Mark Herring Attacks Obenshain for Supporting 2nd Amendment

State Senator and Democratic Nominee for Attorney General Mark Herring is attacking State Senator and GOP AG Nominee Mark Obenshain for his support of the 2nd Amendment:



Yesterday, responding to the Supreme Court's decision in the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) case, a press release issued by the Herring campaign said:

As Attorney General, I will protect the civil rights of all Virginians and use the powers of the office to promote equality while we work to change Virginia’s current law which prohibits same-sex marriage.

While Herring was referring to Virginia's marriage amendment, it does beg the question, since he opposes most of Virginia's pro- 2nd Amendment laws just as he opposes Virginia's marriage amendment, does that mean he will use the "powers of the office" to violate these laws until he can change them too?

Hat tip to Bearing Drift.

NSSF Study of First Time Gun Onwers Finds Women Motivated by Personal Defens

A study commissioned by NSSF reveals that first-time gun buyers are active in one or more shooting activities and that women are motivated to purchase their first firearm predominately for personal defense. The online research study was conducted InfoManiacs Inc. in March and April and involved consumers aged 22 to 65 who bought their first firearm during 2012.

Key findings included:

• The majority of first-time buyers (60.3 percent) tend to be active, using their gun once per month, with one in five reporting usage of once a week or more;
• Target shooting is by far the most popular shooting activity among first-time gun owners (84.3 percent said they used their firearm for that purpose), followed by hunting (37.7 percent) and plinking (27.4 percent).

Fox Business reported on the soaring retail sales of firearms, and quoted NSSF Director, Public Affairs, Michael Bazinet. The report notes the significant boost first-time buyers are giving to these record sales.

You can read today's NSSF press release on the NSSF study here, and the Fox Business report here.

Hat tip to NSSF Bullet Points.

Misinformation in NY Times Op/Ed Calling for Right of Shooting Victims to Sue

I guess I should not have expected any less.  This New York Times Op/Ed is full of misinformation.  When it comes to firearms, facts are not necessary for the NY Times.  Besides repeating the discredited talking point about the percentage of firearms sold without background checks, the author claims that since the passage of the Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, people can't sue firearm manufacturers, even if a firearm is defective.  Sure, he uses an employee of the Brady Center as his source, but he should have checked it before using it in his article:

The 2005 law is just one example of Congressional actions that have reduced gun-industry liability and gutted consumer protections. The result of all this legislation, as Jonathan E. Lowy, director of the legal action project at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, has noted, is that a defective BB gun can be recalled, but not a real gun with a similar defect.

The fact is, the law specifically allows suits for harm caused by a defective firearm:

The bills expressly allow suits based on knowing violations of federal or state law related to gun sales, or on traditional grounds including negligent entrustment (such as sales to a child or an obviously intoxicated person) or breach of contract. The bill also allows product liability cases involving actual injuries caused by an improperly functioning firearm (as opposed to cases of intentional misuse).

It's interesting that no one calls for suits against automobile manufacturers or car dealers when one of their products end up in the hands of a drunk driver, but firearm manufacturers are supposed to be held responsible for what happens with their product when it leaves the plant.

MAIG Rolls Into Blacksburg

It was the same old song as Mayors Against Illegal Guns pulled into Blacksburg on their "No More Names" tour.  The Roanoke Times used the same discredited numbers (probably fed to them by MAIG) in discussing the percentage of firearm sales that are completed without a background check:

Currently, about 60 percent of gun sales are subject to background checks. Earlier this year, the Senate defeated legislation that would have required that all commercial gun sales be subject to checks.

That's another way of saying that 40% of sales are completed without background checkes.  That number has been discredited by none other than the Washington Post - not really a bastian of pro-rights information:

In other words, rather than being 30 to 40 percent (the original estimate of the range) or “up to 40 percent” (Obama’s words), gun purchases without background checks amounted to 14 to 22 percent. And since the survey sample is so small, that means the results have a survey caveat: plus or minus six percentage points.

