Date: Tue, 11 Jul 1995 01:35:10 -0400 From: alerts@gatekeeper.nra.org (NRA Alerts) To: firearms-alert@shell.portal.com Subject: FAXNET: The First Casualty of Politics -- The Truth 95-07-07 NRA-ILA FAX NETWORK 11250 Waples Mill Road * Fairfax, VA 22030 Vol. 2, No. 29 7/7/95 Phone: 1-800-392-8683 * Fax: 703-267-3918 THE FIRST CASUALTY OF POLITICS -- THE TRUTH As noted in last week's FAX (Vol. 2, No. 28), President Clinton's re-election team has launched an onslaught of political ads to prove the President is tough on crime. Unfortunately what these ads prove is the Clinton Administration is tough on the truth! One of the political spots refers to a Houston police officer who was shot and almost killed by Wayne Bunch. While the President's "spin doctors" blame this incident on so-called "assault weapons," they neglected to mention the fact that Bunch, a 42 year-old criminal, was freed from prison on early parole. A second Clinton ad tells the tragic story of two FBI agents who were shot inside a Washington, D.C. police station. Not surprisingly, the TV ad again blames the mythical "assault weapon." But, dig a little deeper and we discover that the gunman, Bennie Lee Lawson, Jr., was able to perpetrate this heinous crime because he was freed from prison on early parole. Notably absent from both ads is any mention whatsoever of the fact that the mere possession of any firearm by these criminals violated long-standing federal firearms laws. If the President is open to a little friendly advice, we'd suggest that like the NRA, he focus his efforts on tightening the loopholes in our criminal justice system that allow violent criminals to be paroled from prison and free to kill at will! CONGRESS ON RECESS until Monday, July 10th, so chances are, your representative is back in his home district this weekend! Take advantage of this opportunity and attend a town meeting or meet with your Representative and encourage him to sign on as a co-sponsor to H.R. 1488, the bill repealing President Clinton's 1994 gun and magazine ban. If he has already signed on, thank him for his support, and encourage him to lobby his fellow lawmakers to do the same. And speaking of H.R. 1488, some reports are claiming that H.R. 1488's provision reaffirming a law-abiding citizen's right to use firearms for self-defense in his home doesn't go far enough, since it does not reaffirm his right to defend himself outside his home. NRA certainly supports the right of citizens to defend themselves outside the home; that is why we have fought in Texas and elsewhere to pass right-to- carry laws allowing citizens to obtain permits to carry handguns for self-defense. Remember, however, that in many parts of the country, state and local laws make it difficult or even impossible for average citizens to own and use guns for self- defense. With H.R. 1488, our supporters in Congress have taken an important first step towards reaffirming our Second Amendments rights by restoring our right to self-defense in the home. For a copy of the fact sheet "H.R. 1488: Fact & Fiction," please call 1-800-392-8683. NRA & FIREARM RIGHTS REINSTATEMENT: On Friday, June 30, the House Appropriations' Treasury Subcommittee passed a Treasury Appropriations bill that would allow the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) to administer the program by which non-violent felons may petition the government to have their rights reinstated, including their right to own a firearm. Allowing felons to petition the government to reinstate their rights was first established in 1968 as a matter of constitutional principle. The elimination of funding in 1992 effectively ended the implementation of this "relief from disabilities" program. The proposed legislation would require the individual felon to incur the full cost of the reinstatement process, including an extensive background check. Contrary to the reports by the media, NRA does not support violent felons petitioning for firearm rights reinstatement, and we are currently working with our congressional allies to ensure violent offenders are specifically prohibited from having these rights reinstated. Rest assured the extremely rigid standards for granting relief remain unchanged, and the BATF still has broad authority over this process. The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to take up this matter later this month. We'll keep you posted! A LOOK AT THE STATES: California: On Tuesday, July 11, the Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee will consider SB 28, legislation calling for a March 1996 ballot question on allowing the Department of Fish & Game to manage the mountain lion population so that residents who live near mountain lion territory and their property are protected. Sport hunting would be one of the management options considered by the department. Members: please call Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee members & urge them to support SB 28. Delaware: The legislature adjourned without considering SB 237, a bill to repeal the state firearms preemption statute by allowing the City of Wilmington to enact restrictive local gun control measures. Nevada: Good news! In a tremendous turn of events this week, the legislature passed SB 299, NRA-backed right to carry reform, and today it was signed into law by Governor Bob Miller! North Carolina: Good news! The House concurred with Senate amendments to HB 90, the NRA-supported right to carry bill. The law will take effect on December 1, 1995. Virginia: The new right to carry law went into effect on July 1, with its fair share of controversy. Certain counties are requiring applicants to meet standards beyond those specified in the new law -- demanding that they pay higher fees, submit to psychiatric evaluations, provide names & addresses of neighbors they've had since the age of 18, etc. On Thursday, July 6, a Fairfax County circuit court judge ruled that the county cannot require applicants to meet criteria outside of that specified by law. Rest assured that NRA attorneys are monitoring the process and working to ensure that all counties administer the new law as it was intended.