Category: OFF Alerts

06.14.2024

BUMP STOCK BAN OVERTURNED BY SCOTUS

It’s not often that we get to bring you good news, and lately it’s been extremely rare, but today we are pleased to report the third major pro-rights victory in two days. (We updated yesterday’s alert on the website to include the court victory against Biden’s efforts to entrap any gun owner who transferred a firearm.)

Today the US Supreme Court struck down the Trump “bump stock” ban, correctly noting, that politics and word games aside, “bump stocks” are not machine guns and do not make semi-auto firearms machine guns, no matter how hard ignorant or malicious people attempt to twist the English language.

Given that the dedicated public servants over at ATF have actually determined that a shoelace is a machine gun this is a tremendous victory for sanity, common sense, and the all too rare notion that words actually mean something.  Remember, the bump stock ban did not say bump stocks identified as machine guns. It said they were machine guns.

 

With the usual suspects dissenting and demonstrating a complete and embarrassing lack of understanding of simple mechanical principles (if you don’t know what a “woman” is you are going to struggle with concepts like “trigger groups”) the court correctly analyzed the definitions that are actually written into our laws and concluded that bump stocks do not meet the very clear definition of “machine gun” under US regulations.

“Bump stocks” were banned by Trump in a knee jerk reaction to a mass shooting in Las Vegas.  There may never have been a criminal event that was “investigated” more sloppily and with so little credibility. In the end, every single “conclusion” reached by the “investigators” was suspect. The much reported use of bump stocks in that horrible crime is likewise highly suspect.

The firearms community has long argued over the value of bump stocks and some have expressed the opinion that they are pointless gadgets that serve no useful purpose.  Some even felt that their prohibition was no big deal.  We disagree.  While the only real purpose they may serve is turning money into noise, if bureaucrats, even the President of the United States, can arbitrarily change the meaning of words, nothing is safe.  It is a short distance between saying sliding plastic parts are machine guns to saying AR-15’s are machine guns. In fact we have seen this very issue arise with the just overturned ban on stabilizing braces, the reinvention of what defines a “firearm” for the purpose of mandatory registration, and Biden’s demented attempt to say that any gun owner who wants to transfer a gun to another person is a “gun dealer.”

These victories are all the more rewarding given the vicious war on gun owners declared by Biden’s handlers and the rest of the far left apparatchiks in control of the government at this time. (Biden’s recent rambling speech at an anti-2nd Amendment group about keeping guns out of the wrong hands and “safe storage” while his crackhead son was being found guilty of gun crimes was surreal.)

While we have our own battles in Oregon with an anti-gun Democrat majority and a Republican minority that refuses to stand up and fight, a victory anywhere in the country is a victory for all gun owners. Your support and activism in these battles is the reason for every inch of ground we take back.  So take a moment to congratulate yourself. And thank you.

 

 

 

06.13.2024

And The Beat Goes On.

Today gun owners had another victory in the endless battle to protect their God given right to self defense.

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled in Mock v Garland that the Biden ban on pistol braces “ …violated the Administrative Procedure Act …because it was arbitrary and capricious and was not a logical outgrowth of the Proposed Rule.”

This case has been bouncing around for a while and will certainly be appealed by the most tyrannical Department of Justice in US History.  Ironically, the defendant in this case, US Attorney General Merrick Garland, could well be convicted of breaking the law himself.

Never before has America had an Attorney General so committed to using his department as a partisan weapon to silence and intimidate his political opponents while protecting grifters in the administration.

While the pistol brace prohibition had been “on hold”, this is a positive and demonstrative step in the protection of gun owners.

As you know, the geniuses at the BATFE originally declared that pistol braces were unquestionably legal and unregulated. Or they were unregulated unless they touched your shoulder, or they could touch your shoulder but only for a second or so. Or something. Finally the BATFE, through an arcane, opaque, and indecipherable “rule” said that “no, they are not legal unless you register the firearm they were attached to as a short barrel rifle.”

This process involved contacting ATF and essentially telling  them that you wanted to “register” a regulated firearm that you already had and getting the required tax stamp after acquiring the firearm instead of before.  Some well versed folks opined that you were essentially contacting that most benign of all agencies and telling them that you were a felon and would they please send you a “get out of jail” card.  (The card would most certainly not be “free”.)

So unless there is a successful appeal by the most corrupt administration in the history of our great Republic, pistol braces are once again legal under Federal law. If you did register your pistol as an SBR, it appears you now have a strictly regulated firearm, although it is totally unclear what these guns will be considered going forward.

If you chose to ignore this clearly hate based stupidity you are now more permanently protected by this ruling. Of course, all of these victories are temporary but we’ll take what we can get and want to congratulate Firearms Policy Coalition and the plaintiffs in this case.

