Category: OFF Alerts

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OFF FILES CHALLENGE TO IP 44

06.15.18

Yesterday, OFF filed a challenge to IP 44, the measure that would force you to lock up any firearm you are not actually carrying, require that you install a trigger lock before handing a firearm to another person, hold you liable for guns that were stolen from you and more.

As you know from a  previous alert, the Oregon Supreme Court had altered the time table for the other anti-gun measure, IP 43, to assist the gun grabber’s efforts to gather signatures.  Our attorneys filed an objection to this clear and unprecedented bias and the court relented…slightly.

You can view our challenge to IP 44 here.

These ballot measures serve no purpose but to harass and endanger gun owners. The dangers they present are incalculable.

Rest assured OFF will continue to do all we can to stand in their way. We are grateful for your continued support.

 

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Oregon Courts Support Gun Confiscators

06.12.18

As you may know, the Oregon Supreme Court has fast tracked the challenges we filed against IP 43, the “firearms confiscation measure”, to benefit the supporters of gun theft.

We believe the court has chosen to ignore Oregon statutes and has grossly bent the rules to accommodate the gun grabbers who filed a very late ballot measure. Now we have the Oregon Supreme Court working  for the supporters of gun confiscation to do all they can to make sure this outrageous measure gets on the ballot.

OFF’s lawyers have drafted a “motion to reconsider” the court’s fast tracking and joined with other pro-rights organizations to file it with the court.

The Oregon Supreme Court is playing fast and loose with the law. Rest assured OFF will be standing in the way every single step to protect your rights against this tyranny.

If you believe you should be part of this fight you can help us with a a donation here.

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Ballot Title Challenges Filed

06.08.18

Yesterday OFF attorneys filed two challenges to the ballot title for IP43, the “inter-hate” gun confiscation measure.

Measure 43 would ban the purchase, sale or transfer of most modern rifles and shotguns, countless handguns and even some lever action rifles.

Owners of the firearms would be required to submit to another background check to keep them, “register” or “reregister” them with the State Police and store them in a manner approved by OSP.

Magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds would also be prohibited from purchase, sale or transfer and these too would have to be “registered” with the police.

Once “registered” the firearms and magazines cited in the measure would only be allowed to be used at approved ranges.  You could not hunt or sport shoot with them and you could not use them for self defense outside the home.

Persons moving into the state with banned firearms or magazines would have to surrender them to the state. There would be no provision for “registration” only confiscation.

The penalty for possessing an unregistered firearm or magazine would be a felony punishable by 10 years in prison and fines of $250,000.00.

According to the Oregonian, the petitioners “… have leaders of Jewish congregations, black churches, liberal-leaning Protestant denominations and Islamic mosques on board.”

The Oregonian also reports . ”The Oregon Supreme Court can also expedite the process at the justices’ discretion by shortening response deadlines or bypassing oral arguments, given that the signature deadline is near.”

Previous reviews of ballot titles have taken from 49 to 150 days. But the Supreme Court has already agreed to a time table that favors the petitioners and hurts our side.

As you know, these essential legal battles are expensive. And we are not done yet. IP 43 is only one of two right’s-smashing anti-gun measures filed for the 2018 election. IP 44 would require that any firearm you own be locked and inaccessible for self defense unless you were actually carrying it.

It would hold you responsible for any damage done with one of your firearms for five years if your gun was stolen and you could not prove it had a “cable” or “trigger” lock on it.

This is turning into a very ugly year for Oregonians who dare to exercise their God-given, constitutional rights. But we have no choice but to face down the hateful bigots who would use a mob to deny you a fundamental right.

The other side has billionaires on their side. All we have is you.

Please consider contributing to our efforts to keep Oregon safe and free.

You can donate to the battle here.

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Gun Lockup Ballot Title Issued

06.01.18

Oregon’s Attorney General has released a “certified ballot title” for IP 44, the mandatory lock up ballot measure.

