The Case for Concealed Carry in Washington D.C.

Over the weekend, Leadership Institute Northeast Regional Field Coordinator Gabby Hoffman had an Op/Ed in the Richmond Times Dispatch making the case for repealing the ban on carrying handguns in Washington D.C.  In the opinion piece, Hoffman wrote about how Virginia's concealed handgun law has made the Commonwealth a safer place, and how crime has dropped at the same time gun sales have increased exponentially in the last six years:

If D.C. adopts gun laws similar to those of Virginia, the nation’s capital will witness a reduction in crime when law-abiding residents are permitted to conceal-carry.

Hoffman spoke with NRANews' Cam Edwards on Monday and talked in more detail about how D.C.'s residents would benefit if the City Council adopted a carry ordinance similar to Virginia.

Getting Gun in D.C. Long and Expensive

The Washington Post has an article by a Post reporter detailing what he went through to get a firearm in D.C.

It took $833.69, a total of 15 hours 50 minutes, four trips to the Metropolitan Police Department, two background checks, a set of fingerprints, a five-hour class and a 20-question multiple-choice exam.

It's a good read.

DC Voting Rights Act Still on Hold

I posted earlier this week that the House postponed action on the DC Voting Rights Act because pro-rights Democrats may push to include a pro-rights amendment aimed at requiring DC to abide by the Heller Decision and strip much of the new regulations the city imposed on anyone wishing to own a firearm. As of today, no vote has been scheduled.

The Hill reported late yesterday that House Leadership has offered the NRA a stand alone bill on DC gun rights. The problem is, there would be no incentive for the Senate to take up the bill and it would flounder as it did last year when the House passed a bill expanding the rights of DC residents only to see it die of inaction in the Senate. But with the gun rights amendment, the DC Voting Rights Act will likely die as pro-rights Republicans who want to abide by the constitution when it comes to giving DC a representative in Congress would join with anti-rights Democrats who don't want DC residents to own firearms.

Politics at its best.

DC Gun Rights Amendment Stalls DC Voting Rights Bill

As was the case in the 110th Congress, an amendment giving broader gun rights to residents of the District of Columbia, has stalled legislation that would give D.C. residents a vote in the House of representatives. In 2007, the bill was pulled permanently after an amendment (pre-Heller) repealing the D.C. gun ban.

I have to admit I am not a fan of the "D.C. Voting Rights" bill (it's unconstitutional and there is an easy fix for residents that want congressional representation - draw a line around the "Seat of Government" and give back everything else to Maryland which is where the remaining portion of DC came from in the first place). However, if it is going to pass (elections have consequences) it might as well at least stop the D.C. City Council from circumventing the Heller decision.

The Senate last week added the gun rights amendment to its version of the D.C. voting rights bill (Senators Warner and Webb voted yes). D.C. officials hoped the House version would not pass with the amendment and force the Senate in negotiations to remove its gun amendment. D.C. officials held a little protest to the amendment yesterday.

However, the House Rules Committee abruptly canceled a meeting it had scheduled for yesterday in preparation to move the bill to the House floor today. It became clear conservative Democrats who are pro-rights had enough support to force a vote on the gun law amendment and may pull their support of the bill without it.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said action on the bill would be delayed for at least the rest of the week.

"The irony is . . . if [the amendment] passes, we may not be able to pass the bill"

Many assumed Democrats would use their enhanced majority power to pass a rule that would bar gun amendments. D.C. "Delegate" Eleanor Holmes Norton told the Washington Post, the NRA had other plans. According to the Post, Norton said NRA told lawmakers that it might score their votes on the rule for the D.C. bill, meaning representatives could be recorded as casting an anti-gun vote if they approved a rule blocking amendments on the D.C. vote bill.

The 2nd Amendment - In the Candidates' Own Words

Here for youself what the Presidential Candidates have to say on the 2nd Amendment.



Obama takes two different stances on the issue within four months.

It's Not Over Till the Fat Lady Sings

The Northern Virginia Daily reported this morning that Senator Jill Vogel (R-Upperville) said Wednesday she intends to use a rarely invoked procedure on the floor today to bring the override of vetoed SB 436 back for one more try.

SB 436 initially passed the Senate 31-9, more than enough votes to overcome a veto. But as I posted yesterday, six Democrats changed their mind and voted against the measure on Wednesday. Vogel believes the Governor put pressure on Democrats in the Senate to change their earlier position in support of this bill.

Kaine said the measure was a danger to law enforcement officers. What he did not explain is how exactly are law abiding gun owners who choose to take advantage of the change in the law a threat to law enforcement. Criminals don't obey the law and will continue to hide their guns - the difference be they won't be in locked containers.

The leopard has begun showing its spots when it comes to Kaine and gun owner rights. While he has signed pro-gun legislation, he continues to veto legislation that expands the rights of citizens to protect themselves and their families. He clearly has an elitist view of the Second Amendment. For proof, we need only go back as far as January when he disagreed with Attorney Bob McDonnell's joining the amicus brief of 30 other AGs in support of Richard Heller in the D.C. gun ban case.