But never let facts get in the way of a political agenda.  After the speeches by Neil Heslin, whose son was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, Peter Read, whose daughter killed at the Virginia Tech shooting, and Andrew Goddard, whose son Colin survived Tech shooting and now works for the Brady Campaign, names of those "killed by gun shots" since December 14th were read.

We don't know whether they removed the names of all those criminals that had originally been included on the list. 

Bloomberg's "No More Names" Tour in Blacksburg Today

We've learned that Mayors Against Illegal Guns doesn't want to use names associated with crime committed with firearms because he can't distinguish between victims and suspects.  But the group is continuing its little tour of the nation in Blacksburg today where families of the Virginia Tech Shooting will also express thanks for Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner for their vote to criminalize private transfers of firearms. Never mind that had that been the law at the time it would not have prevented the shooter from getting access to the firearms he used for that crime.

Virginia Hunter Numbers Continue to Decline as National Numbers Show Increase

River Mud has an interesting post looking at this trend.  He notes that preliminary US Fish and Wildlife Service numbers posted for hunting license sales in the United States show a 9% increase nationwide,  while Virginia has continued a downward spiral, with a 5% decrease in Virginia:

Prominently featured in that data is a somewhat surprising 5 year, 9% nationwide increase in the number of licensed hunters nationwide.  A quick study of the data shows that this rise has corresponded temporally with efforts to increase hunter access and recruitment in several heavily populated states such as Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.   Their market research (yes, those states spend money on this stuff) shows not only that hunters spend money when they travel, but often, they bring non-hunters with them, who spend even more money!

He includes a chart that shows the historical decline in Virginia hunter numbers.  In 1968, there were over a 1/2 million licensed hunters.  In 2012, there were a little over 300,000, a little over half of what we had 45 years ago.  This has real consequences as hunting license fees directly support the Virginia Game Department (VDGIF) as well as contibutes to the formula of federal funding that comes to the Commonwealth:

Does VDGIF know that they have a hunter problem that fully translates into a potential 66% decrease in their operating budget?

He makes the pitch for how Sunday Hunting could assist in reversing this trend (a very touchy subject among some in the hunting community).  River Mud promises additional posts on the topic, including DGIF's role in the declining numbers.  If you are interested preserving our hunting traditions, it is an interesting read.

Hat tip to Matt O'Brien.

Looking to 2016, Biden Says Obama Has Not Given Up on Gun Control

Yesterday, Vice President Joe "Buy a Shotgun" Biden held a gathering at the White House to tell supporters of gun control that he and Obama have not given up.  This from the Washington Times:

“The most important message to take from here today is the president and I are a team,” Mr. Biden said. “We have not given up. Our friends in the House and Senate, they have not given up.”

He blamed the failure on the "perverted" Senate rule that requires 60 votes to proceed, known as the filibuster, the same "perverted" rule that Biden supported as a senator to block judicial nominees and other measures when George W. Bush was President.  It should be noted that it was Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who decided that the 60 vote threshold had to be met.

Biden continues to claim that the politics have changed and that those who blocked Obama's gun control scheme would pay a political price.  But the Washington Post suggests that Biden has another motive for continuing to push gun control even when others don't believe the votes can be found despite New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg spending gobs of money attacking a handful of senators:

The issue of guns is hugely important to the Democratic base. And that matters, especially considering that Biden is by all accounts weighing a run for president in 2016. Regardless of whether tighter gun laws — most notably expanded background checks — are passed by Congress during Obama’s presidency, if Biden is seen as the guy who never gave up on a topic that moves the Democratic base, it would only help his chances heading into a primary campaign.

That wasn't the only reason pointed out by the Post but it is likely the most important to Biden.

Update: Video of Biden't remarks.

Those Non-Existent New Gun Owners

We've been told by folks like the Brady Campaign that all those record breaking gun sale numbers are driven by existing gun owners, that we have less people owning firearms than ever before.

