Litigation
After an Illinois county circuit court judge sided with the state that its Firearm Owners Identification card requirement is constitutional, the plaintiff plans to appeal. The FOID card – in effect since the 1960s – is required for Illinoisans to buy or possess firearms and ammunition.
You may recall that the Illinois State Police also uses the FOID database to raid thousands of gun owners and confiscate guns.
The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has denied ATF’s request to stay the U.S. Northern District of Texas Judge’s order against the ATF in the case of VanDerStok v. Garland, in order to allow ATF to continue to enforce its “frame and receiver” (or “ghost gun”) ban while the case is being appealed. But “the ATF has not demonstrated a strong likelihood of success on the merits, nor irreparable harm in the absence of a stay… …This effectively maintains, pending appeal, the status quo that existed for 54 years from 1968 to 2022.”
Interesting. “The prosecutor was devoid of any knowledge about the legal and practical applications of deadly force in this state…”
The Mexican suit. One commenter noted that Mexico’s attorneys were originally provided by the Brady Bunch. Steve Shadowen’s law firm cut its rates to represent the Mexican government in this case, working with the Brady lawyers. Last year, gun-banning attorney Jonathan Lowy left Brady to set up Global Action on Gun Violence, an “international-focused nonprofit pledging to bring lawsuits against US gun companies.” Also not mentioned is the omission of SIG from the long list of defendants, apparently because Mexico buys real assault rifles from SIG for its own military. Perhaps there should be a law…
The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled last week that Article X, the University of Michigan’s policy of banning guns on all university property, is legally permissible, determining that the entire campus qualified as a “sensitive place.” We note that there is no reference to anything like “sensitive places” in the Second Amendment.
Hunter Biden’s initial plea deal for probation on two misdemeanor tax charges nearly fell through this week after the federal judge hearing his case expressed concern over the related sweetheart agreement which would result in no prosecution of a more serious 10-year felony gun possession charge. Biden then pleaded not guilty to the tax charges. But apparently a revised equivalent deal was struck, differing only in the time periods for which Biden might still be liable for (future) criminal offenses. The judge also threatened Biden’s lawyers with sanctions over allegations about their lying to the clerk’s office.
Action item
Amendment #35 to a VA appropriations bill (H.R. 4366) would prohibit the VA from arbitrarily transmitting veterans’ information to the NICS.
NRA’s $80 million trial
Election
For the August 8 election in Mississippi, NRA has endorsed Republicans Tate Reeves for Governor and Delbert Hosemann for Lieutenant Governor. House and Senate endorsements can be found here. I don’t always trust NRA endorsements, as many times they are NRA-friendly and not necessarily Constitution- or gun-friendly politicians, and in this election at least one NRA-endorsed MS House member is an alleged drunken wife-beater.
Et tu, Bass Pro Shops?
Scams
Another warning about scam websites. Caveat emptor.
The Only Ones
ATF. As usual.
Miami-Dade Police Department Chief Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez, 52, also a Democratic candidate for sheriff, was in stable condition post-surgery after he shot himself in the head Sunday night during a domestic dispute with his wife after stopping his car along Interstate 75 south of Tampa, where he was attending a law enforcement conference. This was apparently the continuation of an incident reported from the conference hotel that earlier kicked the couple out after Chief Ramirez assaulted his wife and threatened to shoot himself on the premises. I suppose that now makes him a prohibited person.
Enemies
- ATF as usual. And the FBI.
- ATF. We’re used to it.
- More ATF.
- NYPD issuing fewer gun permits after Supreme Court ruled it had to grant more.
DGUs
- The Armed Citizen – American Rifleman
Not a DGU, but I love the headline:
Tactics & Stuff
- Weapon manipulations. Connor. Read it twice.
- A Miculek memo.
- Fargo lessons.
- If you don’t know what’s going on, you don’t know what’s going on.
- Flatnose .22 ammo. Note: You can buy these ready-made from CCI, called “Small Game Bullets,” Federal’s lightweight “Punch,” or a couple of target loads from SK, and perhaps others. The flatnose-making die is also available from various specialty manufacturers.
Extra Bonus
“It really is physically impossible for a 50-something-year-old guy to look cool exercising to exhaustion in front of a young hot girl.” – Dabbs
Which is why I lie about my reps.
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Stolen 19th century rifle returned to Mississippi Department of Archives and History
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Products
- The more the merrier. LAHAB Light Ammunition (LLA) is the national ammunition manufacturer of the United Arab Emirates, part of the EDGE Group. It is moving into the U.S. commercial ammo market.
- Last week we announced Springfield Armory’s new Model 2020 Redline bolt-action rifle. Now we have learned that there is also a line of .22 LR rimfire versions of the Model 2020, ranging from plain at $434 to fancy at $1100. The 2020 Rimfire uses Ruger rotary magazines and a Model 700 style trigger. It comes with a 1″ at 50 yards accuracy guarantee.
- The new Rossi R95 lever action rifle is chambered in 30-30 and offered with a 20″ or 16.5″ Trapper barrel with bit loop lever. They claim a smooth hand finished lever action. I especially like what appears to be a nice thick, wide shotgun-style butt pad. Not Rossi-priced at $950.
- Armscor .22LR ammo for just a nickel a round, shipped.
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“Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, ‘Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!’ So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened… So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.” – 1 Samuel 13:19-20, 22