Written by Michael Hammond Published: 28 July 2020

Contact the President and Your Senators!

Urge the President and your two Senators to oppose H.R. 6395 -- a bill passed by the House of Representatives that would allow ex parte "Red Flag" Gun Confiscation Orders for our U.S. Armed Services men and women.

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GOA Founder H. L. Richardson wrote a book entitled What Makes You Think We Read the Bills

That adage was never more true than last week, when a bucketload of House “pro-gun” Republicans voted to pass a giant defense bill containing, in its bowels, a “red flag” gun confiscation proposal for the military — hidden there by Nancy Pelosi’s gun-hating stooges.

Aidan Johnston, our Director of Federal Affairs, described this congressional farce in an article in the Houston Courant. You can also see how your Representative voted by going here—with “nay” being the pro-gun vote.

The House-passed Gun Confiscation Orders (GCOs) apply to persons subject to the United States Code of Military Justice. But, for them, it would be worse in many ways than the “red flag” GCO programs drafted in state legislatures.

The essentials are the same:  a gun owner can be stripped of his or her Second Amendment-protected rights in an ex parte proceeding by an unsubstantiated allegation from a hostile relative who dislikes him or her.  Experience shows that the confiscation normally occurs in a surprise raid on the gun owner’s home in the middle of the night.

In more than one case, gun owners have been shot to death for “non-compliance.” Now, thanks to the rabid onslaught of gun-hating politicians, it’s sitting on the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Unlike the boilerplate GCOs drafted by gun control groups and passed in 19 states, the House-passed NDAA bill allows the president—presumably, in their opinion, President Joe Biden—to write all of the particulars.

But this legislation raises several questions:

• What will the standard of proof be for taking away the gun owner’s constitutional rights?
• What will the accuser need to show?
• What constitutional rights will the military court proceedings recognize?
• What will the police do with their gun confiscation order? Ransack the house?  Kill the “threatening” (i.e., non-compliant) gun owner?

House Republicans were caught sleeping.  Despite Trump’s threat to veto the bill, many Republicans helped pass gun confiscation arm-in-arm with anti-gun Democrats in a veto-proof majority.

So we are asking you to contact your Senators (above), given that the Senate has passed its own NDAA without GCOs—and tell them to throw the House bill in the garbage can during conference negotiations with Nancy Pelosi.

We are also urging you to ask President Trump to carry through with his promise to veto this anti-gun monstrosity.

For decades, Congress has dutifully passed an unnecessary National Defense Authorization Act and this isn’t the first time it contained gun control.

But this time it has gone too far.  When Pelosi sticks in a hidden provision embodying the anti-gunners chief current objective, the bills must be stopped.

Written by Jordan Stein Published: 22 May 2020

GOA Speaks Out After “No-Knock” Raid Leaves Resident Dead, Officer Wounded

Springfield, VA — Gun Owners of America (GOA) Director of Outreach Antonia Okafor released the following statement after the Louisville Mayor announced changes that will better protect the rights of its citizens.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer is now requiring additional precautions that will limit the future use of no-knock raids, provide greater transparency, and create a safer environment when serving warrants. Mayor Fischer announced these changes after a recent “no-knock” raid in the city left one officer wounded, a resident dead, and a gun owner who defended himself in police custody.

“GOA is pleased to see the Louisville Mayor responding to citizens’ concerns and changing police policies on serving warrants,” said Okafor. “This is a positive step toward helping protect honest citizens, including gun owners.”

Okafor continued, “GOA has long fought against the normalization and regular use of ‘no-knock’ raids for nonviolent offenses that can jeopardize innocent life. Long-time gun rights activists may remember GOA and Gun Owners Foundation’s amicus brief in Quinn v. Texas, where we challenged police for justifying their use of a ‘no-knock’ home invasion simply on the basis that the occupant owned a firearm.”

In Quinn v. Texas, John Quinn was asleep in his bed when Texas police broke down his door in the middle of the night, and shot him when he reached for a weapon, thinking his home was being invaded. The police were there to serve a search warrant for his son, Brian, who they knew was not at home at the time, but who they suspected of dealing drugs.

The only justification for the “no-knock” raid that police gave was that John Quinn owned a firearm. The police claimed that firearms ownership was enough to present a danger to law enforcement, even though they knew John Quinn had a concealed carry permit — meaning the state of Texas had pronounced him to be a safe, law-abiding citizen.

“No-knock” warrants were promised to be a rare “exception” to the common law requirement that police serving a warrant “knock and announce” themselves.  However, over the years, the “exception” has swallowed the rule. Americans should not have to live in constant apprehension that the police may decide to batter down their door in the middle of the night to serve warrants for relatively minor offenses, or simply because the police got the wrong address.

Okafor concluded:

“‘No-knock’ warrants have been known to needlessly put both law enforcement and honest citizens in harm’s way. And that is why this situation with Breonna Taylor and Kenneth Walker is such a tragic episode. As in the Quinn case, all peaceful gun owners — in all communities — have the right to defend themselves.”

Antonia Okafor, or another GOA spokesperson, is available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.

— GOA —

Written by Jordan Stein Published: 20 May 2020

GOA Celebrates Passage of Anti-Red Flag Law in Oklahoma

Springfield, VA – Gun Owners of America and its Sooner members are celebrating the passage of Senate Bill 1081 in Oklahoma, which prohibits funds for Red Flag gun confiscation orders.