But Fox Business has this report that gives a different picture:

Retailers surveyed by the NSSF, a trade association for the firearms industry, reported that 25.8% of their customers were first-time firearm buyers in 2012. That reflects a slight improvement over the prior year’s 25% but a large jump from 20.8% in 2010.

Tom Gresham gave similar data on his Gun Talk program yesteday.  During a conversation with a caller, Gresham estimated that the number of people owning at least one firearm is over 100 million, about 30% of the nation's population.

Herring Attacks Obenshain for Pro-2nd Amendment Votes in First AG Debate

At their first debate since Senator Mark Herring won Tuesday's Democratic Primary,  Herring wasted no time in throwing out the ususal talking points of extremist to attack State Senator Mark Obenshain.  The Richmond Times Dispatch reports:

“On a lot of issues, the two of us could not be further apart,” Herring said, attacking his opponent’s past proposal to require women to report miscarriages to police. “Mark Obenshain stands for the prism of radical extremism.”


Herring said in recent weeks, "a lot could be heard about the fiery rhetoric” by E.W. Jackson, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, “But in the state Senate, Obenshain has put this ideology to work.”

Obenshain, taken aback by the attack resisted responding in kind:

“I want to make sure we have safe communities, that Virginia continues to be a job creation engine and one of the best places in the country for businesses to strive,” Obenshain said.


“I will fight to make sure that we fight gang violence in communities and schools, and fight human trafficking, which is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world,” he said.

Gun control was also discussed in the debate:

Herring called out Obenshain for his opposition to tougher gun control legislation. “We need to do what we can to reduce gun violence in Virginia. We got to get serious about it, the time for action is now,” Herring said, pushing for tougher background checks and the closing of the gun show loophole.


Obenshain countered that imposing further restrictions on law abiding citizens in Virginia is not the solution. “I wouldn’t be able to give my hunting rifle to my son without a background check,” he said.

There is a clear choice for gun owners in all three of this year's state wide races.

NRA Responding to Attacks on Pryor

The Hill reports that the NRA is running ads in Arkansas in response to those by Bloomberg which attack Senator Mark Pryor for helping block legislation aimed at criminalizing private firearm sales.

NRA has taken similar steps to aid Senator Kelly Ayote in New Hampshire.  Pryor however should not take this as an indication that NRA will give him a pass in the 2014 election according to The Hill.

Virginia Primary Post Mortem

Some thoughts on yesterday's Democrat and Republican Primary.  Two longtime GOP Delegates, Beverly Sherwood, and Joe May, lost.  Some may call them upsets but when you dig a little deeper in to the numbers, there were several problems each of them faced and neither seemed to completely respond.

Let's start with Sherwood, who lost by 78 votes.  This is the first election in which she has run after redistricting.  She acquired new parts in Warren County and she lost those by a total of 94 votes.  Clearly, she should have done more to introduce herself to these new voters.  Bev was a good friend to Virginia's gun owners, chairing the Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committee for a number of years.  Her opponent, Mark Berg has indicated he opposes infringements on our 2nd Amendment Rights.  This should be a wash in terms of our support in  the General Assembly.

Joe May too had new territory in his district as a result of redistricting and he too lost those precincts (in Frederick County) badly.  Delegate May was considered more or a moderate than Delegate Sherwood.  The insurgent nature of their opposition was helped by the fact they both voted for the tax increases in the new transportation bill this last session.  Some will likely say it resulted in their defeat, but three other incumbents who were challenged and won, also voted for the transportation bill, so it it played a roll in May and Sherwood's defeat, it was likely just one of several factors.  May was so so on our issue earning a "C" rating from the NRA in the 2011.  IT is interesting to note that of the two incumbents that lost, Joe may received the second largest number of votes of the incumbents (2200), but lost by the largest margin (15 points).

