Representative Margaret Conditt (Butler County District 55) held a fundraiser at the Middletown Sportsmens Club on Saturday, May 12, 2012. The plan was to invite a handful of supporters, spend a few…
April sees 10.5% increase in firearms sales checks over same month last year; 23rd straight month over month increase
The April 2012 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 931,658 is an increase of 10.5 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 843,484 in April 2011. For comparison,…
Buckeye Firearms Assn’s Joe Eaton discusses Stand Your Ground laws at Dayton Daily News roundtable as national debate continues
On Sunday, April 29, The Dayton Daily News published an extensive article documenting a roundtable discussion held in response to the massive nationwide media barrage on the Trayvon Martin/ George Zimmerman case in Florida, and on Stand Your Ground laws.
The DDN “assembled representatives of Ohioans for Concealed Carry, the Buckeye Firearms Association, the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence and the law enforcement community for a spirited conversation that began with the Martin-Zimmerman case and went on to other gun-related topics, such as whether Ohio needs its own stand your ground law.”
Unfortunately, the paper does not publish articles from its Ideas & Voices section online, but we have archived the highlights here:
U.S. House Oversight Committee Makes Case for Contempt of Congress in “Fast and Furious” Investigation
Back in February, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) promised to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress if Holder didn’t hand over Justice Department documents that had been subpoenaed as part of an ongoing investigation into the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ now-infamous “Operation Fast and Furious” gun-walking operation.
[Last] week, Rep. Issa–chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee–made good on the pledge and sent out a draft Contempt Order against Holder to members of the committee. The document makes a case for holding the beleaguered U.S. Attorney General in contempt of Congress due to his ongoing refusal to cooperate with the investigation. While not actually citing Holder with contempt, the document does establish grounds for the charge.
According to a release by the committee, the documents explain what happened in “Fast and Furious,” the hardships faced by the family of murdered Border Patrol agent Brian Terry in getting truthful answers about his death, how whistle-blowers have faced retaliation for their actions, and the violent crime and narco-terrorism in Mexico that “Fast and Furious” has enabled.
“This briefing paper and draft contempt report explains the case, to both Members of the Committee and the American people, for holding Attorney General Holder in contempt of Congress,” said Issa. “In describing the results of the Justice Department’s refusal to cooperate–including the hardships the family of a fallen Border Patrol agent have faced in seeking the truth, and retaliation against agents who blew the whistle on gunwalking–this briefing paper provides the facts, on which decisions will be made.”
CBS News: ‘Most open and transparent administration in history’ returns blank pages as answer to “Fast & Furious” FOIA request
“My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.” – Barack Obama
by Chad D. Baus
CBS News, which for more than a year has been investigating the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms’ “Fast and Furious” operation and related cases that also employed the controversial tactic of “gunwalking,” reported recently that after repeated refusals by Justice Department officials to grant interviews, the news agency has finally received a “partial response” to a Freedom of Information Act request made more than a year ago.
BACKFIRE: House Democrats withdraw push to overturn state’s stand-your-ground self-defense laws
by Chad D. Baus The Washington Times is reporting that House Democrats backed off of their effort Tuesday to offer a “Trayvon amendment” to pressure states to drop their stand-your-ground laws. The…
FLASH: HB495 (Reciprocity & Concealed Carry Modernization) scheduled for sponsor testimony in House committee
On Tuesday, May 15, the House Committee on State Government and Elections, which is chaired by BFA “A” -rated Rep. Ron Maag (R-35), will hear sponsor testimony on Rep. Terry Johnson’s (R-89) HB495, which will reform Ohio concealed carry law to protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and continue a trend toward making Ohio law similar to other states. The hearing will be held at 1:30pm in Room 116.
Currently, the gun laws in the Ohio Revised Code contain a number of ambiguities, and a number of “poison pill” provisions that have created confusion for law-abiding Ohioans, law enforcement agencies and the courts. Nine years ago, Governor Robert Taft refused to sign Ohio’s concealed carry legislation unless it contained language to address so-called “safety concerns” of anti-gun activists. None of these provisions have proven helpful in protecting public safety, nor is there any evidence they have reduced gun-related crime.
