The Clock Is Ticking On Gun Rights
10.24.2025
The clock is ticking on Second Amendment rights in Oregon.
The Oregon Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on the constitutionality of Measure 114 on November 6.
As you know, Measure 114, which will virtually end the sale of firearms and ban most ammunition-feeding devices and many shotguns, was declared unconstitutional by a court in Harney County. The state immediately appealed, and the Oregon Appeals Court reversed the lower court’s decision. In a largely incomprehensible ruling, it declared that a system making the purchase of a firearm nearly impossible complied perfectly with the Oregon Constitution. It also stated that, while magazines are certainly “arms,” the state was free to ban them.
That ruling was appealed and is now in the hands of the Oregon Supreme Court. While anything can happen, it’s important to recognize that the court is not comprised of unbiased, thoughtful legal scholars. They are, by and large, political ideologues appointed by Oregon’s far-left governors.
While the outcome is not certain, it would be wise to assume the worst. When the court reaches its decision, your ability to legally purchase a firearm in Oregon could well be over. Your magazines will become contraband, and countless shotguns will also be considered “high capacity” and banned due to their ability to hold “mini-shells,” exceeding the magical ten-round limit.
Assuming that is the outcome, Oregonians’ only recourse will be through the federal courts. However, our federal lawsuit against Measure 114 (Oregon Firearms Federation v. Kotek) has been languishing in the Ninth Circuit for several years. That court has no incentive to act on it. If they do nothing and the Oregon Supreme Court sides with the Democrats (the most likely outcome), legal gun sales in Oregon will become nearly impossible. If they do act and reach the same conclusion as the Oregon courts, their decision could, in theory, be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court years from now. By doing nothing, the most anti-gun court in the country achieves through inaction what it typically does by ruling against gun rights.
The most common complaint we receive is about the Oregon State Police denying what should be lawful transfers. For some time, they have refused to transfer firearms to individuals whose past convictions have been set aside, which, under Oregon law, restores their gun rights. It would be wise to assume the worst and make whatever preparations you deem necessary for what could be a rocky future in Oregon.
No matter what the court decides, it is clear that the Democrat-controlled Oregon Legislature will do all it can to eliminate whatever gun rights remain in the state. Anyone who watched last session’s Democratic jihad against gun owners and gun dealers is well aware of this. And that is not going to change.
Oregon’s minority party continues to show no interest in standing up to the Democrats, preferring to provide the numbers needed for the majority to wreak havoc and responding with press releases and email pitches for donations.
Yesterday, Christine Drazan was appointed to the Senate seat vacated when Senator Dan Bonham resigned. Drazan was appointed by county commissioners from the several counties that Bonham’s district encompassed.
Also in the running for the appointment was House Representative Jeff Helfrich, who has been raising money and campaigning for the seat since last February. While he received more overall votes than Drazan, the Clackamas County Commissioners’ votes were weighted more heavily due to the system’s structure, so Drazan secured the position.
Drazan recently resigned from her role as House Minority Leader, assuming she would be appointed to replace Bonham. Bonham treated her as the presumptive winner well before any vote. You may recall that Drazan resigned from her leadership role once before as she prepared to run for governor.
Ironically, she was briefly replaced by Jeff Helfrich, who quickly resigned from the leadership position, citing frustration with attempting to work with his Republican colleagues.
Drazan was quoted during the appointment process as saying, “I am always determined to do more than everybody else is sometimes willing to do to serve the greater good for the state of Oregon. But that begins with this district.”
Drazan’s ambition is matched only by her incompetence. Time after time, she has led House Republicans to humiliating defeats, often voting with Democrats on some of their most ridiculous and dangerous bills.
Recall that Drazan voted twice to install tampons in kindergarten boys’ bathrooms and then denied it.
She voted to protect a Kotek staffer arrested at an Antifa riot and to ban “ropes with loops” because they were deemed racist. Drazan led the charge to oust House Representative Mike Nearman, the only representative to stand up to the state’s lockout of Oregon citizens. Under her “leadership,” every other Republican House Representative joined that lynch mob.
Drazan celebrated when Derek Chauvin was convicted of the “murder” of George Floyd, a violent felon and drug addict. As you may recall, Chauvin was stabbed 22 times in prison. After the trial, Drazan tweeted, “Guilty. Justice is served.”
It is assumed that Drazan will soon announce her intent to run for governor again. Regardless of her future plans, you can rest assured that she will continue to leave a trail of failures in her path. Given her insatiable lust for titles (Republican offices come with no power), Senator Bruce Starr, the current Republican Senate Leader, would do well to start packing up his office. Drazan’s uninterrupted record of failure has never prevented her fellow legislators from voting her into positions of “leadership.”
Every day, Oregonians face the absurd spectacle of Ron Wyden and Tina Kotek posting videos proclaiming how wonderful and safe Portland is. Of course, just out of view of Tina and her co-star is the Oregon State Police Dignitary Protection Unit, well-armed and tasked with keeping Tina safe. Meanwhile, our social media feeds are filled with the truth: our city streets are awash with homeless individuals, many dangerously mentally ill and drug-addicted, many left to die. Portland’s business owners (the few who have not closed up shop) beg the City Council for more police, but those police are busy protecting rioters on Macadam Avenue.
Tony Aiello, the attorney who has skillfully guided the opposition to Measure 114, is close to having done all he can. The outcome will soon rest in the hands of judges appointed by politicians who despise gun owners. Oregon’s Republicans continue to roll over for the left.
We will continue to hope for the best, but it would be wise to assume the worst and prepare. If we get a positive outcome, those preparations will still have been worthwhile.