Author: OFF

Posted on by

Using Schoolchildren as Pawns

Safety or Propaganda?

On March 7th at 3PM the Senate Education Committee is scheduled to hear SB 551.

Senate Bill 551, in its original, unamended form “Requires school districts to provide specified information related to secure storage of medications and firearms. Directs Oregon Health Authority to make information available to school districts.”

The bill makes no mention of what that “specified information” is.

It makes no mention of who determines what “specified information” will be provided.

There is no indication that anyone with professional knowledge of firearms and their proper storage will be consulted in the creation or distribution of the “specified information.”

In 2021 Oregon Democrats rammed through SB 554 which mandated that self defense firearms be locked up and useless. It required the use of dangerous trigger locks and it prohibited persons under 18 from having access to family firearms to protect themselves in their own home, no matter how well trained and responsible they were.

This ignorant one-size-fits-all policy has placed people in danger of both criminal attack and criminal penalties.

Now the same people who enacted this dangerous legislation want to use schools to promote an anti-gun, anti-self defense agenda.

The bill states “… the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated troubling trends with children and firearms…” but ignores the reality that state programs of lockdowns and isolation are the root cause of the problem and makes no effort to address those issues.

Responsible firearms owners store their firearms in a manner that makes the most sense for their personal circumstances.  Democrats in Oregon have interfered with their ability to do so and put them at risk.

We believe that amendments may be added to this bill but in a Democrat controlled legislature we do not anticipate that amendments will improve it.

If the state is going to mandate that schools provide information on the storage of firearms, the state should also mandate that schools provide students with non-biased and professional information on the safe handling of firearms, a suggestion Oregon Democrats regularly resist.

Please take a moment to let the Senate Eduction Committee hear from you.

To register to testify on this bill use this link:

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Committees/SED/2023-03-07-15-00/Agenda

(Click on “Register to Testify” to the right of SB 551)

To Submit written testimony use this link:

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Testimony/SED/SB/551?area=Measures

Posted on by

OREGON JUDGED CALLS SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY RACIST, ANTI-Semitic

02.15.2023

Judge Calls Second Amendment Protection Laws Racist and Anti-Semitic

The Oregon Court of Appeals has struck down the Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance in Columbia County, an ordinance OFF has been defending with Gun Owners of America.

And while that is not a particular surprise, what is a surprise was the scathing, incendiary, and frightening “concurring opinion” from Judge Egan.

In his vicious attack, Egan equated ordinances protecting the Second Amendment with white supremacists and anti-semites.

In the opening page of his opinion, Egan attacks the ordinance and the people who argued for it saying :

“In other words, Intervenors came before this court and referenced UN mandates,which as explained below is a well documented trope meant to invoke white supremacist, antisemitic fear of a takeover of our country by outsiders and minorities who are manipulated by an elite class of supervillians.

On occasion, however, individual members of the court must call out  illegitimate quasi-legal arguments and theories for what they are-viz., antisemitic and  racist tropes. “

On page 6 of his screed he titles one section “The Antisemitic and Racist Origins of the Ordinance”

He claims that constitutional sheriffs “ embrace racist and white nationalist ideologies.”

He claims, referring to constitutional sheriffs:

“The premise of such writings is the antisemitic and racist conspiracy theory that Jews are at the heart of America’s problems, that people of color are unwitting pawns to be manipulated by one side or the other, and that zealots must prepare for a final battle in the last days. The proponents of these ideas claim that a cabal of elites or globalists (code words for Jews) in the UN, or the fictional New World Order or Zionist Occupational Government, manipulate our federal government and, by extension, state governments. These ideas are, of course, nothing new, unique, or intelligent: They are, instead, just a rehashing of the ancient trope of a secret Jewish government; they are the retelling of a lie that led to the murder of over six million Jews within living memory.”

But there’s more. He continues:

“Intervenor’s reference at oral argument about UN mandates in support of an absolute right to firearms threatens to give legal foundation to a world view that embraces religious, racial, and ethnic hatred. The arguments propounding unfettered access to guns, ammunitions, and implements of destruction give rise to waging of war on government because the proponents believe that our government is infected by those they hate. This hate is unquestionably embedded in the trope that the UN or some other nefarious entity is manipulating government behind the scenes and that the courts are simply tools of those manipulations. As a judge, sworn to uphold the Oregon constitution and the United States Constitution, I cannot stand by without identifying the origins of that argument, and the origins of the Ordinance.”

The Judge also attacked Oregon Firearms for its defense of the ordinance in the voter’s guide.

We have come to expect these kinds of mindless and false attacks from the left and their pawns in the media. But coming from the bench, this kind of blatantly false and hate filled rhetoric, is not only unsettling, it is dangerous. It inspires violence and retribution.  It is frankly, unhinged.

The Columbia County case was carefully and thoughtfully argued. To suggest that its motives were white supremacist or antisemitic is a lie and defamatory.  But it also calls into question the legitimacy of the court and the likelihood of getting fair rulings from it.

Our lawsuits against Ballot Measure 114 continue in Federal Court. And while we have not had favorable rulings there so far, we are confident that eventually we will win. But we are very dubious that the parallel case in State Court will be decided fairly if it gets to the Oregon Court of Appeals. These kinds of baseless and grossly unprofessional attacks are unconscionable.

We are extremely grateful for your support in this fight. And now more than ever it’s clear that our Federal lawsuit is critical.  Please help us protect our rights against these kinds of abuses.

This battle has never been more important or more dangerous.

To contribute to this fight please use this link and pick Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation for your donation.

https://oregonfirearms.ejoinme.org/MyPages/DonationPage/tabid/70447/Default.aspx

Posted on by

114 Lawsuit Update

02.13.2023

As you know, Oregon’s Supreme Court has, for now, upheld an injunction against Ballot Measure 114, the unconstitutional gun grab funded by out of state millionaires.

A Judge in Harney County concurred with Gun Owners of America that Mz 114 was almost certainly unlawful and blocked it in its entirety.

Two efforts by Oregon’s anti-Second Amendment Department of Justice to overturn the injunctions failed.

