Democrats Advance Two Gun Control Bills in Minnesota House

MN Gun Bill

Democrats in the Minnesota House of Representatives advanced two gun control bills on Thursday that have Republicans, gun groups, and private citizens concerned.

HF 4300, authored by Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, D-Roseville, would set new laws for how firearms must be stored. Under the proposed law, gun owners must either leave their firearms unloaded with a locking device, or store their firearms in a legitimate “firearm storage unit” such as a safe. Citizens who fail to do so will face legal consequences ranging from misdemeanors to felonies depending on the offense.

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NRA Exec, Trump Donor Says Daughter and Granddaughter Died in Plane Crash that Sparked DC Sonic Boom

An NRA executive and major Republican donor said her daughter and granddaughter were killed alongside the 2-year-old girl’s nanny and the pilot of a private Cessna plane that crashed in Virginia and sparked a sonic boom from responding military jets.

“My family is gone, my daughter and granddaughter,” Barbara Rumpel posted on Facebook Sunday evening. 

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Gov. Lee’s Office Clashes with NRA over Red Flag Laws

According to a memo from Republican Governor Bill Lee’s office on the subject of gun control, those in Lee’s camp believe that attempting it is not possible to contain mental illness, and thus his proposal for red flag laws should be implemented.

One of the memos, obtained via public records request by The Associated Press, claims that Lee accused the National Rifle Association (NRA) of wanting to use involuntary commitment laws “to round up mentally ill people and deprive them of other liberties.”

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Gov. Lee’s Office Won’t Confirm Whether He Met with State Rep. Justin Jones on Gun Control

Gov. Bill Lee’s office did not respond to The Tennessee Star’s Monday inquiries seeking clarification on whether Lee met with Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and a group of students to discuss gun control last week. 

Friday, the far-left Tennessee Holler posted a video to Twitter claiming that he was marching to Lee’s office with students to stress the urgency of implementing gun control measures during the upcoming August special legislative session. 

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CNN Fires Don Lemon After Liberal Host Attacks GOP Candidates on Age and Race

CNN has fired Don Lemon in the wake of the controversial liberal talk show host’s disparaging remarks about the race and age of GOP presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley. 

As the left-leaning cable news network reported, Monday’s announcement came without explanation and “astonished the media industry.” News of Lemon’s departure followed word that conservative host Tucker Carlson and Fox News had parted ways. 

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Trump Asks NRA Members for Their Votes to End the Radical, Gun Control Left’s Reign

Reminding gun owners what he did for the protection of the Second Amendment and pledging to do much more, former President Donald Trump closed the National Rifle Association’s main event Friday with a stemwinder that brought the crowd to its feet. 

In a full-on campaign speech, the Republican presidential frontrunner told those assembled at the NRA-Institute for Legislative Action Leadership Forum that he was running for another term to right the ship listing from “nation-wrecking, globalist marxists, RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) and tyrants.” 

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TFA’s John Harris Commentary: What the Congressional Speaker Selection Delay Means to Gun Owners in Tennessee

As of January 3, 2023, the Republicans were supposed to control the United States House of Representatives by a slim majority. On that date, many expected that the task of electing a new Speaker and moving forward with the business of “the people” in the House would start under Republican party control. But as of January 6, 2023, those elected to serve in the House have not selected a Speaker and so the House has not been organized nor undertaken regular operations. National news reports indicate that the presumptive Republican Speaker so far has fallen short in getting the required number of votes in part because approximately 20 Republicans who were elected in November have refused to vote for McCarty and no other individual has demonstrated enough votes to get the position.

One of the issues that is being discussed is whether any of those who have refused to support McCarthy in the 11 votes taken as of January 5th have broken a promise, perhaps a campaign promise, to do so. It is an active discussion over what was promised and whether there are any valid justifications for withholding support if a promise was made. Indeed, at least in Nashville, the talk radio shows are expending a great amount of time reviewing this issue because there is a Congressman-elect from Tennessee who is part of the story.

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Elaine Davis and Janet Testerman are Set to Face Off for Tennessee House District 18, Knox County’s Only Contested Republican Primary

With one-term Representative Eddie Mannis deciding not to run for another term, Tennessee House District 18 is the only one of Knox County’s seven state House districts that will have a contested Republican primary on the August 4 ballot.