UPDATE: In other news, Biden’s attempt to force every law abiding gun owner to file to become and FFL has hit a snag.

Meanwhile, our battles against Measure 114 are moving forward at a glacial pace. We believe our Federal lawsuit will be several more years in the courts. The state case, which gun owners are winning at this point, is headed to the Oregon Appeals Court as we speak. There is simply no way to predict the outcome on that one, but it will happen sooner.  Victory there is simply essential.  If we lose there, gun rights in Oregon could basically end for the foreseeable future. 

Those legal bills keep coming in.  If you can help us with a donation to our Foundation your support will be greatly appreciated.

You can donate at this page (which includes mailing info if you prefer to donate by check).  Please use the drop down menu to indicate your donation is for the Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation.  Donations to the Foundation are tax deductible.

Thank you for your continued generosity.

 

 

 

05.31.2024

Gun owners have had plenty of reasons to be seriously unhappy with Donald Trump.

His ignorant and politically motivated attacks on bump stocks and comments about “due process later” had reasonable people shaking their heads.  Oregon Firearms Federation joined other pro-gun organizations to submit an amicus brief in a lawsuit against the bump stock ban. We are not knee jerk supporters of any politician. However, what happened yesterday, while not entirely unexpected, was a turning point whose danger cannot be overestimated.

What we warned about when Biden took office has come true in a manner even more devastating than we could have predicted. The current administration has systematically destroyed much of our country with ruthless efficiency.

No one who is a political opponent of the left is safe.  The law enforcement agencies whose job it is to protect Americans now openly target them, sometimes fatally.

“ATF agents cut off the electricity to Bryan Malinowski’s Little Rock home before executing their search warrant on March 19. None of the agents wore body cameras, and they covered Malinowski’s doorbell camera with tape to hide their actions. Fifty-seven seconds after kicking down the front door, Malinowski was fatally shot in the head. “

The jury in the criminal trial against Trump did not even make the pretense of deliberating.  Much like in the trial against Mike Strickland, and our federal lawsuit against Mz 114, the dice were loaded from the start.

We have truly crossed the line.

All of this is coordinated, none of it is by chance and it’s happening at lightning speed.

The rule of law is officially extinct in America and any one of us could be the next victim of the Marxist takeover that everyone sees, except the people we elect to represent us.

The current administration, and the extreme left it represents, will tell any lie, break any law, and crush anyone who stands in their way.

The response from the “opposing” party has been desk thumping, fist waving, and faux outrage.  Sternly written letters will follow. Fund raising mail disguised as press releases will flood your in box.  Congress will convene hearings where heads of federal agencies will refuse to answer questions with impunity and soon it will be business as usual.

In Oregon, the Republicans will continue to pound out empty tweets and digital ads decrying the direction the Democrats are taking the state, while tacitly admitting they plan to assist the left in every way.

(Today, in spite of having already won her election, Christine Drazan sent out another request for money without a single word of the travesty of Trump’s convictions.)

“After losing by 3 percentage points to Tina Kotek in the 2022 governor’s race, Drazan founded A New Direction to advocate for what she characterized as centrist policy priorities.”

“I’m an Oregon Republican. I think it’s time for our party to stop denying election results and focus on winning elections instead.”So said Reagan Knopp in a tweet this week on X, the social media platform once known as Twitter.

“McLane described himself as a pragmatist when it comes to legislation. As a lawmaker, he said he plans to participate and contribute to policy decisions in every way he can, and he plans to speak soon with both Bonham and Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, about how he can help next year.”

Bryan Iverson, Vikki Iverson’s husband, and the hitman who created the dishonest and disgraceful attack on Noah Robinson, called the few Republicans with principles “obstructionists.”

“They want that brand of Republicans that are just obstructionist, basically,” Iverson said.

House Rep Cyrus Javadi derisively said his primary opponent “represents the far, far right-wing Republican Party”

“Far right wing” is the Republican establishment’s pejorative for anyone standing up to the Democrats.

House Rep Mark Owens bemoaned the loss of anti-gun Charlie Conrad: “My view was that Charlie’s one of the most honorable men that I’ve ever had the privilege to work with, and I’d like to continue to work with him,” Owens said. 

The number of Republicans willing to stand up for your rights is now vanishingly small. In pursuit of whatever crumbs the Democrats are willing to offer them to remain docile and obedient, the Republican establishment has already signaled surrender and you can rest assured they will be doing all they can to undermine the few who will fight.

While some Republicans are still releasing daily barrages of fund raisers pretending to be “petitions” in support of police or truckers, as of today the legislative website does not reflect a single Republican press release condemning the courtroom lynching of Trump.  We will be pleased to update this page if they do.