To be clear, the Oregon Supreme Court has not declared Mz 114 unconstitutional and has not ruled out implementing it in the future. They simply said it would be premature to intervene as the case moved through the Oregon Courts.  So while, for the moment, gun owners and gun dealers are not being subjected to criminal penalties for engaging in lawful and constitutionally protected activities, gun owners are still very much at risk.

While a State Court has put 114 on hold, a Federal Judge reached the exact opposite conclusion, and in spite of a clear precedent from the US Supreme Court, concluded that the State of Oregon could, in fact, ban commonly owned arms (standard magazines) and impose a permit to purchase system that was custom made for abuse.  She did place a temporary hold on the permitting system but made it clear that even that system could go into effect soon. Keep in mind, even the state has admitted that currently the mandated system is impossible to implement.  We can assure you it will continue to be impossible well after the deadline set by the Federal Judge.

The Federal Judge also allowed Oregon to crush the one small safeguard built into both Oregon and Federal law that allows a qualified person to take possession of a firearm if the Oregon State Police simply do not do their job and complete a background check in a timely manner.

As is well known, thousands of people have essentially been denied their 2nd Amendment rights for absurd amounts of time due to the OSP’s not conducting or completing background checks.  An “instant background check” that takes two years or more is clearly not allowed under the plain language of the Second Amendment.

That brings us to where we are now.

At the moment, gun owners are somewhat protected by the State Judge’s injunction though thousands are still being denied their rights due to the inaction of the Oregon State Police. However, the Oregon Department of Justice, and its militantly anti-gun Attorney General have made it quite clear that they will do all they can to force the implementation of Mz 114 and its unconstitutional and extreme restrictions on civil rights.

The next step in the Federal Lawsuit would have been a hearing on a “preliminary injunction” against 114. Basically the Federal version of the injunction we now have on a state level.

Because the Oregon Supreme Court refused to overturn the state injunction, the Federal Judge has decided that she will bypass that step in Federal Court and move directly to a full trial on the constitutionality of the measure.  The State will also have their own version of this trial.

We are quite confident that if the Second Amendment is upheld in the State Court, it will be appealed to the Oregon Supreme Court again and sooner or later the issue will wind up in Federal Court, which is where OFF’s lawsuit is now.

As we have pointed out before, changes to the law made by the legislature, and other pending cases in Federal Courts, could change everything in ways we cannot predict at this time. But for now, we have no choice but to move ahead with the Federal lawsuit.

Right now we anticipate that the full trial in Federal Court will happen some time in June.  If we prevail there, you can rest assured the Oregon DOJ will appeal it to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.  It is simply impossible to imagine the party that rules Oregon will allow a pro-gun ruling to go unchallenged, as long as they have a limitless supply of your money and lawyers to spend attacking the Second Amendment.

Make no mistake, this measure will be found unconstitutional. In case after case across the country, the Second Amendment is winning.  But the power brokers in Oregon don’t care about that. They will continue to spend millions of your tax dollars in the hopes of pushing through whatever restrictions they think they can get away with for as long as possible.

But, as you well know, unlike the State, we don’t have an endless supply of taxpayer’s money.

The legal team representing us is as dedicated to this victory as every one of you are.  They have largely put aside other obligations to concentrate on protecting our rights, and we are fortunate to have them. But there is no denying this is an expensive fight.

So many of you have been amazingly generous in supporting our efforts. We cannot thank you enough personally. But we are still facing staggering costs that the State seems determined to keep adding to in hopes of bankrupting us out of the fight.

But we are committed to winning this battle.

Please consider the most generous tax deductible donation you can.  Across the country the enemies of the Second Amendment are losing. But with unlimited funds taken from taxpayers, they see nothing to lose by dragging these fights out.

We cannot back down.  Donations to the Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. And every dime is crucial in this critical battle for our rights, common sense and the future and safety of our state.

You can donate securely on line here.  https://oregonfirearms.ejoinme.org/MyPages/DonationPage/tabid/70447/Default.aspx

Thank you for your support and generosity.

Posted on by

HUGE WIN FOR GUN OWNERS

02.09.2023

Gun owners in Oregon, (and Gun Owners of America) scored a major victory today when the Oregon Supreme Court again slapped down the anti-rights extremists and upheld a stay on Mz 114.

As you know, a judge in Harney County placed a hold on the absurd and unconstitutional Mz 114.

To no one’s surprise the anti-gun Attorney General moved to overturn this commonsense decision.

Today in a two sentence ruling, the Oregon Supreme Court sided with the Constitution and refused to overturn the Harney County Judge.

Simply put, this means that Mz 114 is still blocked in its entirety and, for the moment, law abiding gun owners do not face arrest for possessing common ammunition magazines.

This is a massive win.

There is still a very long way to go and we will follow up with more information on this case and the Federal Case that is still underway.

The judge in the Federal case has ruled that 114 may go into effect.  The state ruling blocked that, so we are safe for now but there is much still to be done.

We fully expect the legislature to attempt an end run around the courts to implement their own version of 114, but for right now enjoy a solid victory for gun owners and common sense.

Posted on by

THIS IS NOT A GUN BILL?

02.07.2023

“This Is Not A Gun Bill.”

Last Sunday we warned you about HB 2572 and the Dash 1 Amendment that “gut and stuffed” it.

In its original form the bill was dangerously vague and a serious threat to Oregonians.  The very people who drafted it admitted it could be applied to prosecute private security guards.

An opinion from “Legislative Counsel,” the lawyers who write bills, stated:

“In section 2 of HB 2572, the definition of “private paramilitary organization” is quite broad and could in fact apply to a private security company, since a private security company would not fall within the law enforcement exception in subsection (3).”

But the proposed amendment made the bill far worse and any doubts one would have about that evaporated after a hearing was held on the bill yesterday. 

One of the sponsors of the bill, House Rep. Dacia Grayber testified : “This is not a gun bill.”

Grayber is a vocal proponent of gun control, so when she says “This is not a gun bill” you can rest assured… it’s a gun bill.

She went on to say:

“This bill is not tied to any one political or partisan ideology. The policy applies to all incidences that meet the definition of paramilitary activity EQUALLY. Any claims to the contrary are at best misguided rhetoric and at worst attempting to play and feed people’s fears with misinformation.”

