtrainingintheuseoffirearmsasaconditionofobtainingtheircarrylicenses.Manyarecompetitiveshoot-erswhousetheirfirearmsfarmorefrequently thanworkingor retiredpoliceofficers.Theywouldonlyaddtoourlevelofcommunitysafetyandhomelandsecurity. “Theyhavebeenstaunchsupport-ers of law enforcement and theyunderstand that instead of societycontinuing to place the burden ofsafetyjustonpoliceofficers,allciti-zensshouldsharethatresponsibility.Howbettercouldtheydothatthantopromoteanationalsafetyactforcitizens,withthewell-earnedsupportofthisnation’sdedicatedpolicemenandpolicewomen?”

CCrKba Calls on Fop to supportpriVate CitiZen CCw

Maryland State Senator Alex X.MooneyofFrederickhasbeennamedtheCCRKBAGunRightsDefenderoftheMonthAwardwinnerforSep-tember. InnominatingtheFreeStatesolonfortheAward,CCRKBAPublicAf-fairsDirectorJohnMichaelSnyder,notedthat,“intheStateofMaryland,wheretheanti-gunforcesforthepastfewyearshavebeenonthemarchingreaterstrengththantheyhavebeeninsomeotherareasofourcountry,it takesa lotofguts forabuddingpoliticiantostandupinaforthrightmanneranddefendandpromotetheindividualcivilrightoflaw-abidingcitizenstokeepandbeararms.Alexis just such a youngpolitician.HemostcertainlydeservesthisAward,and with it we encourage him tokeepupthegoodfightfortraditionalAmericanvalues.” InearlyJuly,Sen.MooneysaidthatMarylandgunownersmustbegintowieldmorepoliticalclout.Heisthechairmanofanewly-formedgroupthataimstoregistermoregunown-erstovote. TheMarylandSecondAmendmentCoalitionwenttoworkinlateJuneat aFrederickgun show. Mooneyand Co-Chairman Robert CulverofMontgomeryCitizensforaSaferMarylandsaidtheywillbevisitingothergunshowsinthestatetodis-tributevoterregistrationformsandprovideappropriatebumperstickers. MooneysaidthatSecondAmend-mentproponents“tendtobepeoplewhodon’twantthegovernmenttointerveneintheirlivesasfarastak-ingaway theirgunsandgenerallytendtobepeoplewhodon’tturntogovernment”forservices,reported

theAssociatedPress. “Perhapsinreturntheydon’tfeeltheneedtogetinvolvedinthegov-ernmentprocessasmuch,”hesaid. Inapressreleaseannouncingthedrive, Mooney said gun owners“need to become a major politicalforce”inMaryland.“The2AMCo-alitionwillmakegunownersawarethateveryday,liberalpoliticiansareworkinginAnnapolis(theMarylandState Capital) and in Washington,D.C.totakeawaytheirconstitutionalrighttoownagun.” Mooney has opposed gun con-trol measures such as Maryland’srequirementthatallhandgunssoldinthestatebeequippedwithinte-gratedtriggerlocks,andaproposedstatebanonso-called“assault-styleweapons”thatfailedbyonevoteinaSenatecommitteeearlierthisyear. Mooneyhasdrawntheireofanti-gunforcesinthestate.LeahBarrett,executive director of the anti-gungroupCeasefireMaryland,Inc.,saidtheSecondAmendmentCoalitionismerelyaRepublicanpublicityploy.Shesaidthatduringthedebateaboutbanningcertainsemiautomaticrifles,which Mooney calls “sport utilityguns,” gun rights activists packedthehearingroom. ThepurposeoftheMarylandSec-ondAmendmentCoalitionistotargetlikemindedindividualsandgroups,and distribute voting information,togathervotersupportforfirearmfriendlycandidates inforthcomingelections. Interested parties couldcallAlexMooneyat(410)841-3575,orBobCulverat(301)776-4488. MooneywasborninWashington,D.C.andmovedwithhisfamilytoFrederickwhenhewasaninfant.He