“Oklahoma, which recently became a Constitutional Carry state, has been showing the way in restoring and reaffirming the right to keep and bear arms,” Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of GOA said. “At a time when the anti-gun Left and even some on the right are pushing these dangerous Red Flag gun confiscation orders, it’s very encouraging to see a state stand up for the Constitution and Bill of Rights.”

While GOA supported this legislation, we thank the Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association for its leadership in getting this legislation passed. GOA is also grateful to the all gun owners and activists in the Sooner State who worked hard to press their legislators – and the Governor – to support this legislation.

Erich Pratt, or another GOA spokesperson, is available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.

— GOA —

Congratulations for Your Hard Work!

Thank you so much for being part of GOA’s grassroots team.

Written by Erich Pratt Published: 17 April 2020

This week GOA activists responded to threats by Democrats to stick gun control into a COVID-19 relief bill.

And wow, your response was huge!

Together, GOA activists generated one million emails into the Senate, urging Republicans to kill the radical gun control agenda of the anti-gun Left.

And now, we have good news to report.

We are hearing from Capitol Hill insiders that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Senate GOP leaders are blocking plans to stick red flag gun confiscation orders onto the COVID-19 relief bill.

“You don’t pop the cork until they’ve banged the gavel,” said GOA Legislative Counsel Michael Hammond in a published oped.

“But we are cautiously optimistic that we are in a good place with respect to any effort to add gun control to the successive coronavirus bills,” Hammond said.  “And if we win this battle, this will presumably be the last chance for gun control advocates to push their agenda before the November elections.”

Again, thanks so much for all your hard work.

Click here to Upgrade Your Membership so we can multiply our efforts even more!

GOA Takes the Fight into Repressive States

We told you that GOA would continue to bring you updates about what our legal team has been doing.

You will remember that we have reported on some incredible victories from around the country — including North Carolina and Pennsylvania to name a few.

The battle began in earnest after several states closed down gun stores and ranges using the Coronavirus pandemic as an excuse.

Officials in these states claimed their actions were justified when federal guidance failed to list these establishments as “essential.”

The events which followed were reported by Jared of Guns & Gadgets, which is one of the premier sources of news about Second Amendment-protected rights in the country:

Gun Owners of America and Gun Owners of California sent a letter to Donald Trump asking him to reconsider….

That same day Trump responded to the letter; and the Department of Homeland Security changed their designation and [included] gun shops, retailers, manufacturers [and] shooting ranges.

Officials in several jurisdictions responded by reversing themselves. But other officials in very repressive states dug in their heels.

So thanks to your support, GOA’s legal team has been active in these anti-gun states, including:

• Massachusetts
• New Mexico
• New York
• Virginia
• Washington

Again, we want to thank you for your support. That keeps Gun Owners of America on the frontlines, fighting for your rights which are protected by the Second Amendment.

We can’t do all this without your help!

GOA in the Media

Even though the Trump administration declared gun stores and ranges to be “essential,” several jurisdictions across the country refused to comply.

This was one of the big reasons that GOA and Grass Roots North Carolina (GRNC) threatened several lawsuits in the Tar Heel State.

As a result, gun grabbers were furious with Gun Owners of America.

In one of the more comical articles, the headlines blared:

“Gun Nuts Demanded That Durham Declare

Gun Shops Essential. Durham Gave In.”

Well, if you guessed that GOA and, by inference, that YOU are the aforementioned “gun nuts,” then advance to the head of the class!

Reading the article, you sense the disgust of the author for GOA and GRNC.

And the article ends with this lament by the mayor of Durham, Steve Schewel, who is a virulent anti-gunner:

“Our lawyers said we couldn’t win,” Schewel [said]. “And not only that they were gonna win, but that we were gonna have to pay [GOA and GRNC’s] legal fees.

“And so that’s why we made the decision [to reopen gun stores] — which is, you know, awful. Gun stores are not essential. In fact, they are damaging. It’s terrible to be forced into this position.”

Again, GOA is able to take on cases like this because of our members generous donations.

If you’d like to contribute to GOA’s Legal Defense Fund, please go here.

And finally, if you would like to view or read a sample of GOA’s media appearances, here are a sample:

1) Antonia Okafor, GOA’s Director of Outreach, takes on several liberals in discussing the spike in gun sales and government restrictions in the era of COVID-19.

2) Ammoland questions why Virginia’s Governor is running scared from Gun Owners of America.

3) GOA Legislative Counsel Michael Hammond explains that while gun owners can be cautiously optimistic that firearms restrictions will not end up in the COVID-19 relief bill, we still need to remain vigilant.

4) View two brief videos announcing some of the victories that GOA and its members have achieved together. Be sure to check out these videos here:

* Are You Tired of Winning Yet

* GOA Fights Against Petty Tyrants

5) Jared of Guns & Gadgets announces GOA’s plea to the Trump administration to declare gun stores and gun ranges as “essential businesses.”

6) Gun author Dan Wos explains why GOA is pushing Constitutional Carry as to the answer to combat the gun restrictions that Americans are experiencing during this COVID-19 crisis.

7) GOA’s Rachel Malone joins the Jim & Michael Show to discuss GOA’s response gun store closures and other threats to the right to keep and bear arms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

8) Alan Rice, GOA’s New Hampshire State Director was interviewed by America’s Voice News about the spike in gun sales and the inability of NICS to handle the workload which resulted in multi-day delays. Alan explained that GOA has opposed NICS for over twenty years precisely because it can prevent people from obtaining guns when they need them.

As you can see, there’s a whole lot going on.

Thanks again for staying with us in the fight!