Both Delegate Todd Gilbert and Bobby Orrock won, Gilbert with 92% of the vote and received the largest number of votes of any of the incumbents (3655).  He also voted against the transportation plan.   Orrock defeated Dustin Price by 13% and received 1366 votes.  Speaker of the House Bill Howell was also challenged but like Gilbert, handily defeated his opponent with 92% of the vote.  Both Orrock and Howell voted for the transportation bill.

The take away from these incumbents is to never be complacent.  Elected officials aways have to be doing outreach for new supporters and new blood in their organizations.  Gilbert clearly did that based on the high number of votes he received.  Orrock may want to make sure he is doing that outreach.  While he won handily, he got half the votes of about a two thirds fewer votes than Gilbert.

As for the Democrats, they had two state wide offices up for primary voters yesterday.  They decided to go with known candidates - State Senator Ralph Northam for Lt. Governor and State Senator Mark Herring for AG.  Northam beat back an Indian-American, Aneesh Chopra, who ran on a strong platform of gun control.  While Northam is no friend to gun owners (he has a "D" rating from the NRA), he was fending off charges of being a shill for the NRA.  When a candidate tells you that his "D" rated opponent is a shill for the NRA, you get the idea just how anti-rights the guy making the charge is.

In the AG's race, State Senator Mark Herring (also an NRA "D" rated candidate) soundly defeated former Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Fairfax.  In choosing the known quantities,  state Democrats opted not to go with the "diverse" ticket many thought they would choose, and chose three white males for statewide office.  Not that that should make a difference but since Democrats are always pointing out how the GOP has no diversity on their national and Virginia statewide tickets, the irony is not lost on this writer.

Virginia gun owners have a clear choice this election.  Do we go with the candidates that have a solid record of supporting our rights (Ken Cuccinelli and Mark Obenshain) and their ticket mate who expresses strong support for our rights (E.W. Jackson) or do we opt for three candidates that for the first time in a number of years do not shy away from telling us just how they want to restrict our rights (McAuliffe, Northam, and Herring).

Now let's get to work and help the guys who stand with us.

Primary Day in Virginia

Today is Primary Day in Virginia.  Gun owners in the 15th House District should vote for Delegate Todd Gilbert.  In the 54th House District gun owners should vote for Delegate Bobby Orrock.

Democrats running for state wide office are also holding a primary today.  If you live in a district that has both a Republican and a Democrat primary, you can only vote in one.

On a related note, over at Bearing Drift, John Fredericks offers some interesting points on the Lt. Governor's race and the primary between Obama's former technology czar, Aneesh Chopra, and Democrat State Senator Ralph Northam.  Chopra has been running hot and heavy on gun control.  This from today's Virginian Pilot:

In political mail and online, Chopra has highlighted instances when Northam voted for measures he said weaken local gun buyback programs and water down concealed-handgun permit standards, among others.

And this from today's Richmond Times Dispatch:

With few visible ideological differences between the candidates, Chopra recently cranked up the heat by going negative, depicting Northam as a shill for the National Rifle Association.

Last year, Northam had voted with the Republican-friendly gun-rights group on legislation to shield from prosecution property owners who shoot and kill nonthreatening intruders.

But last week, Northam underscored his support for legislation that would close the gun show loophole, keep the one-gun per-month limit, and keep guns out of bars. “I received a ‘D’ rating from the NRA by standing up to the gun lobby,” he said.

Regarding Frederick's post over at Bearing Drift, the below tidbit from the RTD article mentions something that Frederick mentions - if Northam is elected Lt. Governor in November, he could be responsible for keeping the Senate in GOP hands because his seat would then be open and it is a swing district that Governor Bob McDonnell won by 57 percent in 2009.

Northam — and his Senate-colleague Herring — also may be stonewalled by several Democrats fearing that their Senate seats might fall into Republican hands if they are nominated and win the election. It is possible that this concern will bring several votes for Chopra and Fairfax.

No matter who wins, gun owners will have a clear choice in all three state wide races this year, and it won't be the Democrat candidates.