Elaine Davis, Former Knox County Commissioner and former Vice Chair of the Knox County Republican Party will face off against Knoxville City Council member-at-large Janet Testerman in the district that lies mainly in West Knoxville and is now considered to be slightly more conservative after the recent redistricting that picked up a small portion of South Knox.

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National Rifle Association Endorses State Representative Scott Cepicky

In a statement released by his campaign, the National Rifle Association (NRA) endorsed State Representative Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) for re-election in the race for Tennessee’s House District 64.

Speaking about the NRA endorsement, Cepicky said, “I am honored that the NRA recognizes my commitment to protecting our Second Amendment rights. I will continue to vehemently oppose any legislation that tries to strip away your constitutional rights, and I remain committed to our conservative values and the individual rights of the people of District 64 – and all Tennesseans.”

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Nikki Fried’s Republican Donations Complicate Attacks on Charlie Crist

Less than two months out from the Democratic primary for Florida governor, Fried’s attacks on Charlie Crist for his time as a Republican has become complicated due to Fried’s own campaign donations to GOP candidates.

Crist, who served as a Republican governor in Florida from 2007 to 20011, changed parties and won the Democratic nomination for governor in 2014 and lost to then-Gov. Rick Scott. Crist now serves as a Democratic member of Congress.

Fried’s message to Democratic voters has attempted to take advantage of Crist’s past ties to Republican causes.

“They’re tired of recycled politicians especially people that haven’t delivered for Democrats ever,” Fried stated. She also said that Crist needs to be held “accountable” for his past “destructive” record assisting Republicans.

Specifically, Fried has highlighted Crist’s past positions on guns and abortion.

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North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson Says ‘The American Dream Is Absolutely Not Dead’

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson told The Tennessee Star at the Faith and Freedom Road to Majority Conference on Friday that the “American Dream is absolutely not dead.”

“It’s like I said to a group today, they say that the American Dream is dead. People will tell me that to my face,” he said. “I’m living the American Dream. I’m literally the guy that’s from the wrong side of the tracks with all the so-called strikes against me. Here I am, making history in North Carolina, the first black Lt. Governor of North Carolina.”

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Florida Sen. Rick Scott Defends 2018 Gun Control Law

Florida Sen. Rick Scott (R) defended his signing of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act back in 2018 in the wake of the school shooting tragedy in Uvalde, Tex. The then-bill raised the firearm purchasing age and established a Red Flag law. Scott defended his actions on the Hugh Hewitt Show, reminding listeners he was governor during the Parkland school shooting tragedy.

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Despite Calls to Withdraw, Earle-Sears Doubles Down in Speech at NRA Conference

Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears blamed a lack of virtue for the U.S.’ “present-day woes” in a Friday speech at the NRA Women’s Leadership Forum. After the May 24 shooting and mass murder at a Texas school, Earle-Sears faced pressure to withdraw from the speaking commitment, but instead doubled down, publishing her speech in a Friday press release and excerpts on Twitter.

“They did not want me to come, thinking you are monsters, that you are culpable in the murder of the children,” Earle-Sears’ written remarks state.

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Kemp Signs Constitutional Carry Bill into Law

Georgia’s governor Tuesday signed a bill into law that will allow residents of the state to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.

“I certainly want to thank all of those legislators – many of them – that along with us have been pushing to get this bill across the finish line for a long time,” Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said in the bill signing ceremony at Gable Sporting Goods in Douglasville.

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NRA and Tennessee Firearms Association Call for Action Against Two Tennessee General Assembly Bills

The NRA Institute for Legislative Action has weighed in on several firearms-related bills being considered by various Tennessee General Assembly committees and subcommittees this week.

The Tennessee Star has previously reported that the Tennessee Firearms Association has weighed in on firearms-related legislation. The Tennessee Firearms Association and the NRA agree on opposition to two bills in particular.

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Federal Court to Hear Challenge to Florida Gun Law

Rick Scott

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled a time when it will hear a challenge to a Florida law that bans 18 to 20-year-olds from purchasing rifles and shotguns. The court will hear the arguments during the week of March 21, 2022.

The law in question is the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, named after the school where the Parkland school shooting took place. The assailant was underage and used a modern sporting rifle during the shooting.

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Conservative Organizations Launching Efforts to Influence Virginia Republican Policy in 2022 General Assembly

The Virginia Family Foundation announced its Vision for Virginia slate of policy priorities on Monday. That’s part of the organization’s push to influence legislators ahead of Virginia’s 2022 General Assembly session. The list highlights traditional conservative policies including traditional families, small government, and free markets.