graduatedfromDartmouthCollegein1993withadegreeinPhilosophy.Shortlyaftergraduation,heservedasanaidetoU.S.Rep.RoscoeBartlett(MD).AfterRepublicans tookoverCongress in the 1994 elections,Mooney worked as a legislativeanalyst for the House RepublicanConference Committee. He laterleftCapitolHilltoworkforasmallconservativepublicpolicyorganiza-tion, serving as vice president forLegislativeAnalysisof theCouncilforNationalPolicyAction,Inc. In1998,AlexdecidedtorunfortheMarylandStateSenate.Afterknock-ingonthousandsofdoorsandwork-ing tirelesslymakinghis casewiththevotersofthethirddistrict,Alexwasrewardedwith63percentofthevoteandtookofficeinJanuary1999,becoming the youngest and onlyHispanicmemberof theMarylandStateSenate. He sits on the Senate JudicialProceedings Committee. He hasreceivedthe topbusiness rating inthestatebytheMarylandBusinessforResponsiveGovernment.HealsohasreceivedtheMarylandTaxpayeroftheYearAwardforvotingconsis-tentlytoprotectthe“littleguy”bycutting burdensome governmentregulations and red tape on smallbusinesses. Alexandhiswife,GraceGonzalez,M.D.,Ph.D.,weremarriedin2002.Theirson,LucasAlexanderMooney,wasbornonJuly13,2003.AlexisamemberoftheKnightsofColumbusandSt.John’sCatholicChurch.

maryland state senator reCeiVes CCrKba award

CaliforniaGov.ArnoldSchwar-zeneggerdidtherightthingwhenhevetoedaso-called“gunsafetyedu-cation”billbecauseofitspotentialtoallowanti-gunpropagandatobetaughtintheguiseofpublicsafety,CCRKBA stated. The bill, SB1177“wasanattempt topoliticizehunt-ing and self-defense issueswithinschoolsinanopen-endedmanner,with no state guidance,” statedCCRKBA California representativeJimMarch.“Onacostbasisalone,it was a disaster in the making.”CCRKBAChairmanAlanM.GottliebsaidCCRKBA“opposedthislegisla-tionfromtheoutset.ItseemedcleartousthatSB1177,authoredbyanti-gun rights zealotSen. JackScott,easilywouldhavebeenabusedtopromoteananti-self-defensemes-sage.”

A mid-July ruling by RamseyCounty, Minnesota District CourtJudgeJohnFinley that thestate’stwo-year-old concealed carry lawis unconstitutional is an affront tothestate’slaw-abidingcitizensandshould be quickly appealed byan appeals court, said CCRKBA.“Judge Finley’s ruling is a slap inthe face tomore than30,000Min-nesota residentswhohave legallyobtainedconcealedpistollicenses,”said CCRKBA Chairman Alan M.Gottlieb.“WeurgeAttorneyGeneralMichael Hatch to quickly appealthisdecisionand,inthemeantime,makecertainthatastayisgrantedsothatMinnesotafirearmsownerscancontinueobtainingtheirlicensesimmediately upon completing the

requirements.”CCRKBAExecutiveDirectorJoeWaldronsaidthat,“noMinnesotaresidentshouldhavehisorhersafetyplacedinjeopardybythislowercourtdecision.”

WhiletherecanbenodoubtthatpoliceofficersinOshkosh,WIrecent-lyconductedaneighborhoodsearchforagunmanwhoshotandwoundedOfficerNateGallagher with goodintentions,CCRKBAChairmanAlanM.Gottliebbelievesthereremainse-riousquestionsabouttheseizureoffirearmsfromoneoftheresidenceswithoutbenefitofawarrant.“We’vereceivedalltheinformationwecouldgetaboutthiscase,”saidGottlieb,“andweremainconcernedthatsomeinnocentperson’sfirearmswerere-movedfromhishome,withouthimknowingaboutit,andwithoutbenefitofasearchwarrant.Althoughthesesearchesreportedlywereconductedwiththeconsentofthehomeowners,takingsomeoneelse’sgunswithouttellinghimcouldbeaseriouslegalbreech,regardlessofanyconcernsaboutcatchinganarmedcriminal.”Thepolicereturnedgunstotheoneresidentfromwhomtheyweretakenwithoutconsent.

AnAlamedaCounty,CaliforniaSuperiorCourtjuryearlylastmonthfound that firearm manufacturerBerettaU.S.A.Corp.wasnotrespon-sibleforthetragic1994accidentalshootingdeathofa14-year-oldboy.KenzoDixwaskilledwhenhisfriend

playedwitha firearm thatwas leftunloadedandunlockedbyanirre-sponsibleparent.The jurydeliber-atedonlyfivehoursbeforereturningaverdict in favorofBerettaU.S.A.Corp.,findingthepistol’sdesigndidnotcausetheaccident.Thelawsuitwas filed in 1995onbehalf of theparentsofDixbylawyersfromHand-gun Control, Inc., since renamedastheBradyCentertoPreventGunViolence.Theanti-gungrouptriedtoclaimthatBerettawasatfaultfornothavingincludedabuilt-inlockandfornotprovidingmorewarningsbyhavingadifferent“loadedchamberindicator” feature than theoneonthefirearm.

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