As is always the case, Grayber did not quote a single “claim to the contrary” that she falsely labeled as “misguided rhetoric” and “misinformation.” 

OFF’s testimony is published and available online. We invite Grayber to cite a single word of it that is “misinformation.”

But Grayber’s claims that the proposed policy applies equally are plainly absurd.

As we have pointed out numerous times (including to the Republicans who sat on the committee that heard this) the bill and the amendment repeatedly refer to organizations “under a command structure”.  In fact, over and over during the hearing the proponents of the bill emphasized that element.

And as we all know, the most dangerous and violent political actors in Oregon today are described regularly by the leftists in power as a mere “idea” with no command structure.

Who was named as a potential target of this legislation? Not antifa, which was never mentioned one time in the hearing. Instead the proponents mentioned… “Three Percenters”.

While we challenge anyone to show us examples of “Three Percenters” burning buildings or looting, they certainly could be guilty of “publicly patrolling” while armed. An activity that has become necessary in many places due to the unprecedented violence by left wing rioters at a time when police cannot or will not respond.  And it’s that very act of protecting private property this legislation seeks to criminalize.

Here is what the legislation outlaws:

Section 1:A person commits the crime of unlawful paramilitary activity if the person knowingly, while acting as part of a private paramilitary organization or on behalf of or in furtherance of any objective of a private paramilitary organization, and while armed with a firearm, explosive or other dangerous weapon: “(a) Publicly patrols, drills or engages in techniques capable of causing physical injury or death

Here is what they define as a “paramilitary organization:”

‘Private paramilitary organization’ means any group of three or more persons associating under a command structure for the purpose of functioning in public or training to function in public as a combat, combat support, law enforcement or security services unit.

Maybe Grayber and the other sponsors would like to explain how that differs from the average small church security team.

But if Grayber and her cohorts want to continue to hide behind the nonsensical pretense that this bill applies equally to all political ideologies let’s take a look at who the supporters of the legislation are.

The Alliance for Gun Responsibility

The anti-gun League of Women Voters

The Multnomah County DA, and friend of left wing rioters, Mike Schmidt.

And their star witness, Mary McCord  of the “Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection”

Much as we are fans of the protection of the Constitution, a brief trip around their website will make it immediately clear that they have little interest in the protection of the Constitution.

For example, they are vocal supporters of crushing the Second Amendment having filed briefs in support of banning modern firearms and magazines.

Mary McCord, who was the main mouthpiece for this legislation, has written about dangers of “right wing” militias while never mentioning the actual violence caused by left wing radicals.

The “right wingers” she condemns “… have endangered public safety — with fatal results — by self-deploying to “protect” property from what have been largely false rumors of antifa violence during racial justice demonstrations.”

She also writes : “Private militia organizations routinely urge their members to acquire semi-automatic assault rifles and military gear.”

She claims : “Six men involved with a private militia have been charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and try her for treason.” Conveniently neglecting to mention that the “kidnapping” was almost totally the product of Federal informants.

She attacks constitutional sheriffs saying : “But another likely reason is that local law enforcement officials are usually elected, and in jurisdictions where the local community is largely supportive of both Trump and private militias — often rural communities where strong anti-government and pro-gun-rights views predominate — there’s little incentive, and a lot of disincentive, to use the tools they have available.”

Her ridiculous claims that the legislation she is pushing will be applied equally is at odds with her complete refusal to even acknowledge that the violence our country and state have been rocked by is coming from the very groups this legislation exempts from prosecution.

(On a chilling side note, the legislation also carves out an exception for “Troops of a foreign government operating under the authorization or consent of the United States government.”)

Make no mistake. The people pushing this legislation are determined to create tools to entrap and prosecute anyone who is prepared to defend people and property against attack. They can dress it down any way they like but if one simply reads the language they have created it cannot be doubted what their intentions are.

While we have made several attempts to get the attention of the Republicans who sit on the House Judiciary Committee which heard this bill, they seem committed to ignoring the very real dangers it creates. Not one of them made even the slightest attempt to question the most obvious and egregious elements of the bill and amendment.

The Democrats have made no secret of their agenda to disarm law abiding civilians while emboldening and protecting criminals.  The Republicans are asleep at the wheel.

If yesterday’s hearing is any indication of what we can expect from Republicans as the Democrats ram through more restrictions on our rights, we are in serious trouble.

Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee:

Representative Charlie Conrad

District 12
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1412
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-483, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.CharlieConrad@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/conrad

 

 

Representative Rick Lewis

District 18 – Silverton

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1418
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-385, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.RickLewis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website:http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/lewis

 

 

Representative  Lily Morgan

District 3 – Grants Pass

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1403
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE,  H-390, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.LilyMorgan@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/morgan

 

Representative Kim Wallan

District 6 – Medford

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1406
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-388, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.KimWallan@oregonlegislature.gov
Website:http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/wallan

Posted on by

WHY ARE DEMOCRATS PROTECTING ANTIFA?

02.04.2023

On Monday morning the House Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing for HB 2572.

This bill “Modifies definition of “civil disorder” for crime of unlawful paramilitary activity; creates civil action for persons injured as a result of another person engaging in paramilitary activity.”

The one amendment offered so far (which replaces the entire bill)“Repeals ORS 166.660 in its entirety and creates new crime of unlawful paramilitary activity; seeks to clarify definition of “private paramilitary organization;” seeks to clarify elements of crime of unlawful paramilitary activity…”

The amendment no longer mentions “civil disorder.” Now it’s all about “paramilitary activity.”

The bill, and the one current amendment, were drafted to specifically exclude antifa from its provisions.

In both the bill and the amendment  “paramilitary organization” is defined :

“Private paramilitary organization” means any group of three or more persons associating under a command structure for the purpose of functioning in public, or training to function in public, as a combat, combat support, law enforcement or security services unit.”

(Emphasis added)

That sounds a lot like a private security firm.  In fact, Legislative Counsel, the people who drafted the bill and the amendment, said:

“In section 2 of HB 2572, the definition of “private paramilitary organization” is quite broad and could in fact apply to a private security company, since a private security company would not fall within the law enforcement exception in subsection (3).”