“For the past several years Virginia’s government has walked away from time-honored principles, like religious freedom, individual liberty, and limited government, which can all be traced back to Virginia’s historic past,” President Victoria Cobb said in an email announcing the platform. “In Virginia, not only did we need new political leadership, we desperately needed a renewed vision for the people of Virginia to rally around.”

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Commentary: An Overview of the 2022 Election Cycle

"VOTE ONE MORE TIME" sign on an electric pole in Atlanta, Georgia

It is now less than a year to the 2022 elections, with this, more stories about the midterms are developing. Below are the latest updates.

State

In California, Progressive San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin will face a recall. Conservatives have tapped into anger over his decisions not to prosecute certain cases. Meanwhile, CA Governor Gavin Newsom is facing controversy over his lack of public appearances.

In Wisconsin, Republicans are continuing their 2020 election audit, even amidst criticism that the audit is too partisan and unruly. Republican Senator Ron Johnson is set to decide in the next few weeks over whether he will seek re-election

In New Jersey, Powerful Democratic State Senate President Stephen Sweeney has conceded in his race for re-election. Sweeney’s race caused national headlines because it was so shocking.

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Florida Law Banning Firearm Sales to People Under 21 Years Old Upheld

Last week, a federal judge upheld Florida’s law banning firearm sales to under 21 years old. The law was passed as part of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act which raised the purchasing age to 21. Previously, Floridians 18 to 20 were permitted to purchase firearms.

The judge, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, reluctantly upheld the law based on the Eleventh Circuit’s Second Amendment precedent but warned about the potential damage to 18-to-20-year-olds’ Second Amendment rights.

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In Debate, Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Gun Violence and the Parole Board

The five Democratic candidates for governor met for the first televised debate on Tuesday evening where they discussed issues including the economic crisis, gun violence, marijuana legalization, the Virginia Parole Board, and vaccine hesitancy. For the most part, the candidates stuck to discussing their own policies, but occasionally turned to attack perceived front-runner McAuliffe.

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Michigan Woman Who Gave Viral Testimony During Voter Fraud Hearing Running for State Office

Melissa Carone, the Michigan woman whose testimony during an election fraud hearing went viral, plans to run for a seat in Michigan’s House of Representatives.

Carone claims about widespread voter fraud were spoofed by Saturday Night Live, and after her testimony, she clarified that she was not drunk while speaking. She filed to run in Michigan’s 46th House district in the outskirts of metro Detroit.

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Los Angeles Ordered to Pay NRA Six Figures After Losing First Amendment Case

The Washington Free Beacon reports, a federal court ordered the city of Los Angeles to pay the NRA’s lawyer fees of approximately $150,000, just months after he ruled a city ordinance violated the gun-rights group’s First Amendment rights.

The City of Los Angeles tried to penalize any contractor with ties to the NRA. The NRA sued over the ordinance and federal district court judge Stephen Wilson ruled it was an unconstitutional violation of the NRA’s First Amendment rights. The city eventually repealed it and on Tuesday, the judge ordered city officials to pay the NRA’s attorney fees totaling about $150,000.

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New York Attorney General Files Lawsuit Seeking Dissolution of National Rifle Association

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit Thursday that seeks to have the National Rifle Association dissolved, saying the gun rights organization has been engaging in “illegal conduct” by funneling charitable donations to its leaders.

James accuses longtime NRA leader Wayne LaPierre and a number of other executives at the nonprofit advocacy organization of diverting “millions of dollars away from the charitable mission of the organization for personal use by senior leadership, awarding contracts to the financial gain of close associates and family, and appearing to dole out lucrative no-show contracts to former employees in order to buy their silence and continued loyalty.”

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Austin Tong Refuses to Apologize for Gun-Toting Tiananmen Square Protest Photo, Says He Plans to Sue Fordham University

Austin Tong, a Chinese immigrant, has been barred from the university campus and is required to do mandatory “implicit bias” training, the Washington Free Beacon reported. Administrators also demanded the student write a letter of apology as a consequence of  his June 4 Instagram post, according to a disciplinary letter.

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Florida Supreme Court Quashes Amendment That Would Outlaw ‘Assault Weapons’

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday struck down an amendment that would ban the ownership of assault weapons due to misleading wording.

