2A Newsletter: January 15th

Biden's Anti-Gun Cabinet

It's common knowledge that Joe Biden has been very outspoken against gun rights in the past, and made them a priority in his campaign for Presidential Election. It looks like he isn't all talk either. So far, five members of his cabinet are staunchly anti-gun, with each of them having success passing legislation stripping rights from citizens in the past. This list includes Xavier Becerra (who you can thank for most of California's Gun Control), Dr. Vivek Murty, Susan Rice (a major advocate of a permanent AWB), Pete Buttigieg (another AWB advocate), Judge Merrick Garland (with a long anti-gun history in court), and Jennifer Granholm (former Colorado mayor, who passed their "high-capacity magazine" ban).

The only famous gun-grabber we don't see on the list is Beto O'Rourke, famous for proudly telling the country "Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15s and AK47s!" while on the campaign trail to become the Democratic candidate. Joe Biden also told Beto that he would be in charge of making that happen, whether through mandatory gun buybacks or confiscation, though we haven't seen any evidence yet that he has followed through with that promise to Beto (thankfully), and actually appointed him to make that happen. Here's to hoping that never happens.

Regarding Becerra Specifically: 

“He has been the absolute most anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment, anti-Constitutional AG that we’ve had in a very long time,” Executive Director of GunOwners of California Sam Paredes told the DCNF. “It’s hard to compare him to anyone else, and I wouldn’t characterize him as liberal, I’d characterize him as radical.”

ATF Staffing Up for 2021

In case you live under a rock, the ATF was in the news all through the last part of 2020 as they ramped up actions against gun manufacturers. They not only raided several companies (specifically targeting 80% lowers and solvent traps), they also issued new guidance on pistol braces that would have literally turned millions of Americans into felons overnight. 

Thankfully, they backed away from that and withdrew the guidance after significant congressional pushback, and tens of thousands of comments and messages from angry citizens. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they are giving up the fight. Legislation has recently been introduced (H.R. 121) to add an additional 200 staff members to help enforce existing gun laws. Considering there are only 6 ATF agents who currently approve tax stamps for items like suppressors, short barreled rifles, and machine guns, I think we can see where their priorities lie, and it's not with helping the common citizen. 

Firearms Transportation Changes?

Ending on a more positive note,  Congressman Griffith H Morgan (R-VA) has introduced legislation to protect legal gun owners from unlawful search-and-seizure (constitutional rights anyone?) while transporting firearms in their vehicles,  H.R. 225. This bill was drafted after a legal gun owner, with a valid CCW permit, was pulled over on the highway and several police officers handcuffed his family while they searched his vehicle for the firearm he had left at home. With no probably cause, they had simply run his plates, gotten his information, and decided to try and find his gun even though he was breaking no laws (and was being truthful when he said it was at home). Firearm Transportation has had tricky laws to navigate for quite some time, as laws vary from state-to-state, and it can be difficult to stay in compliance while taking long trips. While we would love to see this bill come to fruition, it currently has no co-sponsors, and no support. 

Maybe that's why Congress sits at a 15% approval rating right now, the worst in history. 

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