And while they offered assurances that private security firms would probably not be prosecuted under the bill, that’s pure speculation.

But what’s NOT speculation is the part of the definition of “private paramilitary organization” that says “associating under a command structure.”

As we all know, and prominent Democrats remind us, “antifa” is not an organization, just an “idea”.  So when dozens, or hundreds, of masked thugs show up in the same place armed with explosives and firebombs, it’s purely an organic event of like minded people.

It’s clear that this definition was designed to protect the left’s shock troops.

Please contact the Vice Chair of the committee and request that that language be removed from the bill.

You can call and leave a message or email, though phone calls are better.

This bill has a way to go before it can become law. If you cannot act before Monday, please still make that call.

Vice Chair Kim Wallan

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1406
Email: Rep.KimWallan@oregonlegislature.gov
Website:http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/wallan

Bill and Amendment Text:

HB 2572.  https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2572

Amendment to HB 2572.  https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Downloads/ProposedAmendment/22493

Use this link to submit written testimony:

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Testimony/HJUD/HB/2572?area=Measures

Use this link to sign up to testify in person or remotely: (Click on “register to testify next to the bill number.)
https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Committees/HJUD/2023-02-06-08-00/Agenda

Posted on by

Lawsuit and Legislative Update

1.30.2023

 

The Oregon Legislative session is rolling on. We are now monitoring about 25 bills that would affect gun owners.

As always, the Democrats are hard at work attempting to enable violent criminals and endanger law abiding Oregonians.

As an added bonus they are working to pass legislation to allow criminals to vote FROM JAIL.

Now, you don’t suppose the truly captive audience in lock up might get some “assistance” filling out their ballots, be offered incentives to vote a certain way, or trade ballots for extra meals or privileges do you?

Oregon’s cartel media is busy spreading stories that are either misleading or patently false about OFF.  What is now published or broadcast in “mainstream” “news” sources is often comically and obviously fake, yet the hacks who churn out this garbage will never miss an opportunity to post nonsense if they think it can demean the people they hate. Like hunters for example. Of course, then it’s up to you to go seek out the truth.

The people in charge are corrupt or blatantly partisan.

These battles are not about differences of ideology, they are about facts versus lies, about freedom and integrity versus corruption and tyranny.

As you can imagine, We have a lot of work to do.

First an update on the lawsuit against Measure 114.

As you know, in a case brought by Gun Owners of America, a state judge in Harney County put a hold on all of measure 114. So, none of it is legally in effect.

However, the promoters of the measure have managed to do much of the damage they were hoping for anyway.

There are still tens of thousands of law abiding Oregonians being denied their rights and property because the “Firearms Instant Check System”, run by the Oregon State Police under the direction of the Oregon Governor, is in chaos.

While some transfers are taking place many thousands are in limbo waiting for a resolution.

If the OSP takes more than 30 days to issue an approval, the buyer is back to square one and the background check has to be done again. And again the buyer is stuck in a Soviet like experience simply trying to exercise a right.

Many distributors are refusing to ship products to Oregon because of their concerns about Mz 114, and, as you know, Oregon’s Attorney General, an anti-rights extremest has asked the Oregon Supreme Court to overrule the Harney Judge’s decision.  The Court could issue a decision on that at any time.

Meanwhile our Federal lawsuit is moving forward at the glacial pace they all do.

The Judge in the Federal case refused to put a hold on Mz 114 except for the permit to purchase part, which the state was forced to admit  (as we all knew) was impossible to implement.

But even that hold is temporary.  However, the judge did offer to skip a hearing on a preliminary injunction and go directly to a trial on whether 114 is Constitutional.  She noted that the measure is on hold as a result of the state injunction.

This was not a deal the lawyers in our combined cases agreed to. Clearly, the state hold could disappear tomorrow if the Democrats who are in charge have their way and then countless Oregonians and gun dealers would be shafted.

So the next step in the Federal case will be a hearing on a preliminary injunction in Federal Court.

Don’t feel lonely if you’re confused. That hearing is scheduled for late February.

There is no timetable for when the hearing to determine whether the law is constitutional or not would happen. These cases can drag on for insane amounts of time. We are very grateful for your continued support in this very expensive battle.

And of course, there are other cases winding their way through the courts that could impact ours and the actions of our own legislature could change everything.

Senator Floyd Prozanski, who worked side by side with Ginny Burdick for years to strip Oregonians of their rights is carrying on her work after she left for a better paying government gig.

Floyd has announced his intentions to implement Mz. 114.  He can use any one of many anti-gun bills (or even some “pro-gun” bills) as a vehicle for this, but there are some that were clearly introduced as “place holders” to be gut and stuffed later. HB 2373 looks like a prime candidate.

As we have pointed out, the Democrats have the usual collection of anti-gun bills including one to make gun owners criminals if they come to a rally near the Capitol while lawfully armed. In fact, if the Democrats have their way, concealed handgun license holders could be arrested merely for driving past the Capitol if in possession of a firearm. But not only the Capitol. Gun owners could be breaking the law simply because they were too close to any government building. SB 686. 

If the Democrats are successful, picking up a family member at the airport while armed would get you a year in jail. Think about that.

So, given the fact that the Democrats have not only a burning desire to attack law abiding Oregonians, but they also have a majority of both Houses, the Governor’s Office, the Secretary of State’s Office and the Attorney Generals Office, what options do gun owners have to hang onto their rights, property and freedom in Oregon?

Well even though Oregon Republicans gave up their right to walk out without a whimper, they still have a card to play should they break with recent practice and grow a spine.

Democrats no longer have a “super majority.”  They cannot pass new taxes without Republican votes. And the Democrats are salivating to pass even more taxes to soak Oregonians to pay for new programs to address the massive problems they created with their previous programs.

Our new governor is already talking about spending MILLIONS on more failed policies to address the homeless crisis Democrats created. And since Oregonians voted for guaranteed “appropriate” health care for ALL with no plan for who was going to pay for it, you can rest assured that Kotek and the other leftists will be doing all they can to fund this boondoggle with more of your money.