Ban Assault Weapons Now, which prohibited the “possession of assault weapons,” banned magazines holding more than 10 rounds and mandated registration for these guns, was set to appear on the 2022 ballot. However, justices voted 4-1 to ensure this doesn’t happen, according to the Washington Examiner.

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Governor Bill Lee Announces ‘Constitutional Carry’ Legislation

At a press conference Thursday surrounded by more than 40 members of the Tennessee General Assembly, Governor Bill Lee announced that he will be introducing legislation supporting the God-given and constitutionally-protected Second Amendment rights of Tennesseans with a Constitutional Carry bill.

Word of an announcement that would generically expand “constitutional rights” got out late Wednesday, although the Tennessee Firearms Association’s Executive Director John Harris said that they were made aware weeks ago of a major announcement on a 2A issue that TFA members would likely be pleased with.

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New York Is Illegally Targeting the NRA, Trump Says

by Fred Lucas   President Donald Trump on Monday called the New York state attorney general’s newly announced probe of the National Rifle Association illegal, and an expert on laws regarding nonprofits contends that the probe is at minimum improper. Trump said it was a concerted effort to “take down and destroy” the NRA. “When a state attorney general uses the power vested in the attorney general’s office to improperly use [it] against organizations for political purposes, it could be illegal,” Cleta Mitchell, a Washington lawyer who advises nonprofits and was co-counsel to the NRA in a 2002 Supreme Court case, told The Daily Signal. “The NRA, in court, would have a good predicate to argue political bias against the organization to show that hostility toward the organization’s existence,” Mitchell said. Over the weekend, the attorney general’s office announced it commenced an investigation into the NRA’s nonprofit status and would be subpoenaing financial records. The announcement came in the midst of turmoil in the organization after the NRA ousted Oliver North as president in what became a public dispute between North and NRA Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre. North reportedly said he was forced out because he alleged financial improprieties. New…

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Trump Scraps Obama-Era UN Arms Treaty Opposed by Second Amendment Backers

by Fred Lucas   President Donald Trump announced Friday the United States is pulling out of the international Arms Trade Treaty, a treaty signed by the Obama administration—but never ratified by the Senate—that concerned many Second Amendment advocates. Trump called it a “badly misguided” treaty when speaking Friday at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting in Indianapolis. “We will never allow foreign bureaucrats to trample on your Second Amendment freedoms,” the president said. “We will never ratify the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty. I hope you’re happy.” The announcement brought a standing ovation, surprising the president a little. “I’m impressed. I didn’t know too many of you would know what that is,” Trump said. “America is rejecting this treaty.” Trump signed, in front of the crowd, a message asking the Senate to discontinue any further ratification efforts “and return the now-rejected treaty back to me in the Oval Office, where I will dispose of it.” That prompted another standing ovation and chants of “USA! USA!” Second Amendment advocates were concerned the treaty could provide an international law rationalization for a national gun registry in the United States, and say it was overly vague. That still leaves 101 countries that have ratified…

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NRA’s North Won’t Seek Second Term After LaPierre Alleges Extortion

by Whitney Tipton   National Rifle Association president Oliver North announced he will not serve a second term Saturday amid controversy stirring the group, including allegations of extortion from NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre. North cited a “clear crisis” that “needs to be dealt with” for the gun rights behemoth to continue operating in a statement read on his behalf, according to The Associated Press. LaPierre sent a letter to NRA board members Thursday claiming North was extorting him to leave the organization under the threat of having accusations of financial misconduct made against him, according to The Wall Street Journal. ” … the exhortation was simple: resign or there will be destructive allegations made against me and the NRA,” the letter, which TheWSJ obtained, states. “Alarmed and disgusted, I refused the offer.” North reportedly said his efforts were beneficial to the NRA in a separate letter to the board, according to TheWSJ, and said he was putting a committee together to investigate the organization’s finances. LaPierre said North contacted his office Wednesday, telling a staffer LaPierre needed to resign, or its ad agency Ackerman McQueen would send a letter with “a devastating account of our financial status, sexual…

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Trump Tells NRA He’ll Fight for Gun Rights