Make no mistake, all Americans, and especially gun owners, are in danger now. The politicians are not going to protect you. The alphabet agencies consider you a threat and a combatant. The courts cannot be relied on. (We are still dealing with two separate lawsuits to protect your right to protect yourself in Oregon.)

America has never seen anything like this.  Be prepared watch out for your family, friends and neighbors.

 

 

05.24.2024

We wish you and your family a blessed and patriotic Memorial Day and honor the many Americans who gave all in the fight for freedom.

Oregon’s election month is in full swing. And unlike other, more backward states that force voters to actually come to the polls, show ID and vote in person, and have results by the next morning, more modern and progressive Oregon won’t have “official” results until…well who really knows?

However, it appears that there are sufficient numbers to call most races. The outcome is decidedly “mixed.”

Let’s start with the good news.

(The following races are all Republican.)

In Senate District 28 , OFFPAC-endorsed Diane Linthicum won over Dave Henslee.

Diane is the wife of Dennis Linthicum who voters prevented from seeking reelection through Ballot Measure 113. So the same voters who decided Dennis could not run for his seat again, handily elected his wife who will certainly carry on with his principles.

Diane has made it clear she intends to continue to fight for Oregon’s voters and not fold and make deals like most Republicans.   Henslee, on the other hand, made no secret of his plans to roll over for the Democrat agenda, refuse to stand up to them and instead “stay and fight” demonstrating he had exactly zero understanding of how things work in Salem.  After the election he was quoted attacking Diane saying “She completely supports Dennis Linthicum’s voting record, and in my opinion, his voting record hasn’t benefited our district.”

Voters in the 28th are lucky to have chosen a fighter and not one more establishment stooge.

In Senate District 2, OFFPAC-endorsed Noah Robinson defeated Christine Goodwin.

Goodwin, who will now leave her House Seat and return to the private sector, ran a campaign that can only be described and vicious and repulsive.  She had her hatchet men, the Iverson clan, produce campaign material that was disgraceful and blatantly false.

Robinson is the son of Art Robinson, who like Dennis Linthicum, was barred from seeking reelection. And while, once again, the voters passed a measure to prevent them from voting for the candidate of their choice, they chose the candidate most likely to carry on the agenda of the candidate they prevented from running again. You have to wonder what would have happened had there been even one argument against the ballot measure by the Republicans. (Who were counting on the sure-to-happen “red wave.”)

(Interestingly, Senators Dennis Linthicum and Brian Boquist, who were prohibited from seeking their Senate seats because of a vote of the people, both handily won their races for Secretary of State and Treasurer respectively)

Goodwin was not helped by her “endorsement” of “Oregon Gun Rights” a PAC that did not even exist until after she claimed their endorsement. In fact, the PAC was created to give her what appeared to be the support of gun owners. As of May 24th, the “PAC” still only shows one transaction. From its creator, Senator Tim Knopp’s son…to himself.

Goodwin, who claimed to live in a rented apartment on someone else’s property, can now save some money and return home to her well appointed house that is actually not in the district she was running in.

Goodwin expressed disappointment that voters in the district actually wanted someone to fight for them rather than show up to advance the Democrat’s agenda like Goodwin did. She said “Yet, Republicans must remember we cannot expect to succeed by refusing to engage and participate in the legislative process in Salem.”   Translated that means “We must continue to provide the Democrats the quorum they need to ram their leftist crap down our throats.”

House Rep and former Republican Leader Vikki Iverson’s husband, establishment hack Bryan, bemoaned the election of a real fighter saying “They want that brand of Republicans that are just obstructionist, basically,… I think that they were pushing for that from the get-go, and that’s obviously how it turned out.”

The Republican lapdog establishment hates anyone who stands in the way of the Democrat’s Marxist utopia preferring yes men (and women) who will shut up and hand over what remains of the state to the left. “Obstructing” the Democrat’s plans is a bad thing according the people running the Republican Caucus.

House Rep, Charlie Conrad, who won his seat last time when the Iversons attacked his conservative opponent, and along with Republican Kevin Mannix voted to push more Democrat gun control (and of course still got and NRA endorsement) got soundly trounced by Darin Harbick .

While Conrad was the choice of the sell out Republican machine, he was not so loved by the people in his district who also did not appreciate his promotion of sex changes and abortions for children with no parental knowledge or consent.  Another set back for the Republican establishment.

On the downside, while Portland’s Marxist DA, Mike Schmidt, was removed from the Portland politics gene pool, his replacement, Nathan Vasquez, is no conservative, having run on his brag of having prosecuted “Proud Boys” whose major crime was shooting paint balls,  while antifa ran wild unmolested by Multnomah County’s “justice system.”

