Category: OFF Alerts

07.01.19

 

Late yesterday the 2019 Oregon Legislature adjourned.

It was without question the ugliest, most contentious session in our lifetime. With a solid majority the Democrats chose slash and burn policies with no consultation with the minority party. The far left was determined to ram through a radical agenda on a host of issues and Senate President Peter Courtney, who in the past had been a moderating influence, was completely neutered.

SB 978 was the most far reaching, vindictive attack on gun rights in Oregon history and would have made Oregon one of the most anti-gun states in the country. The Senate Democrats had the votes to pass anything they wanted, and they wanted to crush and punish law abiding gun owners.

Among its provisions were new restrictions on concealed handgun licenses, rendering them almost useless, outlawing countless conventional firearms, and rules that would hold you strictly liable for any crime committed with a gun that was stolen from you, even if you were abiding by new regulations that required that every gun you own be locked up.

Of course, while you would be responsible for guns that were stolen from you, there was not a single word in the bill that addressed the criminals who steal guns.  The Oregon Democrats hatefest against gun owners was an amazing thing to witness.

Having absolutely no say in anything, the Senate Republicans walked out, twice. We had asked the Senate Republic leader to take this highly unusual action because without the Republicans on the floor, the Senate could not conduct business.  The day before the first walkout, Senate Republican leader Herman Baertschiger contacted us and told us they were leaving. There was nothing else they could do.

As you no doubt know, this put all of them at risk of arrest by the Oregon State Police, so they had to leave the state. 

After they left a deal was struck to get them to return. Part of the deal was the death of SB 978. Gun owners owe Senator Baertschiger and the Senate Republicans a debt of gratitude .

But, soon after, it was clear that the Democrats were going to renege on other parts of the deal and ram through legislation they had promised Republicans they would have an opportunity to influence.  So once again, with no choice, the Republicans walked out.

The Senate President and the Governor vowed to have the State Police hunt them down and force them back to the Capitol. That’s when the real drama began.

Republican Senator Brian Boquist, the main promoter of SB 719, told the Senate President that if the if he sent the State Police after him, that “hell would come after you.”

He later told reporters that if the police came to arrest him they should “send bachelors and come heavily armed.” It was an unprecedented moment in Oregon politics.

The great irony is that SB 719 is the bill that allows the police to come and seize your firearms with no due process if the courts agree that you are a “danger to yourself or others.” So Boquist could very well become a victim of the truly dangerous legislation he was responsible for.

During the second walkout we were in regular contact with Republican Senators who kept us appraised of their plans. Late Thursday night we got a call saying that there was no benefit to remaining gone, that if they stayed out past the deadline to end the session the Governor could call for an endless stream of “special” sessions and there was no doubt that vindictive Democrats would pass catastrophic gun control amongst many other damaging bills.

But gun owners were not the only people who felt the tyrannical behavior of the majority was crushing them. Many people who had never been political before showed up at the Capitol to express their anger and frustration.

In the end, tempers flared, threats were exchanged, Oregon again made international headlines for all the wrong reasons, and the Democrats vowed to come back and pass everything they failed to because of the activism of people like you and the willingness of the Senate Republicans to take a truly courageous stand. We are grateful.

When we entered this session we fully expected to face the worst anti-gun legislation in our history. And we did. But because of you and your relentless action, the worst did not come to pass.   So, for a few months (we hope) your gun rights are safe. But the Democrats are furious and have made no secret of the fact that they are not finished. Having been defeated in their attempts to eliminate your rights this session, they will be coming back with a vengeance in February and we’ll need you more than ever.

These battles get more expensive every year, and now, of course, we are facing billionaire gun grabbers. We would be very grateful if you would consider any donation you can afford to keep us working for you.

You can make a secure online donation here.

If you prefer to use PayPal you can use this link.

Thanks again for all you have done.