While this measure has received less attention than IP43, it is still an extraordinarily broad and dangerous measure. Gun owners would be strictly liable for injuries caused by someone who stole their firearm for five years after the theft if the gun was not locked with a cheap, easily defeated cable or trigger lock. The petitioners seem to actually believe that a thief  who could break into a home could not remove a cable lock for five years!

We have all heard the horror stories of minors dying at the hands of home invaders because mandatory lock up laws prevented them from having access to firearms they knew how to use.

We have all heard of attacks thwarted by young people with a parent’s firearm. 

We all know that the types of locks mandated by this measure are dangerous and unreliable.

Clearly, if passed this measure will cost lives.

The “certified” ballot title is released in response to comments filed by voters on the “draft”  ballot title.

As you can see, the AG made no changes to the “caption” and only minor changes to the “Results of Yes or No Votes” and the summary.

Appeals to this language must be filed by June 14th.

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Gun Confiscation Ballot Measure Gets “Modified” Ballot Title

05.23.18

The Attorney General has submitted a “modified” ballot title for IP 43, the gun confiscation ballot measure drafted by liberal Portland “clergy”

As you know, this ballot measure would outlaw a vast collection of firearms and ammunition magazines. Some of the banned guns would not even be the dreaded “semi-automatics” that have become the things of legend and myth.

Under IP 43 you would be facing prison time for having a firearm or magazine that you had not “registered “ with the state police. You would have very limited ability to use those items and you can never purchase another one. If you don’t register them and submit to Oregon State Police rules on how you must store them you will be required to turn them into the police, sell them out of state, or destroy them.

The “modified” ballot title can be seen here. This includes the 15 word caption the Attorney General wants to appear in the voter’s guide and the “summary” and effects  of both a “yes” and “no” vote on the measure.

As you can see, the Attorney General still insists on using the meaningless, but still inflammatory term “assault weapon”  even though she admits that “an accurate definition of that term is impossible to convey in the allotted fifteen words, “

There is no question this is intended to create confusion and fear amongst voters who have no knowledge of firearms.  It will no doubt be successful.

Clearly the openly anti Second Amendment Attorney General is hoping to use misleading and incendiary language to encourage people to vote to steal your rights and property.

Rest assured Oregon Firearms will be challenging this dangerous and misleading language in court.

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“Special” Session Starts Monday

05.20.18

A “special” session of the Oregon Legislature has been called by Governor Kate Brown against the wishes of most legislators. This session is being presented as an opportunity to “fix” a tax increase bill passed by Democrats and signed into law by Brown.

By all accounts, the proposed “fix” will effect a tiny fraction of Oregon businesses leaving many others with large increases in their tax liabilities.  Legislators on both sides of the aisle have agreed there is no need for an “emergency” session but it is an election year and Brown sees this as an opportunity to convince voters that she is doing something for small business even while the bill she signed was a serious blow against small business.  So what does all this have to do with your gun rights?

As of the time of this writing, there has only been one bill introduced. The above mentioned tax bill. However, there is NOTHING to prevent an endless stream of unrelated bills from being introduced and passed in this crammed session.

No one knows what to expect, or how long this session will be. Theoretically it could just be one day, but it could just as easily be 5 days.

With elections coming and extreme anti-gun ballot measures threatening to bring out the votes of conservatives, the Dems may well see this session as their best chance to capitalize on the recent mass murders of school children and ram through anti-gun bills. Kate Brown’s extraordinary incompetence make her vulnerable and the Dems, even if they hold majorities in both houses, don’t know if they can count on Knute Buehler to sign more anti-gun bills should he become governor. That’s what makes this session so dangerous.

Not only is there a nationwide (irrational) call for extreme anti-gun laws, giving the Democrats the momentum and incentive to pass almost anything, but these short sessions make it almost impossible for the public, (and you) to know what is happening and react to it.