But, they cannot do it without the Republicans helping them.

That means, quite simply, that Republicans have the power to put a stop to all anti-gun legislation if they dig in their heels, show some courage and refuse to go along with the Democrats tax madness if the Democrats insist on screwing Oregon gun owners.

This power is now in the hands of the Republican Senate Leader, Tim Knopp, and the Republican House Leader, Vikki Iverson.

Knopp is already saying he plans to stand up to the Democrats.  But remember, Knopp was the ONLY Republican Senator who refused to walk out when the Republicans, under Herman Baertshieger, walked out and controlled the agenda.  Knopp stayed behind with the Democrats.

Iverson’s husband attacked OFF in an email to candidates in the last election saying OFF was a “fringe group” and failing to mention the thousands of dollars our PAC gave to Republican candidates in the previous election. (Hilariously, Iverson sent a letter to OFFPAC after her husband attacked us… asking for money.) So the new Republican “leadership” has a way to go before we’ll assume they actually will stand up. But the point is, they CAN. And they must.

Knopp and Iverson are the only thing standing in the way of the Democrat’s plans to steamroll Oregon gun owners. We have to hold them to it.

Knopp and Iverson were not elected by anti-gunners. Both have said they will stand up for gun rights.

Please keep their contact information. The ball is in their court. We are looking forward to reporting that they did the right thing for gun owners and all Oregonians.

Senator Tim Knopp

Representative Vikkie Breese Iverson

One more thing.  Many of you have supported us through the charitable donations policies of Fred Meyer and Amazon Smile. While the Fred Meyer program is still functioning, Amazon has terminated its charitable donation program and no longer makes donations to non profit organizations when you purchase through them.

You can support our efforts to protect gun rights here.  https://oregonfirearms.ejoinme.org/MyPages/DonationPage/tabid/70447/Default.aspx

Posted on by

Pistol Braces, Forbidden Places, Supreme Court Cases

Pistol Braces, Forbidden Places, Supreme Court Cases
01.14.2023

 

 

THE OREGON LEGISLATURE’S ANNUAL ATTACK ON GUN RIGHTS BEGINS ON TUESDAY JANUARY 17TH

The ATF bans pistol braces, the DOJ demands that magazines be banned, and Oregon Democrats want you to go to jail for being NEAR any government building.

There is a lot going on.

First, as you know, a judge in Harney County has put a hold on all of the clearly unconstitutional Measure 114.  So, to no one’s surprise, the Oregon Department of “Justice” has requested that the Oregon Supreme Court overrule that decision and immediately ban standard ammo feeding devices and eliminate the one safeguard against abuse by the State Police when they refuse to complete background checks.

The DOJ wants to criminalize the most common ammo magazines in the country while allowing “instant” background checks to take literally… forever. That means that while you are forced to beg for permission to exercise a Constitutional right, the Oregon State Police will have the right to deny you for as long as they want. Even if that means until the end of time.

Testimony in the state court case from a former employee of the OSP Firearms Instant Check System, made public what gun owners have known for a long time. It is the mission of the FICs unit to delay or deny as many firearm’s purchases as possible. Let us not forget who the OSP works for. (Hint, it ain’t you.)

The Oregon Department of “Justice”, under the control of a rabidly anti-rights Attorney General,  also wants to compel you to get a permit simply to ask to buy a firearm and pay hefty fees for the privilege, but has kindly offered to delay that unconstitutional demand having been forced to admit there is no program in place to even get such a permit.

Meanwhile, in OFF’s Federal case, the Trump appointed judge who ruled that 114 could go into effect (with a short delay for the non existent permitting system) asked the plaintiffs (meaning us) if we would be willing to forgo a trial on a preliminary injunction there, citing the state injunction as a reason.

Of course that would mean if the State prevailed in its efforts to overturn the Harney County Judge, gun owners and gun dealers would be totally screwed for possibly years as this mess winds through the courts. And of course, that was always the point of Measure 114 and its well funded sponsors, “Lift Every Voice.”

“Lift Every Voice” is asking its supporters to lean on the legislature to ram through implementation of 114 and, of course, Democrats have announced their plans to do just that.

Far left Senator Floyd Prozanski has already noted his intentions to enforce it even though it is currently on ice. (By the way, “LEVO” has also announced that it plans another ballot measure to ban all modern firearms. No doubt they will once again get millions in donations from groups like the ACLU and the national and state teacher’s unions.)

The Oregon Democrats also have quite a few other attacks on your gun rights in the works. Not satisfied to ban CHL holders from schools, the Portland Airport, and the Capitol Building, the Democrats now plan to arrest you if you go NEAR any of those places with a firearm.  This means NO firearms at any rallies NEAR the Capitol and you could go to jail just by driving past the Capitol Building.

But wait, there’s more. They want to expand that prohibition to ALL buildings that are paid for with YOUR tax dollars.  That means that when you leave your house, should you even go CLOSE to any “municipal” building and you are lawfully armed, you get to spend a year in jail. For people who live anywhere close to a city or town that basically means you better not leave your house. 

Given the astronomical increase in violent crime under the Democrats, and the risk you take walking or driving anywhere in Portland or other cities, the Democrat’s agenda cannot be disguised. CHL holders are not now and have never been a problem.  These policies are driven by unbridled hatred and bigotry and have nothing to do with public safety.

On another note, the ATF has released its new rules on “pistol braces.” While the regulations  are, as usual, incomprehensible, the short version is if you own any of these devices that ATF has for years said are perfectly legal, you now face prison time if you do not turn them in or register the guns they are on as restricted NFA items.

Given the recent ruling from the 5th Circuit  that the ATF’s rules on bump stocks greatly overstepped their authority, it’s a safe bet that the courts will strike this lunacy down too. But of course, that will require vast expenditures by gun owners on legal fees.

Keep in mind, there is exactly NO legal liability when legislators draft laws they know are unconstitutional. Just as there is no liability when the ATF does it. And there is NO legal or fiscal liability when bigot organizations with millions in funding from out of state leftists pass unconstitutional ballot measures.

Gun owners face attacks on many fronts right now. And they all have one thing in common. They are insanely expensive for us and don’t cost the other side a dime.