 

06.25.19

Kate Brown has vowed not to negotiate in the slightest way with the “in hiding” Republican Senators and has ordered the State Police to act as her personal goon squad and force them back to the Capitol. The irony is the last time the Democrats walked out, it was Kate Brown who led them. The hypocrisy is staggering.

Now a Democrat in the House has given the Senators even more reason to stay away.  As you know, Senate President Peter Courtney has decided to fine the 11 Republican Senators $500.00 a day for every floor session they miss. Now in the closing days of the 2019 regular session House Rep Marty Wilde  has introduced  HB 3453, a bill designed to further punish the Senate Republicans by prohibiting them from using their campaign funds to pay the fines they are being saddled with. (Naturally the bill has an “emergency” clause.)

Of course, in order for this bill to pass, it needs to move through both houses. And nothing can move through the Senate unless the Senate Republicans return.   Wilde, in his infinite stupidity, just gave them another reason not to.

You can share your thoughts with Wilde here:

Rep.MartyWilde@oregonlegislature.gov

503-986-1411

This morning Senate President Peter Courtney declared that the bill that got the Republicans to leave in the first place, HB 2020, did not have the votes to pass. Whether this is a ruse remains to be seen.

 

6.22.19

Based on an allegation of “militia threats” Senate President Peter Courtney canceled today’s floor session. But the good news is that while they are not on floor they are not allowed to be hunting the Republicans who walked out.

 

Read more.

06.21.19

As you know, the Senate Republicans have walked out to protest the outrageous behavior of the majority party. The Governor has called on the State Police to track down those who left and force them back to the floor so the Democrats can pass countless bills that will seriously hurt all Oregonians for generations to come.

Among the many threats the Democrats have made (including defunding the districts of any absent Republican) is to ram through the gun confiscation bills we thought were dead.

These are very dangerous times and some of what we are seeing is simply unprecedented. 

We have been informed that in order for the Democrats to be able to maintain the power to arrest the Republicans, they have to hold floor session every day. That means they will be on the floor for Saturday and Sunday sessions even though they cannot conduct business.

Protestors are expected over the weekend to come to the Capitol to voice their opposition to the destructive ambitions of the majority party. As a gun owner, you should consider joining them. It’s a rare opportunity to be able to confront the gun grabbers on a weekend. So please consider coming.

Republican Senators have left the state, but Kate Brown is working with law enforcement in other states to try to get them to assist in the arrest of the absent Republicans and all the Republicans are facing fines of $500.00 for every day they are absent. They need our help.

There are several “Go Fund Me” campaigns that have been started to contribute to the Republicans who have walked out, but the Senate Majority leader has informed us that they will probably not be allowed to accept those funds. They have asked that donations go directly to their “Leadership Fund.” Please donate as generously as you can. They went to the wall for us. We need to have their backs.

You can donate here.

And please take a moment to send a note of support to the Senators who have taken a stand. You can reach all Republican Senators here. 

There is a prewritten message of support, but if you choose you can add your own text in the white box above the message that says “Add your own message here.”  This is not required.

 

Thank you

 

 

 

05.13.19

Today all Republican Senators except Jackie Winters returned to the Senate Floor.

As you know, Republican Senator Tim Knopp had been joining the Democrats while the rest of the Republicans walked out to protest several very dangerous bills. 

Winters was excused, no doubt for medical reasons.

On a straight party line vote, the Democrats passed HB 3427, a massive tax increase on Oregon’s small businesses.  They will now be taxed on their “gross” income over 1 million dollars. That means they may face taxes that are more than what they actually made.

The good news is that in exchange for agreeing to return for this vote, the Senate President, Peter Courtney, agreed to kill two bills. One of which was SB 978, the omnibus anti-gun bill.

Your activism is the reason for this. Good job to all of you who worked so hard.

But don’t start celebrating just yet. Anti-rights zealot Senator Ginny Burdick promised that gun grabbing bills would fail “over my dead body” and the last time we checked Burdick was still with us. Rest assured she will be doing everything she can to revive at least some of the onerous elements of  SB 978.