VA GOP Withdraws Request for CHP Holder Information

The Richmond Times Dispatch reports today that the Republican Party of Virginia has withdrawn its request for information for the Commonwealth's estimated 270,000 concealed handgun permit (CHP) holders.  According to the RTD, the GOP sited the estimated cost of $120,000 for the information, based on the initial estimated costs they had received from some of the circuit court clerk offices.  This who had responded to the GOP request estimated that pulling the information requested would cost $1000. 

In his letter today, Reedy said many of the clerks provided cost estimates for retrieving and delivering the requested data, and “unfortunately, the average costs for producing these documents based on the information we’ve received so far would be more than $1,000 per office.”

“At an estimated cost of more than $120,000 for mailing addresses along, this method of communication is simply no longer cost effective,” he wrote. “Instead, we will work with other pro-Second Amendment groups to find ways to reach voters with critical information.”

It was likely as much a face-saving decision as a financial one however.  A number of people have expressed opposition to the request and believe it to be hypocritical given it was a GOP Senator, Mark Obenshain, who was responsible for making sure the information would become private and no longer accessible in individual clerks offices beginning July 1.

NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

The Virginia GOP repeated that it was only trying to build information for out reach to voters. They will now have to rely on pro-rights groups to reach out to their members the get the information out. It is suggested that the candidates have a presense at every gun show between now and election day to insure gun owners know that all three of the Democrat candidates have made comments supportive of increased gun control.

Virginia GOP Requests CHP Data Before Obenshain Bill Becomes Law

Nothing really new here.  For years before the Roanoke Times caused this to be an issue, candidates in Virginia (usually Republicans) would submit a FOIA request to the State Police to get the list of Virginia Concealed Carry Permit (CHP) holders to use for targeted mailings.  It is likely some of the various gun rights groups in Virginia (there are three including VSSA) would do the same thing (I know of at least one group that sent a mailing to me in the name in which my permit is issued, not the name in which I am commonly known). 

Then in 2007, the Roanoke Times, being too cute by half trying to make a point about open government, published the complete list on their web site, thus violating the privacy of over 100,000 Virginians, including some with protective orders or law enforcement, and putting their lives at risk.  After a firestorm of criticism, the paper took down the list.  The Attorney General at the time (Bob McDonnell) issued an opinioin stating that the information could not be released by the state police.  The information however was still available to enterprising individuals upon request at individual circuit court offices, which issue the permits. The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star would publish names of those issued permits but no other information.  Activists have long disapproved of this practice.

This year, after a long battle, the General Assembly passed legislation preventing the information from being released, effective July 1.  Ryan Nobles with NBC 12 reports today that the Republican Party of Virginia has requested by letter, the information for the state's approximate 250,000 CHP holders for use during this year's election. The GOP sent letters to all of the Commonwealth's circuit court offices. Nobles quotes the party spokesman:

"Virginia Republicans have a proud history of defending the Second Amendment, and we are working actively to ensure that voters who are concerned about Second Amendment issues stay informed about Democratic efforts to limit our right to keep and bear arms," said RPV spokesman Garren Shipley.

Nobles reports that not everyone is pleased with this and one permit holder her found out has asked a judge to deny the request.  That interview will be featured at 11:00 PM tonight.

Stating the Obvious - Gun Control Does Not Stop Criminals

In this USA Today article from earlier this week, Camden, New Jersey Police Chief Scott Thomson stated the obvious:

If people want to talk about guns, Thomson pointed out that desperate people on the streets can easily work around the many gun laws in place.

The article was a profile of the crime ridden city of Camden, in a state that the Brady Campaign says has the 2nd strictest gun control laws in the country, New Jersey.

NRANews.com host Cam Edwards spoke with J.D. Tuccille of about the article and a related Reason.com blog post.

Hat tip to NRANews.

Zero Tolerance Policies Intent is Indoctrination

John Lott has more at: Evidence that the Zero Tolerance approach on guns in schools is actually done to change students' views

Are Firearms the New Tobacco?

Politico has the story here.