The Oregon Republicans have demonstrated a startling refusal to fight in past sessions.  But they still have a few tools if they have the courage to use them.

The Senate Republicans are led by Tim Knopp. You will recall that Knopp refused to walk out when the other Republicans did a few years ago. Knopp’s actions were appreciated by the Democrats who were trying to pass dangerous gun control then.

The House Republicans are led by Vikki Breeze Iverson whose husband attacked Oregon Firearms Federation even while Vicki was asking us for donations.

This is not positive news. But the reality is, those two have the ability to stand up for gun owners and they need to hear from you. Please remind them who placed them in office. It was NOT gun grabbing Democrats.

And please support our efforts. Federal lawsuits are insanely expensive and the legal bills keep coming it.  Only your support keeps us in this fight. 

You can donate here.   

https://oregonfirearms.ejoinme.org/MyPages/DonationPage/tabid/70447/Default.aspx

For more information please see this link.

https://www.oregonfirearms.org/join-support-off

Thank you.

 

Posted on by

A Storm Is Brewing

A Storm Is Brewing

 

01.09.2023

Today Tina Kotek was sworn in as Oregon’s Governor.

Kotek is a radical, anti-gun extremist, as was her predecessor. But Kotek is well known for being far more vindictive and willing to crush anyone who stands in her way.

You can ask any of the Democrat House Reps who have felt her wrath.

She has already begun touring the state, but much like Joe Biden, she carefully avoids contact with those who don’t march in lockstep with her agenda. Just ask the Yamhill County Commissioners who were pointedly not invited to meet with Kotek when she visited there recently.

Kotek was a vocal cheerleader for Measure 114 while running for office and you can bet that forcing that unconstitutional scheme down our throats will be job one, well ahead of anything she is promising.

A newsletter from anti-rights Senator Floyd Prozanski today announced that implementation of 114 is one of his priorities as well. And the State has already advised that it will be seeking to appeal the hold on 114 that is in place at the moment as a result of the actions of a Judge in Harney County.

Numerous anti-gun bills are already drafted and ready to move through the system.  You can view all the bills currently available at this link Oregon Legislative Information System (oregonlegislature.gov)

In the upper right hand corner you can click on “Bills” and enter the search term of your choice. Try “firearms” and “handgun.”

There are a number of “pro-gun” bills there that have been introduced by Republicans that have essentially zero chance of passing. However since they have the relating clause “Relating to Firearms” the Democrats can give them hearings, and then take no action on them but later “gut and stuff” them with anti-gun language. A procedure you would think the sponsors would have given some thought to. But… they did not. One more gift elected Republicans handed to the gun grabbers.

There are bills to further restrict CHL’s and at least two bills to ban possession of home made firearms or parts that may one day become firearms. There are no exceptions for firearms you have already lawfully constructed. The second bill can be viewed here.

There is a bill that clearly was intended to intimidate protesting gun owners but could be used against antifa rioters if they were ever arrested and prosecuted. (We know….)

We are just getting started so expect plenty more bad news.

The Republicans no longer have the option of walking out to protect your rights.  Under the failed “leadership” of Christine Drazan and Fred Girod they refused to even consider that, claiming if they did, there could be a ballot measure to forbid walk outs. And as we know, there was anyway. And the Republicans did not bother to post one single argument against that very dangerous measure. So now, in the unlikely event they ever had real leadership, that tool is no longer available.

They do have the power to block the tax increases that the Democrats will be presenting. So in theory they have a bargaining chip. Will they use it? That is extremely doubtful.

The Legislature convenes on January 17th.  Gun owners will not only have to battle these attacks in court (Measure 114) but also in Salem. It’s going to be a rocky ride.

On a somewhat positive note, we are slowly catching up here. Today we were able to ship out the next batch of hats and patches that were overdue to new members.  That entire supply was gone in a flash and the next batch will go out the minute we get them. We have to send a huge shout out and thank you to our friends at Fishead Custom Printing who did an amazing job rushing through the last batch of really nicely done hats. We appreciate their support.

The gun grabbers are losing in court after court. But they have the ability to keep ramming through unconstitutional bills knowing it costs them nothing.

We are in unsettled time for gun owners.  We thank you for you continued support. Buckle up. A storm is brewing.

Posted on by

THREE DAY SAFEGUARD PROTECTED

THREE DAY SAFEGUARD PROTECTED

01.03.2023

Today, Judge Robert  Raschio in Harney County issued his decision on the state’s efforts to eliminate the 3 day safeguard rule.

As you know, both state and federal law have safeguards built in to allow the transfer of a firearm to take place when the background check system fails.

And the background check system in Oregon is in near total collapse.

While some people are  having firearms they purchased transferred, thousands upon thousands are still in legal limbo unable to take possession of the property they paid for and are legally entitled to.

Under Measure 114, that safeguard would be eliminated and law abiding people who are victims of the failed background check system could wait literally forever to take possession of the firearms they had already paid for. As you would imagine, “reporters” for the cartel media insist on referring to this safeguard as a “loophole” and never miss an opportunity  to note “That’s how the gunman in the 2015 Charleston, South Carolina, mass shooting bought his gun and killed nine people at a church.”

Of course, if those same “reporters” were not really lazy, they would actually research that incident and report the facts that demonstrate that nothing in MZ 114 would have prevented those killings. But let’s face it, they are not paid to report the truth, just whatever propaganda they are directed to produce that day.

Dealers are informing us that many, many, people who are eventually “approved” only receive the approvals after more than 30 days, meaning they have to start the entire process all over again.

The State of Oregon had requested that this misuse of power be given the state’s blessing, guaranteeing that countless Oregonians would be denied their rights indefinitely.

Judge Raschio said “no”.

This is good news. That means that, for now, ALL of Mz 114 is on hold.

So, what’s next?

It’s extremely likely that the state, under the direction of a militantly anti-gun Attorney General, will appeal Raschio’s rulings. AG Ellen Rosenblum has made it clear that she has no interest whatsoever in whether MZ 114 is constitutional. If there is a way to deny people’s 2nd Amendment rights, she is going to attempt it.