  President Donald Trump vowed to fight for gun rights as he addressed the National Rifle Association on Friday and implored members of the group — struggling to maintain its influence — to rally behind his re-election bid. Speaking to the group for his third straight year, Trump declared himself a “champion for the Second Amendment.” “It’s under assault,” he said of the constitutional right to bear arms. “But not while we’re here.” And he told the thousands in the crowd: “You better get out there and vote,” saying of the 2020 election, “It seems like it’s a long ways away. It’s not.” The nation’s largest gun rights organization was pivotal to Trump’s victory in 2016. But three years later, the group is limping toward the next election divided and diminished. It’s a reversal that has stunned longtime observers and gun control advocates and raises questions about the one-time kingmaker’s clout heading into 2020 as Trump and Vice President Mike Pence headline the group’s annual convention in Indianapolis on Friday. “I’ve never seen the NRA this vulnerable” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control measures. In the months after Trump’s election,…

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Commentary: Chick-fil-A and NRA Prove Democrats Can Never Be Trusted With Power

by CHQ Editor George Rasley   The recent sagas of the political discrimination against Chick-fil-A and the NRA are just two of the many cases of politically-driven regulatory action by Democrat officeholders and elected officials. What’s been done to Chick-fil-A and the NRA demonstrate just how bad life in America could get if Democrats ever return to complete control of the federal government. In San Antonio, TX and Buffalo, NY Chick-fil-A was prohibited from expanding into those cities’ airports by Democratic lawmakers who claimed, without evidence, that Chick-fil-A discriminated against homosexuals and transgendered individuals. The trampling of the First Amendment rights of the openly Christian business was so outrageous that the New York affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union issued a statement after the chicken sandwich chain was blocked from the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. “Government actors cannot officially silence speech or take punitive actions based on a person’s or private entity’s political viewpoints,” NYCLU Assistant Director for Legislative Affairs Erika Lorshbough said in a statement to The Hill. “The First Amendment does not permit the NFTA to base its contracting decisions on the political views of a vendor.” According to reporting by RedState, the Texas-based First Liberty Institute…

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House Eyes Votes on Two Gun Control Measures

by Joshua Nelson   The Democrat-controlled House is expected to vote this week on two gun control bills, one of which would subject gun sales by licensed dealers to federal review while the other would impose a universal background check on gun owners. Last week, the House Judiciary Committee passed both measures on a 23-15 vote along party lines. In a public statement, the National Rifle Association said the measures would not cut off criminals’ access to firearms and instead would inconvenience law-abiding citizens. Reps. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and Pete King, R-N.Y., are spearheading what some call the most high-profile action on gun control in two decades. Neither is a member of the Judiciary Committee. Titled the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, one of the bills targets firearms purchased online or at gun shows, requiring these purchases to be subject to the federal background check system. The legislation would amend current law that mandates only licensed firearms dealers must perform background checks before approving a gun sale. The amendment would require all gun transfers go through licensed firearm dealers to run background checks. Gifts between family members and temporary transfers for use at a shooting range and hunting would be exempt…

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Second Amendment Groups Vow to Fight Minnesota DFL’s Gun Control Efforts

The only thing barring Democrats from total control of Minnesota’s government is a one-seat Republican majority in the Senate, but that might not be enough to block gun-control efforts during the upcoming session. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) recently indicated that he has “some openness” on the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party’s gun-control proposals, but insisted that he’s a “strong supporter of Second Amendment rights.” I have always been a strong supporter of 2nd amendment rights,my lifetime rating on guns is A+ or A. I’m open to discussing changes but it will have to pass a high bar. A few GOP want more gun restrictions,a few Dems don’t want more restrictions. We shall see what happens. — Paul Gazelka (@paulgazelka) December 18, 2018 But his December 18 tweet sparked some optimism among DFL legislators, who now believe they “have a pretty good chance this year of convincing suburban legislators who might have been reluctant in the past to vote for these bills,” Sen. Ron Latz (D-St. Louis Park) told KSTP. Latz said the DFL is looking at two specific gun-control policies, namely universal background checks in the state as well as a “red flag” law, which allows the state to temporarily…

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NRA Endorses Mark Green for Congress