We cannot predict what is going to happen, but we can tell you the danger level is extremely high. Gone are the days when the gun grabbers hid their true intentions under the guise of  “enacting reasonable gun safety legislation.” Now dictated by the sad , but predictable, calls for “something” by frightened but uninformed school children, the left is on an all out jihad to ban everything everywhere.

If they have their way you will be allowed to own nothing, although you may be allowed to store some firearms for the government at your expense if they are locked up, and useless and registered with the state subject to police inspection.

Make no mistake. The recent murders have exposed the real agenda of the left and they will stop at nothing.  And while we can’t say for certain what will happen in the days ahead, we can tell you what won’t change. 

Anti-gun celebrities will continue to attack gun owners while producing ultra violent movies that glorify murder. Video game makers will keep making games that reward kids for the most “kills”. Liberal teachers will keep blaming the “gun lobby” for the crimes of the mentally ill.

Kids in schools in Oregon will still be subject to abuse by school personnel (who will be protected for years by their unions) while nothing is done to ensure their safety against deranged killers. And the politicians in Salem will continue to have wall to wall police protection with a cop in every hearing room and hallway.

While every effort will be made to disarm you and make you a criminal for exercising a human right, the politicians will continue to enjoy protection provided by men with guns.

Please stay tuned in. We are going to need every one of you to be ready to respond to any attacks in the coming days.  We will be doing all we can to keep you informed but please consider using the OLIS system of the legislative website to track bills and their progress.  You can access that here.

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Election Results Are In

05.16.18.

The results of Oregon’s 2018 Primary Elections are in.

You can view them here.

If you are unsure what district you are in, please use this link to find out.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and be a part of the process. And thank you to all who commented on the titles for Ballot Measures 43 and 44. 

The Secretary of State has posted the comments to IP 44, the mandatory lock up measure and those comments can be seen here.

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Gun Ban Comments Swamp Secretary of State

05.11.18

Your response to the ballot title language for  gun confiscation measure IP 43 has been unprecedented. The Secretary of State received over 1500 comments on the misleading and incomplete title language created by the anti-gun Attorney General which attempted to downplay the scope and dangers of IP 43. 

Congratulations on a job well done. We have a long fight ahead of us but a message has been sent. Thank you. But we are not done yet.

As we have reported previously we now need you to make your voice heard on another equally dangerous ballot measure, IP 44.

Under IP 44 you would be a criminal if you kept a firearm next to your bed for home protection at night and went to the bathroom while your spouse slept.

Under the guise of “safe storage” it would hold you strictly liable for damages done by others with a firearm you transferred, lost, or had stolen from you for 5 years unless you could prove the gun had a “cable or trigger lock” or was stored in a locked container at the time of the transfer, loss or theft.

It’s blatantly absurd to suggest that a person you transferred a gun to would be any more or less likely to misuse a firearm for 5 years simply because you delivered it with a removable “trigger lock.”  It is even more bizarre to imply that if your gun was stolen it could not be misused because of a flimsy “cable” for five years!

When you make your comments please address the failures of the ballot title language, not the language of the measure itself. The ballot title includes the “caption,” the summary and the effects of both a “yes” and “no” vote. You can comment on any or all of these components.

Keep in mind that while you will be addressing your comments to the Secretary of State, he did not write the ballot title language. Our anti-gun Attorney General did.

When you make your comments be sure your name is included. Identify yourself as an “Oregon Elector” (voter).

An address is helpful but not required.

The language of the actual measure can be seen here.

The language for the ballot title can be seen here.

Some things to consider when you make your comments.

Based on the Heller decision , the ballot measure is almost certainly unconstitutional.  In Heller, the late Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in the court’s opinion :

“The requirement that any lawful firearm in the home be disassembled or bound by a trigger lock makes it impossible for citizens to use arms for the core lawful purpose of self defense and is hence unconstitutional.”