As soon as Raschio issued his initial emergency rulings placing 114 on hold, Rosenblum went directly to the Supreme Court of Oregon demanding that he be overruled. The Court declined.

Now with this most recent decision it seems likely the State will try again, maybe at the Appeals Court.

Another great unknown is what will happen when the legislature convenes on Jan. 17th.  It’s a safe bet that there will be legislation introduced to “fix” MZ 114, which in the case of the Oregon Legislature, means “make it worse.”  And when that happens it could have a profound effect on the lawsuits against 114.

Remember, the Harney County case was a state based lawsuit by Gun Owners of America. OFF’s lawsuit in federal court has now been consolidated with the other three lawsuits that were brought. That case is still going on.

The benefit of the consolidation of the cases is that some of the best legal minds, and biggest pro-gun organizations in America, are working together to protect your rights.

But the great unknown is what happens to those cases if the legislature changes the law? Will the Democrats time any changes to assure the most costly outcome for gun owners? Probably. Remember, gun owners are not only paying the lawyers who are defending their rights, they are, whether they like it or not, paying the lawyers who are working to destroy those rights. And of course, the frauds who created MZ 114, “Lift Every Voice” don’t have a dime of legal bills. And they are working on future anti-gun ballot measures knowing they can create another mess and others will have to clean it up.

For all our new supporters, we want to extend our thanks and let you know that little by little we are working through the backlog and supply chain issues that have kept us from sending the hats and patches that we send new donors.  We did finally get a resupply of patches and many have gone out. We hope to have more hats soon. So, thank you for your patience and support.

Today’s decision is very good news. The days ahead will tell what the state plans to do to reverse that good news but for now we have another victory for gun owners and common sense.  But the federal case is continuing and the legal bills are larger than anything OFF has ever faced before.

If you can help support this fight, we (and gun owners in Oregon and nationwide) express our gratitude.  Any amount helps.

Please use this link and pick “Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation” from the Donation Category drop down menu. Donations to OFEF are tax deductible and every penny is crucial.  Thank you.

https://oregonfirearms.ejoinme.org/MyPages/DonationPage/tabid/70447/Default.aspx

Link to today’s decision:

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23561051-raschiomaintainstrobackgroundchecks

Posted on by

Judge Hears The State’s Request For Endless Delays.

12.23.2022

Today in Harney County the state requested that the Judge ignore the thousands of people waiting to take possession of the firearms they have already paid for and eliminate the one safeguard they have to obtain them.

Firearm’s dealers have the right, although not the obligation, to transfer firearms to people who have not had their background checks completed, as long as three business days have “transpired.”

In the past, few dealers would do this, but now as the state continues to simply not do its job, more and more dealers are allowing the transfers.

The Oregon Department of Justice wants to end this safeguard so they can prevent thousands of people from legally acquiring the firearms they have already purchased.

The Harney County Judge had placed an injunction against the magazine ban and the permit to purchase that were parts of Measure 114. But Measure 114 also contained a provision to eliminate the 3 day safeguard, falsely calling it a “loophole.”  (Apparently any policy that actually allows law abiding Oregonians to legally obtain firearms is a “loophole.”)

The state took the position that since we have had background checks for a long time, it was perfectly reasonable to defend a system that allowed that check to literally take forever. As if refusing to complete the background check was not an actual infringement on the right to keep and bear arms.

It was a preposterous proposition and the kind we have come to expect from Oregon’s gun hating Department of Justice.

Clearly any background check that has no time limit on its completion is a potential bar on the purchase of a gun.  As many thousands of Oregonians have learned in recent months, the State Police simply cannot fulfill the duties assigned to them by Oregon law.

While some people are getting quick approvals, many thousands of qualified buyers are sitting in limbo waiting for the state to do its job and complete the “instant” background check that is taking, in some cases, years.

No matter how you look at it, this is blatantly unconstitutional. But, the elimination of the private purchase of firearms was always the goal of “Lift Every Voice.”  And in thousands upon thousands of cases, Lift Every Voice has succeeded.

Some of the people who are being prevented from getting the guns they are legally entitled to, and have paid for, are at great risk because LEVO and the State of Oregon have prevented them from having the means to protect themselves.  Any harm these people suffer is on the hands of the duplicitous frauds at LEVO and the state.

And, of course, unlike gun owners who have to pay for the lawyers who are working to protect their rights AND pay for the state’s lawyers who are trying to take them away, Lift Every Voice has not a dime of legal bills to pay for the mess they have created.

The Judge has announced that he will have a decision on the three day rule and the state’s efforts to demolish it by January 3rd. As of now that one small safeguard is still law.

We are hoping for a positive outcome and we’ll report it as soon as it is available.

Meanwhile, we wish you a peaceful and joyous Christmas and, once again, thank all our new supporters for their patience as we work to catch up on the unprecedented responses we have received.

Posted on by

Mag Ban On Ice

JUDGE PUTS MAG BAN ON ICE

12.15.2022

Today a Judge in Harney County issued a preliminary injunction against the magazine ban in Measure 114.

In a previous hearing on Dec 13th the court  put a hold on the “permit to purchase” portion of the bill and promised a ruling on the mag ban by tomorrow, Dec 16th.

The ruling came today and means that for now, your standard capacity magazines are safe.

There will still have to be a complete trial on the constitutionality of the measure, but at the moment the permit to purchase and the ban on standard magazines will not be allowed to go into effect.

The Court has granted a hearing on December 23 for the state to explain why the safeguard which allows the transfer of a firearm after three business days (if the Oregon State Police do not complete a background check or issue a denial) should be removed.

Considering  the vast number of people who are currently being denied the ability to take possession of the firearms they have paid for, as a result of the OSP’s inaction on background checks, this should be a tough hill to climb for the state lawyers.

The battle continues both in this statewide case that Gun Owners of America has brought and the four other cases that are in Federal Court. But this is more good news and another win for GOA.

 

 

Posted on by

114 Still On Hold

114  STILL ON HOLD

 

12.13.2022

Today’s hearing on Gun Owner’s of America’s suit against Measure 114 in Harney County keeps all aspects of the measure from going into effect, for now.