Once adopted, HB495 would eliminate hundreds of words from the Ohio Revised Code without making any material changes. This will make the law easier to read, understand, comply with and enforce – a win for everyone.
“This important legislation addresses real problems with Ohio law,” said Jim Irvine, chairman of the Buckeye Firearms Association, a grassroots gun advocacy organization. “It continues the trend to remove problems and align Ohio law with commonly understood concepts.”
In addition to that technical fix, the bill would make three changes to Ohio law. First, Ohio would join many other states in automatically honoring other state’s concealed carry licenses, and allowing the Attorney General to sign more agreements with other states. Second, HB495 would also remove a vague and unenforceable “demonstrated competency” requirement, and third, the law would clarify the definition of a “loaded gun.”
Op-Ed: Petty, anti-gun antics from the Ohio Democrat Party and its allies
The well funded, anti-firearm lobby will harangue any politician
by Raquel Okyay
The anti-gun lobby, the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence and Democratic state officials are aiming their pointy little fingers at state Republican Rep. Margaret Conditt of Liberty Township because she plans to have an election fundraiser at Middletown Sportsmen’s Club on May 12.
The club is a — danger alert — firing range, and apparently a big no-no if concerned citizens care about gun violence and young people. Firing ranges, being operated by the experts, taking the best possible precautions, are practical, effective and legal; so what is the problem with having a politician conduct a fundraiser at a local firing range?
Common sense says absolutely nothing, yet the picture the hucksters would like to paint is a dark, ugly one of evil at the hands of bad politicians who support Second Amendment rights.
Calling the scheduled event “distasteful” and “irresponsible,” opponents claim their objection to Conditt’s firing range fundraiser is due to the senseless killing of 3 students at Chardon High School in Geauga County on February 27, when a lone 17 year old opened fire at a cafeteria table using a .22 caliber pistol. Huh? What does a firing range fundraiser have to do with a high school shooter?
Common sense says absolutely nothing – apples and oranges – but opponents will have us believe there is a sure correlation between violent acts committed by criminals and the weaponry used at firing ranges when the evidence clearly shows there is none.
Dick Lugar, “The Most Anti-Gun Republican in the U.S. Senate,” suffers landslide defeat in GOP primary
by Chad D. Baus Senator Dick Lugar, who has been described as the most anti-gun Republican in the U.S. Senate, has suffered a landslide defeat in the Indiana state Republican primary. He…
Questions that should have been asked at anti-gun press conference
Editor’s Note – The following op-ed originally appeared at StatehouseNewsOnline.com. Republished with permission.
by Maggie Thurber | Ohio Watchdog
Democrats used an upcoming Republican fundraiser to attack Second Amendment rights and other gun laws in Ohio. Reps. Ted Celeste and Tracy Maxwell Heard (Democrats from the Columbus area) held a press conference Thursday where they blasted Rep. Margaret Conditt’s upcoming “Shoot for Liberty” fundraiser at the Middletown Sportsman Club on May 12. Conditt is a Republican representing the 55th House District in Butler County.
Also present were Toby Hoover, executive director of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence and Brian Rothenberg, executive director of Progress Ohio, a nonprofit organization that advocates for progressive policies.
They want Conditt to cancel her fundraiser where supporters are encouraged to “BYOGun” and will be given an opportunity to shoot a machine gun.
This was nothing more than sheer political posturing as the questions that should have been asked would have revealed.
Referring to the February shooting at Chardon High School, Celeste said, “To parade about a fundraiser where supporters can shoot semi-automatic weapons for pleasure is distasteful and offensive to the memory of those students who were senselessly killed.”
How is a fundraiser offensive to the memory of students who were killed? Is it even likely, absent coverage like this, that the families and friends of those students are even aware of a fundraiser that is taking place 260 miles from Chardon High School? Did Celeste speak to the families of the students before presuming to speak on their behalf?
Why does he consider this to be distasteful? Are gun deaths in general a reason for others to not shoot or for such sporting clubs to hold events where guns are used?
Or is this just a convenient emotional appeal that fits with his agenda to limit gun usage in the state?