The ballot “caption” says :

“Requires firearms be locked during storage/transfer, loss reported, minors’ use supervised; imposes penalties/liabilities”

Clearly, given the scope and potential liabilities, this language falls well short of  advising voters what the measure does.

Under this measure even temporary or momentary “transfers” like handing a firearm to a friend at a range or using an instructor’s gun in a class would require the firearm be disabled each time it was handed to another person. The same is true of guns you might handle at a gun store.

There are no exceptions for displays of antique firearms even if there are no ammunition components available. There are no exceptions for historical or educational displays or museums.

Section 6 (2) says :

For purposes of sections 1 and 3 of this 2018 Act, a firearm is under the control of a person when the person is lawfully authorized to possess the firearm and the person is in sufficiently close proximity to the firearm to prevent another person from obtaining possession of the firearm.

This is vague and subjective and provides no real guidance for how far away a person has to be away from a firearm before he or she is breaking the law. Nor does it explain exactly what responsibility a person actually has to prevent another person from “obtaining possession.” Do they just have to be there?

We’re sure you’ll find plenty more to address.

You can send your comments to:

Email to irrlistnotifier.sos@oregon.gov

Fax to 503.373.7414
Mail to 255 Capitol St NE Ste 501, Salem OR 97310

Your comments are due by May 15.

If you would like to support our efforts to defeat these mindless attacks on our liberty, safety and heritage you can do so here.

 

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Gun Confiscation Ballot Measure Updates.

05.09.18

Last evening at 5pm was the deadline for submitting comments on the ballot title for IP 43, the  firearms confiscation measure.  This measure would ban not only almost all modern firearms but could potentially even ban some lever action rifles.

Anyone who commented has standing to challenge the ballot title created by the Attorney General in the Oregon Supreme Court.

The Secretary of State is reporting they received over 1000 comments. Typically they receive a dozen or fewer.

The comments can be seen here. Many of you have shared the comments you sent with us. We have seen some very impressive and thorough work and you should all be proud.

Next up as you know, is the same process for IP 44.

This outrageous attack on your rights and common sense would require that your guns be inaccessible and even holds you responsible for crimes and accidents that involve a firearm you owned,  for 5 years after you sold it.

Based on the Heller decision it is almost certainly unconstitutional.  In Heller, the late Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in the court’s opinion :

“The requirement that any lawful firearm in the home be disassembled or bound by a trigger lock makes it impossible for citizens to use arms for the core lawful purpose of self defense and is hence unconstitutional.”

That, however, does not mean this dangerous act of theft will stay off the ballot. Once again, anyone who comments on the ballot title will have standing to challenge it in court.

The ballot title for IP 44 can be seen here. Deadline for comments is May 15. You may comment on any or all of the components of the title including the caption, the summary and outcomes of a “yes” or “no” vote. You may also propose alternative language for any of these components.

If you are sending your comments via email, we have been informed that a signature is NOT required. Nor is a street address, but it is suggested. First and last name are required.  Comments  can be sent to:

Email to irrlistnotifier.sos@oregon.gov

Fax to 503.373.7414
Mail to 255 Capitol St NE Ste 501, Salem OR 97310

There is plenty to find fault with in the ballot title as it does not even come close to clearly explaining the broad reach and damage this measure does.

OFF will be doing everything possible to stand in the way of the hateful people who are using the initiative process to steal your rights, your property and, if they have their way, your freedom.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to make your voices heard with comments on IP 43. We have no doubts you will do another outstanding job commenting on IP 44.

If you would like to support our efforts to defeat these mindless attacks on our liberty, safety and heritage you can do so here.

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Second Anti Rights Ballot Measure

05.01.18

The Second Anti-Rights, Anti Constitution Ballot Measure has received a “ballot title”

IP 44 has the ballot “caption” :

“Requires firearms be locked during storage/transfer, loss reported, minors’ use supervised; imposes penalties/liabilities   

Of course that does not in any way describe the dangerous and unconstitutional things this ballot measure does. You can read the actual language of the measure here. 