Kaine is no friend of gun owners or the right to self defense.

Update: The Washington Times this morning, reporting on the D.C. Gun Ban case and the number of groups that have weighed in had this tidbit:

A spokesman for Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, said Mr. Kaine supports Second Amendment rights but that they are "subject to reasonable regulation."

"He has not gone that far" to say that he does not want to see the ban overturned, Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey said. "He is not the governor of D.C."

This begs the question, does a complete ban on guns (handguns are completely banned in D.C. and log guns must be registered and lock or disassembled with ammo stored separately - effectively making them all but banned) equal "reasonable regulation"?

Washington for Delegate

On February 19th, a special election will be held to fill the vacant 99th District seat in the Virginia General Assembly. The seat is vacant because former Delegate Rob Wittman was elected to fill the unexpired term of the late Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis. There is a candidate that gun owners should support next Tuesday and that candidate is Lee Anne Washington.

Lee Anne is one of us. She has the endorsement of the National Rifle Association as well as an "A" rating from the NRA. Lee Anne also supported VSSA's efforts to join the state association amicus brief on behalf of Robert Heller in the DC gun ban case.

Virginia's 99th Legislative District includes King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond and Westmoreland Counties, and the Bowling Green and Port Royal Precincts of Caroline County.

If you live in the 99th District, or have friends and/or family there, or if you don't live in the district but you know fellow shooters that live in the district, please encourage them to vote for Lee Anne Washington on Tuesday, Feb. 19. We need her in Richmond. She'll be a strong voice for the Second Amendment and gun owners in the Virginia General Assembly.

To volunteer in these closing days of the campaign, contact the campaign at:

586 Rappahannock Drive
Post Office Box 948
White Stone, Virginia 22578
(804) 435-1963 ~ Phone
(804) 435-1962 ~ FAX
leanne@washingtonfordelegate.org
http://www.washingtonfordelegate.org/index.html

State Association Amicus Brief Filed With Supreme Court

I posted recently that VSSA was joining with other state associations to file an amicus (Friend of the Court) brief on behalf of Richard Heller in District of Columbia vs. Heller (the D.C. gun ban case). The brief was filed with the Supreme Court of the United States on February 11. A total of 40 state associations joined the brief.

This effort would not have been possible without the coordination of the Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA) and without the generous financial support of VSSA members. VSSA sent a special email asking for a special contribution because the association had not budgeted for this expence when it approved the 2008 budget. VSSA works hard to not go to the membership for numerous fundraising appeals. We send one mailing every year to help underwrite our lobbying efforts. However, the Board felt it was important to be a part of this amicus brief and work to overturn the DC gun ban. It was decided to send an email in an attempt to raise the funds that the Board voted to commit to this effort. VSSA members answered the call and the association met it's goal of financial support for its portion of the attorney fees for the drafting and submission of the brief.

To all VSSA members who contributed, I say thank you for your support. You have made it possible for VSSA to be a part of history.

You can read the brief here.

Senator John Warner One of Three GOP Senators Not Signed on to Heller Amicus

The Washington Post this morning reported that retiring Virginia Senator John Warner is one of only three GOP U.S. Senators that did not join in on the "Friend of the Court" brief on behalf of Dick Heller, the plaintiff challenging the D.C. Gun Ban. Warner said he did not sign on "out of respect for Home Rule." How about respect for the Constitution?

Senator Jim Webb was one of nine Democrats to sign on for a total of 55 Senators.

Governor Kaine Opposes Overturning D.C. Gun Ban

This one got by me with everything going on at the General Assembly. On the January 8th edition of the WWBT 12 (Richmond NBC Affiliate) evening news, they did a report on Attorney General Bob McDonnell's joining an amicus brief supporting Heller in Heller vs. District of Columbia that is headed to the Supreme Court.

The report quoted McDonnell as saying “This is the most important Second Amendment case in all of history. Virginia has pretty much always understood it to be an individual right and so the gun laws in Virginia have reflected that philosophy."

Kaine on the other hand doesn't agree and doesn't advocate overturning D.C.'s ban. Gov. Kaine told WWBT “I don't support overturning what DC has done in this instance but the AG has by statute clear ability to file legal briefs in his capacity as attorney general and you know that could lead him to file briefs i don't completely agree with but the statute is very plain.”

U.S. Senator, Jim Webb (D-Virginia) to his credit agrees with McDonnell that the handgun ban in D.C.should be overturned. Webb told WWBT, “What they've done in my opinion is put a burden on law abiding people who have difficulty in defending themselves.”

Yet Kaine stills insists that he "supports the Second Amendment." Just more proof when a politician will not detail what he or she means when they make that blanket statement, you better hold on to your guns.

You can read the entire report and watch video of the report here.