Category: A Victory!
When President Joe Biden announces the new executive-level Office of Gun Violence Prevention on Friday, he will name Vice President Kamala Harris as the one to oversee the office, according to Politico.
On September 19, 2023, Breitbart News noted that Biden would be announcing the creation of the new office on Friday.
Information from the Washington Post indicated the office will operate as a coordinated effort between the “White House, the Community Justice Action Fund and Everytown for Gun Safety.”
Shannon Watts, a Mike Bloomberg affiliate who founded Moms Demand Action, praised the creation of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, saying, “If this announcement is, in fact, the creation of a single point of leadership on gun violence in the administration, it’s a very big deal for the movement.”
She added, “A governmental focal point dedicated to creating a framework for overseeing national policy, research and resources would be more than symbolic — it would be a significant turning point for the movement.”
Politico pointed out that Harris will lead the office, and they printed excerpts of a statement from her, which said, “Our promise to the American people is this: we will not stop working to end the epidemic of gun violence in every community, because we do not have a moment, nor a life to spare.”
Harris also noted, “The new Office of Gun Violence Prevention will play a critical role in implementing President Biden’s and my efforts to reduce violence to the fullest extent under the law, while also engaging and encouraging Congressional leaders, state and local leaders, and advocates to come together to build upon the meaningful progress that we have made to save lives.”
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010, a speaker at the 2023 Western Conservative Summit, and he holds a Ph.D. in Military History, with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins.
Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) in Texas are receiving emails and phone calls from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) warning of people trying to acquire .50 caliber rifles and belt-fed firearms.
The ATF started emailing and placing calls to gun dealers in the Dallas and Houston areas, warning about attempts by straw purchasers to acquire high-powered weapons. According to one recorded phone call, the ATF believes that the cartels are behind the straw purchases and are “gearing up” for something over the next 60 days. The ATF agent did not give any specifics as to exactly what the cartels were planning. The email reads:
“(U) Law enforcement is advising Federal Firearms Licensees or expanding interest of criminal networks’ intention to utilize straw purchasers in acquiring large caliber firearms such as .50 caliber and/or belt fed rifles within the next 60 days. This activity is anticipated to occur throughout the entire State of Texas. Please contact your local ATF office if any suspicious, attempted or finalized purchases occur.”
The warning extends to all of Texas. The ATF asks any dealer to contact them immediately if there are any suspicious purchases. The ATF is playing their cards close to their chest.
It is unclear if the mentioned cartel action is expected in the United States or south of Mexico’s border.
The Circle of Trust
The situation reminds a lot of Texas FFLs of the Obama-era “Fast and Furious” gun-walking scandal. Former Attorney General Eric Holder authorized the sale of guns to the cartels in that operation. The idea was to track the weapons back to Mexico, but the Department of Justice (DOJ) lost track of the firearms. Cartels soon turned the guns on U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents, causing one officer working the border to lose his life.
U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was pursuing a group of armed robbers near the Nogales border when a man named Heraclio Osorio-Arellanes pulled out a firearm and fired at the agents. A bullet would strike Terry, killing him.
Mr. Terry was a Michigan native who always wanted to be a cop. He joined the Marines and then became a police officer. Terry felt that he could help more people by joining CBP. He excelled at his job and soon would be assigned to the CBP’s elite unit that deals with the most dangerous situations. The bullet that killed Terry was fired from a gun that the DOJ and the ATF let the cartels acquire through the Fast and Furious scandal.
Since the U.S. government has a history of using FFLs to arm the cartels, many FFLs in the Lone Star State are weary of helping the embattled Bureau. Right now, there is a lack of trust between gun stores and what they see as hostile entities trying to shut down their livelihood.
Some FFLs expressed concerns about the ATF targeting their gun shops if they do report a suspicious sale. The ATF and the Biden administration enacted a “zero tolerance” policy, which has seen FFL revocations hit record levels.
Right now, there is a trust issue between FFLs and gun shops. Instead of being a partner in the industry, under President Joe Biden, the ATF has taken an adversarial role. These conflicts hurt the ATF’s chances of stopping crime and are strengthening the Mexican cartels.
AmmoLand News asked the ATF to comment on the story, but the Bureau did not respond to our request by publicatio
All I know is that if I said “good morning” like that to Top. I would still be on shit details & they would have to Fedex daylight to me. Grumpy
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed multiple anti-gun bills into law on September 26th, drawing criticism from gun-rights advocates.
Table of contents
Quote from Newsom
“While radical judges continue to strip away our ability to keep people safe, California will keep fighting — because gun safety laws work,” said Newsom in a press release obtained by GunsAmerica.
“The data proves they save lives: California’s gun death rate is 43% lower than the rest of the nation. These new laws will make our communities and families safer.”
Anti-Gun Legislation
- Senate Bill 2: Enhances the issuance criteria for carry permits, increasing the scope of gun-free zones and restricting permit holders to only their registered handguns.
- Senate Bill 452: Focuses on the microstamping feature in semi-automatic pistols, setting guidelines for replacing this component and detailing its potential mandatory implementation by 2028.
- Assembly Bill 28: Introduces an 11% excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and firearm parts, with proceeds going to a “gun violence” fund.
- Assembly Bill 1089: Extends California’s ban on manufacturing firearms using CNC milling machines or 3D printers by private individuals.
- Assembly Bill 1587: Mandates credit card issuers to identify firearm and ammunition retailers using specific Merchant Category Codes.
Concerns Raised by Advocates
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) expressed concerns over the new laws. They allege they undermine the rights of law-abiding citizens.
Andrew Gottlieb, CCRKBA’s Managing Director, criticized Newsom for penalizing honest gun owners.
“Gavin Newsom continues to blame gun owners for problems he is not addressing as the state’s chief executive,” said Gottlieb.
“Instead of cracking down on law-abiding gun owners by signing Senate Bill 2, which restricts lawful concealed carry, and Assembly Bill 28, creating an 11 percent excise tax on firearms and ammunition, he should be focusing his attention on the people committing crimes,” he continued.
SEE ALSO: California Lawmakers Back Newsom’s Push to Ratify Anti-Gun 28th Amendment
CCRKBA Board Member Cam Edwards noted that while Attorney General Rob Bonta claimed the right to carry escalates violent crime rates, data shows a nationwide drop in these rates over the past 30 years.
“Of course, it’s gun owners, not guns that these bills are cracking down on. Bonta claimed that the right to carry increases violent crime by 29%, even though violent crime rates have plunged across the country for the past 30 years even as a majority of states have adopted first shall-issue and now permitless carry laws,” said Edwards.
NRA’s Stance on Newsom’s Anti-Gun Laws
The National Rifle Association (NRA) stated that these laws would fail to impact criminals in California. They believe the measures will only create more obstacles for legal gun owners.
The NRA’s legal team announced plans to explore and possibly challenge these laws in court.
Conclusion… Lawsuits Inbound!
There’s little doubt that pro-2A groups will be challenging some of these new laws in the coming weeks. Check back for updates.
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About time!!!
FoxNews.com – A little over four months after Oscar Mayer announced that its iconic Wienermobile would be referred to as the “Frankmobile,” the company is returning to its roots and changing the name back.
“It was a franktastic summer celebrating our 100% beef franks with the Frankmobile from coast to coast,” Kelsey Rice, an associate director at Oscar Mayer, told Fox News Digital.
However, “like many of you,” she added, “we miss our original icon. Kicking off last week, we’re welcoming back the Wienermobile,” she said.
In May, the company — based in Chicago since 2015 — announced that, for the first time in the 87 years of the Wienermobile, the vehicle would have a name change.