The ballot language is, once again, incoherent. You can see the language of the caption, summary and results of a yes or no vote here.

The chief petitioners are :
Henry Wessinger 1000 SW Vista Ave #1105 Portland, OR 97205
Vincenza Passalacqua (Jenna Yuille) 1704 19th St. NW #9 Washington, DC 20009
Paul Kemp 8710 SE 137th Avenue Happy Valley, OR 97086

For reasons we cannot explain, Jenna Yuille, an anti-rights extremist and anti-gun activist and Bloomberg employee, is using a Washington DC address and another name, while still posting an Oregon phone number.

As with IP 43, Oregon voters can submit comments on the language of the “ballot title” which means any of the language in the “caption”  or “summary” or the language describing what happens if the measure passes or fails.

Here is the “summary”according to the Attorney General:

Summary: Requires owner/possessor of firearm to secure it with trigger or cable lock, or in locked container when not being carried by owner/possessor; must transfer firearm with trigger or cable lock, or in locked container; must report theft or loss of firearm to law enforcement within 24 hours; person who transfers firearm to minor must directly supervise minors’ use of firearm. Failure to comply with requirements treated as violation. Person failing to comply with requirements is strictly liable if injury to person or property results within five years from failure to comply; liability does not apply if injury results from self-defense/defense of another. Attorney General to adopt specifications for trigger locks, cable locks, firearms containers. Defines “firearm,” “transfer,” other terms. Other provisions

You can make comments on  the caption, summary or language describing the outcome of a yes or no vote here:

Scan and Email to irrlistnotifier.sos@oregon.gov

Fax to 503.373.7414
Mail to 255 Capitol St NE Ste 501, Salem OR 97310

 Please keep in mind the Secretary of State is NOT responsible for the ballot title language. They are just the “messenger”. 

As with measure 43, if you file comments about the ballot measure title you will have standing to challenge the ballot title in court.

Comments are due by 5/15/2018

 

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Ballot Title For Measure 43 Released.

 

Yes, they really are coming for your guns.

04.24.18

The Attorney General has released her proposed ballot title and summary for  IP 43, the state-wide firearms confiscation measure.

You can read her title and summary here.

The short version is this:

DRAFT BALLOT TITLE Criminalizes possession or transfer of “assault weapons” (defined) or “large capacity magazines” (defined), with exceptions

As you can see, the ballot title falls far short of covering all the dangerous and onerous provisions of this measure.

Oregon voters can send comments about this ballot title to the Oregon Secretary of State for the next ten days. Keep in mind, your comments must be on the” ballot title ” not on the absurd language of the ballot itself.

Comments Due
May 8, 2018  

Where to Submit
Scan and Email: irrlistnotifier.sos@state.or.us
Fax: 503.373.7414
Mail: 255 Capitol St NE Ste 501, Salem OR 97310

One thing the Secretary of State does not make clear, and this is important, is that they want all comments submitted to be “signed.”   So while you can print out your comments, sign them and scan them and send the scanned documents to the Secretary of State via email, a simple email with your comments will not work.

Here is the actual language of the ballot measure.

If you plan on submitting comments or suggested ballot title language,( and you should) please carefully read the measure and then submit your comments based on the obvious shortcomings of the ballot title. You will want to concentrate on why the ballot title language is insufficient, misleading, incorrect or inflammatory. If you provide comments you will have standing to challenge the ballot title language in the Oregon Supreme Court.

Clearly the simple use of the meaningless term “assault weapon” is misleading and inflammatory. The title also makes no mention of the fact that magazines will have to be “registered” something that is essentially not possible.

Suggested ballot titles may not exceed 15 words. (Yes, we know that’s absurd.)

As you know, this measure is intended to do nothing less than make felons out of many thousands of Oregonians while making no one safer.  We strongly encourage you to be involved and send you comments to the Secretary of State.