“The complexity and frequency of gun-related violence combined with its impact on the health and safety of the nation’s residents make it a topic of considerable public health importance,” said Alan Leshner, chairman of the study committee and chief executive of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

He said the proposed research could lead to policies that will reduce gun violence, similar to other public health successes in “lowering tobacco use, accidental poisoning and motor vehicle fatalities.”

Much of the "zero tolerance" nonsense we have seen in the last couple of weeks is nothing more than trying to change the attitude or "brainwash" the public on the issue of firearms, much like Eric Holder suggested in the 90s.  This attempt to politicize research is more of the same.

VSSA Training Team Offering Free Training to Virginia Teachers

Beginning July 1, 2013, the VSSA Training Team will offer free NRA certified pistol training to any teacher in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  This training meets all the requirements for a Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) in Virginia.  You can come to the team in Fairfax, or they can set something up with a local range where you are.  All you need is access to a range and a classroom.  Everything else will be provided.  Contact our training team lead, Tom Ciarula at Tom-C@Cox.net to make arrangements.

VSSA Board of Directors Candidates Wanted

VSSA is seeking candidates to run for the Board of Directors.  Candidates must be either a VSSA Life Memer or have been a member for five consecutive years.  The nominating committee is seeking candidates who have an interest in various shooting disciplines, but who especially have an interest in continuing a strong state association.  If you are interesed in running for this year's Board elections, pleas contact Joe Primerano at: Joe.Primerano@myvssa.org as soon as possible.  The nominating Committee will be making their recommendations to the membership soon.

Democrat Lt. Governor Candidates Try to Out Gun Control Each Other

The New Republic reported yesterday that the two Democratic candidates for Lt. Governor in Virginia, State Senator Ralph Northam and former Kaine Secretary of Technology and Obama administration official Aneesh Chopra, are trying to out gun control each other.

Both Northam and Chopra say they support universal background checks, along with bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. But such is the perceived demand for gun control among Virginia Democrats that they are now battling on territory even beyond that trinity of measures. Chopra has gone on the offensive, arguing that Northam has been too accommodating of the gun lobby in the past, noting that he had a B rating from the NRA as recently as 2008 and that he sided with the organization in voting for legislation that would require municipalities that hold gun buyback initiatives to sell the guns back to the public, instead of melting them down, and for legislation barring municipalities from fingerprinting concealed-carry applicants. A recent mailing from the Chopra campaign attacked Northam for voting in 2012 to shield from prosecution homeowners who kill nonthreatening intruders: “Laws like these have been used to justify the death of teenager Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed while walking home,” the mailer declares. The mailer blurs the distinction between the castle doctrine that lies at the heart of the legislation Northam backed, and "stand your ground" laws like the one at issue in the Florida killing of Martin, but the Chopra campaign argues that the principle at stake is the same: giving too much leeway to gun owners to use deadly force when it is not absolutely necessary, without fear of legal repercussion.

The New Republic views this as the changing politics of gun control - the fact that Democratic candidates are talking gun control in the state that is home to the NRA, as if this is the first time a Democrat in Virginia has run on gun control.  In 2001, then Delegate Don McEachin ran on the issue of gun control.  In 2010, Representative Gerry Connolly, running for re-election, rolled out gun control at the end of his campaign.  And, as noted by the New Republic, in 2009, then former Delegate Brian Moran (D-Alexandria) went after State Senator Creigh Deeds for being too pro-gun when they were running for the Democratic nomination for Governor.

Chopra and the New Republic are trying to make Northam sound firearm friendly simply because of one vote that he cast.  The fact is neither of these will be good for supporters of the Second Amendment so we need to get behind E.W. Jackson and make sure he has the funding necessary to define himself before his opponents get the chance to define him.

Blumenthal to Push Gun Control in Senate Amnesty Bill

The Wall Street Journal reports that Connecticut Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal said he would push to include amendments designed to curb immigrants’ access to firearms in the amnesty legislation working its way through the U.S. Senate.