04.23.15
Yesterday the House Rules Committee held a marathon hearing on SB 941, the universal gun owner registration bill.
While the anti-rights side provided the usual collection of lies and misrepresentations, we were very gratified and proud to have had powerful testimony for the rights of Oregonians by panels of informed, thoughtful advocates.
Joining OFF and the NRA on the first panel were Sheriffs Tim Svenson of Yamhill County and John Hanlin of Douglas County.
They both provided compelling testimony against this bill. We are deeply grateful that they took a stand. Residents of those counties are lucky to have them as Sheriff.
County Commissioners also came from as far away as Wallowa and Wheeler Counties to oppose this dangerous and outrageous attack on liberty and safety.
Commissioner Paul Castilleja came from Wallowa County, and Judge Chris Perry came from Wheeler County. Commissioner Tootie Smith came from Clackamas, Kevin Cameron came from Marion. Commissioner Stan Primozich came from Yamhill County.
Commissioners Chris Boice and Tim Freeman came from Douglas County.
Each and every one of them made very powerful statements against this bill. We are indebted to them for standing up against the tyranny of the Democrats in the legislature.
We also want to thank Lee Richeson of Rich’s Guns in Donald and Karl Durkheimer of NW Armory in Portland for representing gun dealers. Keep them in mind when you are shopping. These folks went to bat for gun owners based solely on their principles and commitment to our rights. Also providing excellent testimony was Joe Dula representing the Canby Rod and Gun Club. If more clubs and ranges took the stand that CRGC did, this battle would be far easier to win.
Ironically, at the same time the committee was hearing this bill that will prevent you from lending a firearm to someone in danger, or storing a firearm for a friend, one more city, Mollalla, passed a resolution opposing the bill!
Today, the Rules Committee voted on the bill after refusing to consider a number of proposals that would provide greater penalties for criminals, protect victims of crime, and fund mental health services. The Democrats on the committee voted down every one of these proposals. Democrat Dan Rayfield responded to each proposal with a parrot like mantra of “dangerous loophole.” We lost count of how many times he used the phrase.
Along party lines, the Democrats on the committee also voted down a proposal to remove the “emergency clause” from the bill.
The “emergency clause” is a tool used by legislators to make sure that citizens cannot block a bill by referendum. The Democrats are so determined to ram this through they are doing everything they can to prevent you from stopping it.
This is the most dangerous anti-gun bill to have ever gotten this far in the legislature. Your rights, your privacy and your guns are truly in the crosshairs. The liars who are pushing this bill will stop at nothing and their pockets are filled with Bloomberg money. They bussed in school children to use as props and flew up a “gun dealer” from California (Joe Deaser) who claimed (falsely) that he just came on his own because “he heard about the bill.” This was provably false. He was on panel of invited testimony, something he lied about when questioned. He bragged about how he could cash in on mandatory background checks. He had appeared as “invited testimony” when the bill was heard on the Senate side.
The bill now moves to the full House for a vote. That will be our last chance to stop it. The other side has unlimited funds. All we have is you.
Please keep up the pressure. At this point we believe no Republicans will vote for this bill, so please concentrate on the House Democrats when you contact them.
If you want to send a personal note to your House Rep, especially if they are a Democrat, you can find them using this link.
On the right side of that page use the “Find My Legislators” link to find your Oregon House Rep. Call and email them.
Should this bill pass, you will become a criminal if you lend a firearm to a hunting buddy, provide a gun for a woman facing a predator or store a gun for a friend.
You will be forbidden from transferring a gun to another person without going through a dealer, paying high fees and facing the notoriously failed Oregon background check system.
Because of the behavior of legislators who are determined to undermine your rights and ignore the wise counsel of law enforcement, several recall campaigns have begun.
There is one against House Rep Val Hoyle, who hid her anti-gun agenda well enough to get an endorsement from the NRA and became the chief mover of this bill in the House, and another against Bloomberg lacky Chuck Riley in the Senate and a House Rep within his district, Susan McLain.
We believe these efforts are important and urge you to support them in any way you can, especially if you live in those districts.
Chuck Riley, Susan McLain recall campaign.