In response to a public expression of lawful political speech, “safety officers” come to the person’s home at midnight to interrogate him. He is accused of intimidation, making threats, hate crimes, and disorderly conduct. He is found guilty and his punishment includes exclusion from the community, suspension of his academic privileges, a ban on taking leadership roles in campus organizations, mandatory meetings with appropriate officials to learn about correct ways of thinking and speaking, and the presentation of a formal written apology, to be submitted in draft form “for approval.”  

Much like the rest of the country, Virginians have been buying firearms at a tremendous pace. According to data from the Virginia State Police, there was a 158 percent increase in firearm transactions in June 2020 when compared with June 2019. This came after a nearly 100 percent increase in May 2020 over May 2019. Moreover, research from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, as well as anecdotal reports, suggest that many of these transfers are to first-time gun buyers.

News broke this week that former Microsoft CEO and current owner of the Los Angeles Clippers NBA franchise, Steve Ballmer, has donated $7 million dollars to Michael Bloomberg’s gun control umbrella group, Everytown for Gun Safety.

At least, that’s what Everytown did. A Politico reporter used FBI NICS data acquired by Everytown to claim “Blocked gun sales skyrocket amid coronavirus pandemic.” The claim in the article is that the number of people denied the ability to purchase a firearm through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has, well, skyrocketed. The title and the first line of the article are pretty similar.

Austin Tong was an average college kid working on his degree from Fordham University in New York City when, last week, he posted a couple pictures on Instagram that made him the target of an irrational Internet mob and a scurrilous university investigation. The pictures he posted – which nearly got him kicked out of school – were of a retired police captain who was recently killed by looters, and one of him holding an AR-15. 

Tomorrow, the Arlington County Board will consider banning firearms in certain public locations. 

Last week, Governor Ned Lamont called for the General Assembly to convene a special session beginning on July 21, 2020.

Last week, Governor Ralph Northam announced that August 18th will be the start date for the General Assembly to convene a special session.

Fairfax, Va. - The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) endorsed President Donald Trump for reelection as the president of the United States of America in 2020. The endorsement was announced in a letter sent to the president yesterday, Wednesday, July 15. 

On July 14, a judge in Lynchburg, VA, partially blocked enforcement of the Commonwealth’s new ban on private firearm sales, ruling it effectively prohibits law-abiding adults under age 21 from acquiring handguns, in violation of Virginia’s constitutional right to keep and bear arms. The decision came in the case of Elhert v. Settle.

European firearm owners are in the midst of a three fronted war on the possession and use of lead ammunition. The battles are being fought against a European-wide ban on metallic lead (ammunition), a prohibition on the use of lead ammunition in terrestrial environments, and a ban on both the use and possession of lead ammunition in wetlands.

The Czech Republic continues to be at the forefront of the battle for gun rights in Europe. On July 13, the Czech government announced that it endorsed a plan to enshrine the right of individuals to use a firearm to defend themselves and others in the central European nation’s constitution. The move comes three years after another pro-gun constitutional amendment passed the Czech Chamber of Deputies (the lower house of the Czech Parliament) but failed to receive final approval. 

Anti-gun activists are laying the groundwork now to blame gun owners for any increase in violent crime this year. First came desperate attempts to tie “gun violence” to COVID-19 when the pandemic dominated the news cycle. Now, anti-gun academics are rushing to produce research that can be used to blame gun owners for any increases in crime in this unprecedented year.

One of the country's leading gun-control groups received up to $350,000 from taxpayers to deal with the fallout from coronavirus, but that has not affected its political arm's plans to spend millions on the 2020 election. Giffords PAC, one of the largest gun-control political action committees in the country, told Colorado Politics that it would spend $1.25 million on television ads to support Democrat John Hickenlooper's 2020 Colorado Senate campaign.

On July 15th, Governor Michael Parson called on the General Assembly to convene a special session on July 27th to address violent crime.

The NRA endorses  A+ candidate J.R. Claeys over F rated Randall Hardy for election to the 24th senate district of Kansas

Friday, July 10, the Hawaii legislature adjourned the 2020 regular session. With the adjournment, HB 1902, restricting magazine capacity and SB 2635, placing additional restrictions on ammunition purchases, were defeated! Unfortunately, the legislature did pass two anti-gun bills, HB 2744 severely restricting homebuilt firearms and SB 3054 imposing penalties for not reporting the permanent removal of a firearm from the state.  

On July 8th, the North Carolina General Assembly adjourned for the summer. They are scheduled to return in September.

Tomorrow, the Newport News City Council will consider banning firearms in certain public locations. Second Amendment supporters are encouraged to submit public comments to oppose this proposed ordinance.

Effective immediately, the Department of State has rescinded its April 18, 2002, firearms sound suppressor policy. This policy provided for enhanced guidelines for the approval and issuance of export licenses for sound suppressors and restricted their export to only official end users such as government or military entities. Henceforth, DDTC will handle suppressor exports in a manner consistent with other USML-controlled technologies. This requires that applicants must identify a specific end user. Applications for the permanent export of hardware must include purchase documentation, a DSP-83 non-transfer and end use certificate (as suppressors are considered Significant Military Equipment under the USML), an end-user statement, and an import permit (if required by the destination country). Consistent with current licensing practices, all licenses will be reviewed and adjudicated on a case-by-case basis, and any pre-license checks or post shipment verifications will be conducted as deemed necessary and appropriate based on the totality of the circumstances of the transaction. Standard staffing protocols within the Department and interagency will be applied as required.