 

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Mandatory Lock Up Ballot Measure Moves Forward

04.24.18

Today the Oregon Secretary of State announced that proposed ballot measure 44 had the required number of signatures (1000) to move on to the Attorney General for a draft ballot title.

This measure would hold you liable for any damage or injuries that happened with a firearm that you transferred, for 5 years after it was no longer yours unless you could prove it was transferred with a lock. There are many other absurd provisions too numerous to detail.

As with IP 43, the AG will create a proposed title and Oregon voters will be given an opportunity to comment on the proposed ballot title language.

After that anyone who provided a comment will have standing to challenge the ballot title in the Oregon Supreme Court.

The AG must provide the proposed title by May 1. We will post more info as this progresses.

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Gun Confiscation Ballot Measure Moves Forward. Pro Rights Rallies Saturday.

04.17.18

Ballot Measure 43, the “Inter-Hate” petition to imprison Oregonians for exercising their rights, was sent to the Attorney General today for a draft ballot title.  After being delayed because they were short on signatures, the petitioners gathered more and collected enough to move to the next step.

After receiving the text of the initiative, the Attorney General prepares a draft ballot title and files it with the Elections Division. A ballot title includes:

a caption that does not exceed 15 words describing the subject of the petition;

a statement that does not exceed 25 words describing the result if the petition is passed;

a statement that does not exceed 25 words describing the result if the petition is rejected; and

a summary that does not exceed 125 words describing the major effect of the petition.

As you can imagine, it will  be virtually impossible for an accurate ballot title and summary to be created given how extreme this measure is.

After the Attorney General creates the title, summaries, and statement registered voters in Oregon will be given an opportunity to comment on the language of the ballot title. There will no doubt be plenty to complain about.  The Attorney General has until April 24th to create the title.

When she does, we’ll post detailed information on how you can submit your comments. Any registered voter who comments will have standing to appeal the ballot title language in court. You will have until May 8 to submit your comments.

Please keep an eye on these alerts for updates.

This coming Saturday there will be pro Second Amendment rights rallies in several locations in Oregon. Please try to attend the one closest to you.

The rallies already announced for that date are from 11am to 1 pm at the following locations:

Redmond City Hall, Redmond

Sandy City Hall,  Sandy

State Capitol,   Salem

Medford City Hall   411 W 8th St , Medford

405 East 8th Ave, Eugene


Til Taylor Park on SE 7th Street  Pendleton.

 

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Facebook Blocks OFF. Candidate Ratings Available

04.16.18

Today Facebook blocked OFF from posting on its page. There was no explanation.

We know that Facebook manipulates its content and blocks any material that it does not agree with, but this is the first time OFF has been cut off from posting messages. This is all we received:

“You recently posted something that violates Facebook policies, so you’re temporarily blocked from using this feature. For more information, visit the Help Center.”

Needless to say, the “Help Center” provided no help.

While Facebook has been a useful tool for reaching people and giving them the opportunity to respond, it is becoming increasingly clear that it is a medium that is designed to control its users, mine their data and silence any information not in line with its narrative. This is amazingly dangerous.

If you are a Facebook user be aware that the information you are getting there is heavily controlled. (Like you didn’t know that.)

On another note, Oregon Firearms has posted our candidate grades for the May primary elections. You can see them here.

So far they have not found a way to shut down our website.

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One More Anti-Gun Ballot Measure

04.02.18

Another anti-gun ballot measure has been filed. As you can see, in this case one of the chief petitioners is not even an Oregon resident.

This measure requires that firearms be locked up and may not be “transferred” without having trigger locks or being in locked containers.  Of course it is no longer even legal to transfer a firearm except to close family members unless the transfer is done through a dealer, so who is liable then?

Section 2 (sub 3  ) would hold you strictly liable for any injury that occurred five years after you transferred a firearm without a trigger lock . We’ll update as we  analyze the latest hare-brained push by the mindless Bloomberg stooges.