But at least for now it appears your hard work paid off.

Thank you.

05.06.19

We have been reliably  informed that Oregon Senate Republicans have had enough and will be absent from the floor tomorrow.

This is one of the few tools they have at this time to slow down the train wreck Oregon Democrats are determined to impose on our great state.

Make no mistake. Senate bill 978 is a key reason for this walk out.

Please, take a moment, (really this won’t take long) and send a note of thanks to Senate Republican leader  Herman E. Baertschiger Jr. and thank him for standing up.  These are very dangerous times for all of us and his courage needs to be acknowledged.

05.01.19

As of now (and this can change at any minute) SB 978 is still on hold in the Senate Rules Committee.  Senators Thatcher and Linthicum have introduced a “minority report” which is basically a proposed replacement for the language in 978.

If the bill is passed out of committee, it will almost certainly pass on the floor since Senate President Courtney typically does not allow bills to get that far unless he has twisted enough arms to make sure they pass.

The fate of this bill is still in the hands of Senator Arnie Roblan. If Roblan votes no in committee the bill dies there. (Which is not to say the same language could not be stuffed into some other bill.)

Roblan has been telling people he “must” vote for it in committee but plans to vote “no” on the floor.  This is a ruse. As we said, if it gets to the floor it passes, and Roblan knows that. Please keep up the pressure on him. 

Three other gun bills were kept alive when they were sent  to the House Rules Committee. So they are not dead yet.

HB 2505 is a lock up your safety bill.

HB 3299 is a “placeholder” bill designed to have anti-gun language stuffed into it sometime in the future.

HB 3329 allows gun dealers to discriminate against young Oregonians attempting to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights.

The drama has begun in the Capitol where House Republicans are finally digging in their heels to slow down the freight train of damage the Democrats are doing to this state by demanding that every bill be read word for word before it’s voted on.  We hope to see similar action by Senate Republicans and encourage you to urge them to do so.

Stay tuned.

 

04.09.19

SB 978 was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party line vote today.

The bill was “gut and stuffed” with the “dash-5”amendments which were not available to the public until 5PM last night.

As passed the bill will:

Force you to keep your firearms locked up. (The US Supreme Court has already ruled this to be unconstitutional.)

Hold you strictly liable for crimes committed if your gun is lost or stolen (even if you complied with parts of the mandatory lock up regulation.)

Greatly restrict youth shooting programs and events.

Make you a felon if you possess an “unserialized firearm”. (Serial numbers were not required on firearms until 1968.)
Updated 04.14.19  Make you a felon if you possess an “untraceable firearm”. (Serial numbers were not required and did not meet federal regulations required by SB 978-5 until 1968)

Ban so called “80% lower receivers” (the bill calls them “unfinished receivers”) unless they had the manufacturer’s name and serial number engraved on them. If you’ve made a firearm out of an “80%” lower there is no provision for adding a serial number yourself. The possession of any of these finished guns will be a felony. If you currently possess any 80% lowers each one is a Class C felony.

Increase fees for concealed handgun licenses.

Allow you to be charged with a felony for simply being NEAR a “public building”or airport with a firearm even if you have a concealed handgun license. How many “public buildings” do you pass on your hunting trips?

Picking up your spouse at the airport could make you a felon. Picking up your kids at school could make you a felon unless you picked them up in a parking area.

Before the vote, the committee members were told by staff that the amendment corrected the airport issue. It did not. Whether willfully or not, the committee members were misinformed.

The language on lock ups and “unfinished receivers” is hopelessly convoluted and confusing. It will be virtually impossible for Oregonians to know when they are in compliance. The lack of any realistic definition of “unfinished receivers” will put thousands at risk for felony charges based on the whims of DA’s and judges.

There is no longer any question that Oregon’s elected Democrats are determined to turn Oregon gun owners into felons any way they possibly can.

The bill now goes to the full Senate floor. Please contact Oregon Senators and demand they vote against this.