The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund has endorsed Republican Mark Green for Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District seat this week. Republican Marsha Blackburn currently occupies that seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is right now running for the U.S. Senate. In their endorsement, NRA officials describe Green as “a longtime champion for gun owners” who fought for the Second Amendment in the Tennessee State Senate. “I’m proud to receive the NRA’s endorsement,” Green said in a press release. “In the State Senate, I have led the fight to expand gun rights to law-abiding citizens and championed the constitutional carry bill in the state. I defended each of the freedoms in the Constitution when I went to Iraq and Afghanistan, and if elected to Congress, you can count on me to continue fighting for the Second Amendment.” Green is a lifetime member of the NRA and has collaborated with the organization on numerous legislative efforts. In his latest re-election campaign to the State Senate, Green received an A+ on the NRA-ILA’s scorecard and also received their endorsement, according to the press release. Green’s opponent in the race, Democrat Justin Kanew, has reportedly pledged not to accept any NRA contributions,…

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‘Fibber Phil’ Bredesen Called Out by NRA: ‘Stop Lying’ About Endorsement

Phil Bredesen has a “D,” not an “A” rating from the NRA-ILA, and the organization wants him to “stop lying.” The Democratic former governor of Tennessee had received an “A” rating from the NRA – in 2002, The Tennessee Star reported last week. Bredesen is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) who is retiring. NRA-ILA Political Victory Fund executive director Chris W. Cox  is using Twitter to call Bredesen out for his use of the old “A” rating, Breitbart reports. @PhilBredesen It’s not 2002, you’re not governor and you’re not A-rated by the NRA. Its 2018, you have earned a D rating for turning your back on self-defense and supporting the Hillary/Schumer/Bloomberg gun control agenda. @VoteMarsha is a 2A champion. You’re not. #stoplying pic.twitter.com/Wi0ORRmQTv — Chris Cox (@ChrisCoxNRA) September 20, 2018 On September 19, Bredesen posted a video to Twitter in which he is seen holding a shotgun and can be heard talking about the “A” rating, Breitbart says. Bredesen’s video is available here. Real independence and not party politics — that’s what’s right for Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/BmyyvJGL2e — Phil Bredesen (@PhilBredesen) September 19, 2018 Bredesen was elected governor in 2002, and Cox responded…

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NRA Tells Bredesen to Take His ‘Misleading’ Gun Rights Ad Off the Air

The National Rifle Association is demanding Phil Bredesen retract a misleading ad from his U.S. Senate campaign in which he uses an old rating to make it appear the organization supports him. The Washington Free Beacon on Friday reported on the gun rights organization’s demand. Watch Bredesen’s ad: The Democratic former governor of Tennessee had received an “A” rating from the NRA – in 2002. His current grade is far different. “Phil Bredesen is a ‘D’ rated candidate, and he will not protect our constitutional rights in Washington, D.C.,” Chris W. Cox, chairman of the NRA’s Political Victory Fund, said in a statement. “Tennesseans should not be fooled by his false and misleading campaign ads.” “It’s not 2002, you’re not governor and you’re not A-rated by the NRA,” Cox tweeted at Bredesen in response to the ad. “It’s 2018, you have earned a D rating for turning your back on self-defense and supporting the Hillary/Schumer/Bloomberg gun control agenda. @VoteMarsha is a 2A champion. You’re not.” @PhilBredesen It’s not 2002, you’re not governor and you’re not A-rated by the NRA. Its 2018, you have earned a D rating for turning your back on self-defense and supporting the Hillary/Schumer/Bloomberg gun control agenda. @VoteMarsha…

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Dick Durbin Immediately Politicizes Jacksonville Mass Shooting, Attacks NRA

by Peter Hasson Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin didn’t wait for all the facts about the mass shooting in Jacksonville, Florida, on Sunday before politicizing the tragedy and using it to attack the National Rifle Association (NRA). Three people including the shooter died in Sunday’s mass shooting, which took place at a qualifying event for the Madden 19 video game tournament — a gun-free zone. Before it was known how the shooter acquired his gun and what — if any — legislative changes would have prevented him from acquiring it, Durbin pointed a finger at the NRA. “I’m heartbroken for Jacksonville. No community should have to suffer from such senseless gun violence,” he wrote on Twitter. “When will Congress have the courage to stand up to the NRA and pass meaningful reforms to help prevent these shootings in America?” Durbin’s fellow Illinois Democrat, Rep. Robin Kelly, similarly used Sunday’s shooting to attack Republicans and the NRA. “This must not become routine. @SpeakerRyan and @HouseGOP take action now,” Kelly wrote on Twitter. “Reject @NRA money. Take action on gun reform legislation. Now. #NeverAgain Not. One More.” The Democratic National Committee repeatedly fundraised off of the Parkland school shooting in February that…

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