The Judge again ruled that the non-existent  “permit to purchase” scheme cannot be enforced because it’s essentially vaporware, even though the Oregon State Police have an “application” online and the Oregon Sheriff’s Association is offering an “online” class to get a permit.  (For $60.00, and you can throw in a few extra bucks and get a decal.)

The fact is, neither the application or the class mean anything since there is still no way to complete the live fire mandates of the measure. So, the mess created by Lift Every Voice Oregon continues to leech across the state like an overflowing septic tank.

Thousands of Oregonians remain in limbo unable to take possession of firearms they have paid for and the Oregon State Police can still not answer any questions about what happens next. (Go ahead, ask them a question…)

The magazine ban the state is salivating to impose is also still on hold. though the Harney County Judge did note today that he expects to have a decision about that by Friday.

In today’s lengthy hearing, the judge did not sound impressed by the State’s arguments and their star witness had to admit that the framers of the Oregon Constitution were aware of firearms which had a capacity of over ten rounds and never made any attempt to limit the number of rounds a person could have.

The state’s position that nothing is protected if it was not available in 1859 seemed especially comical to the many people who were watching the proceedings, and commenting, on their… computers.

While we are pleased that GOA’s suit has thrown sand in the gears of the state’s tyrannical and rabid effort to disarm the law abiding, the reality is that the “queue” of people waiting for their property is growing and barely moving.

Oregon is still a laughing stock for the rest of the country and regardless of the claims of the state, people’s rights are being denied right this minute.

The four federal suits (including ours) continue and the legal bills are still mounting.  We can still use all the help we can get. But for today, the point goes to Gun Owner’s of America for another win.

You can support our federal case here:

https://oregonfirearms.ejoinme.org/MyPages/DonationPage/tabid/70447/Default.aspx

Donations to the Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation are tax deductible and every penny goes to the legal battle in Federal Court. Thank you.

Posted on by

Whiplash

 

Whiplash

12.08.2022

If you are experiencing the symptoms of whiplash, you are not alone.

The saga of Measure 114 is moving so fast and taking so many unexpected turns that keeping up is nearly impossible, and, in fact, most in the media have not been able to.

As you know, last Friday a Federal Court in Portland held a hearing on our lawsuit against Measure 114.

At the same time a similar suit brought by Second Amendment Foundation and Firearms Policy Coalition was also heard.

Last Tuesday Judge Karin Immergut ruled that the measure could go into effect.

This meant that probably millions of standard magazines and countless shotguns would have become contraband today.

She also ruled that the arcane and unworkable “permit to purchase” scheme could go into effect although she gave the state a comical 30 days to get it up and running.

That was the bad news.

Just hours later a state court in Harney County, in a case brought by Gun Owners of America, reached the exact opposite conclusion and placed a temporary hold on the measure.

The anti-gun  “Department of Justice” immediately sought to overturn that ruling and went directly to Oregon’s Supreme Court with a request that the Harney County Judge be overruled and the temporary hold be removed so the measure could go into effect.  They said it was “a matter of life and death.”

Somehow, the state claimed, if Oregon continued to operate under rules and laws that had been in effect for decades, the streets would run red with blood.

The Oregon Supreme Court was not buying it and refused to overrule the Harney County Judge. This all happened with lightning speed.

A trial on a permanent injunction is scheduled for Dec. 13th in Harney County. While no one could have predicted any of this, we have reason to believe that it will go well. This is a link to the Harney Courthouse. https://www.courts.oregon.gov/courts/grant/Pages/default.aspx
We have been informed you can watch the hearing live using the webex link at 9AM. We have not tested this.

But, just as in our Federal case, there will still be a long way to go. It’s unlikely that we will get a final answer on whether 114 is constitutional for some time.

That is the case in both the pending State and Federal cases.  But for now, because of GOA’s suit, Measure 114 is NOT in effect.

Yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the implementation of Measure 114. It was invitation only, and while the State Police were invited, apparently the Sheriffs were not. Of course, while the State Police get to make the rules, it’s Sheriffs and local police who get this garbage can dumped in their laps for enforcement. No wonder they weren’t invited.

To no one’s surprise the hearing answered exactly no questions. The State Police did say that an application to get a “permit to purchase” would be available online today. And it is. But there was virtually no information on any of the many questions about how anyone could actually comply with this horrifically poorly written law.

The OSP could not say if all of the personal information required by the measure would be public. (The measure requires it.)

They could not say what would happen if a person pawned a gun before the measure went into effect and tried to retrieve it after the measure went into effect. Could the owner have the magazine as well as the gun?

They could not say what would happen to firearms sitting in police evidence rooms that had to be returned. Could those be returned with the magazines?

The OSP said they had no database set up to collect information but would do it “in an excel spreadsheet.”

Their website says:

(4) Permit agents may designate permit agent responsibilities only to other Oregon law enforcement agencies and only as follows:

(a) Local police chiefs may designate permit agent responsibilities to other local police chiefs or the Oregon Sheriff having jurisdiction over the residence of a person making an application for a permit to purchase; or

(b) An Oregon Sheriff may designate permit agent responsibilities to a local police chief having jurisdiction over the residence of a person making an application for a permit to purchase.

So the local cops can dump this in the sheriff’s lap and the sheriffs can dump it in the local cop’s lap. You can imagine how that would go.

The good news is this nightmare is on ice for the time being. That gives gun owners, and dealers, and Sheriffs a bit of breathing room, though the backlog of people waiting to take possession of things they paid for is still insane.  And of course, if it takes the OSP more than 30 days to issue an approval, even if one is given, the buyer goes right back in the queue of almost 40 THOUSAND people.

The bad news is we have a LONG way to go to drive the final stake in the heart of this monster.  If you can help with the skyrocketing legal bills, we would be very grateful.

Both OFF and OFEF are fighting this battle but all tax deductible contributions to OFEF, the Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation go to pay for the lawyers.

Please visit this link to help. And thank you.

https://oregonfirearms.ejoinme.org/MyPages/DonationPage/tabid/70447/Default.aspx

For more information on donations to the separate organizations please visit this link:

https://www.oregonfirearms.org/join-support-off