And demonstrating once again the absolute dementia of Portland Democrats, as of today, none other than failed mayor and minor attracted person, Sam Adams is leading for Multnomah County Commissioner seat. Hide your sons.

Senator David Brock Smith got reelected in spite of his support for providing tampons to kindergarten boys and the quorum Democrats needed to pass their bills.  Smith reliably showed up on the Senate floor day after day while others walked out , determined to protect his seat and the Democrat’s agenda. 

Proving you can fool some of the people all of the time, Smith repeatedly used his bill promoting offshore windmills to convince people in his district that he opposed off shore windmills. It would appear that exactly none of Smith’s supporters ever read the bill. Smith is now free to once again use his office to direct taxpayer money into “non-profits” that pay…David Brock Smith. Really, who would have guessed?

But no race promises to have the impact of the reemergence of failed governor candidate Christine Drazan.  It’s hard to imagine a legislator who did more damage to the state and the party image than Drazan. As Republican House Leader Drazan voted time after time to zip tie the police during Oregon’s riot season. She celebrated the conviction of Derek Chauvin in the death of felon drug addict George Floyd, voted twice to put tampons in kindergarten boy’s bathrooms, changed the state song lyrics because they included the words “free men” and protected a Kotek staffer who was arrested at one of Portland’s nightly mostly peaceful protests. 

Drazan’s humiliating “deal” with then Speaker Kotek  (which of course Kotek reneged on) was the most absurd of her capitulations but in the end, money talks.  Now she’s back having defeated the sitting Republican, James Hieb, and spending a boatload of lobby money.  It was “her” seat after all and no mere combat wounded Marine veteran with principles was going to stand in her way.

Drazan’s obsessive lust for attention virtually guarantees that she will once again attempt to claw her way to the Leader’s position and, given the makeup of the House Republican Caucus, likely succeed.  Drazan will no doubt see current leader Jeff Helfrich as a minor speed bump in her quest to return to her role as the mastermind of Republican surrender while hilariously selling herself as a “fighter.”  We suspect that the left over supply of “Jingle Jeff’s” Christmas campaign merch will be going for bargain prices as Drazan storms into the Capitol to retake the seat she knows “belongs to her” and once again leads the House Republicans to embarrassing defeats in the loving name of “bipartisanship.”
But at least now she won’t get smacked around by Speaker Tina Kotek. Now she’ll get smacked around by Speaker Julie Fahey.

Buckle up folks, the surrenders are coming.

Just Plain Revolting

 

05.13.2024

We fully expect every election campaign to be a bare knuckles brawl, but some people go beyond what even we could imagine.

We have told you about the newly created “Gun Rights” PAC that was invented to give Christine Goodwin the illusion of gun owner support.

This was a group she claimed an endorsement from before they even existed. Then, only after she claimed their “endorsement,” did they appear as a PAC.

The “organization” consists of two people. The son of failed Republican Senate Leader Tim Knopp, and a staffer for Vikki Iverson.  While claiming they will support and help elect pro-gun candidates, their only transaction so far has been… to themselves.

Their webpage has a long list of candidates they  “endorse” but every candidate we have spoken to has disavowed them and one even demanded his name be removed.  The group refused.

The only candidates we know of who are embracing Knopp’s “PAC” are Goodwin and David Brock Smith.

Both are also boasting of their endorsement by a group called “Oregon Gun Owners.” 

If you don’t know who “Oregon Gun Owners” are, here is the short version.  They are a wholly owned subsidiary of PACWEST Communications, a hired-gun corporate lobby firm.  Their list of accomplishments lately have been basically none, but if you go back a while you will see that “Oregon Gun Owners” helped draft and promote HB 2535, Kevin Mannix’s 1999 bill to ban private sales at gun shows.  When that failed they even attempted a ballot measure to do the same thing.  That failed as well.

While recently virtually the only “donations”  “Oregon Gun Owners” have made have been payments to their bookkeeper and, surprise….PACWEST Communications, a check on their past shows they have donated to anti-gun extremists like Floyd Prozanski and Peter Courtney.

It’s unclear exactly how someone gets an “endorsement” from a group owned by a corporate, for hire, lobby group, but clearly it’s not because you have been pro-gun.

But as much of a charade as these supposed “pro-gun” organizations are, they pale in comparison to a recent vile, disgusting, and plainly false mailer recently sent out by Vikki Iverson on behalf of her pal Goodwin viciously attacking fellow Republican Noah Robinson.

We almost hesitate to share it, it is that grotesque. And certainly if Goodwin and the Iversons crawled into the gutter they would be stepping up. But a picture is worth a thousand air sickness bags.

In the upper left the headline screams “Robinson Ran as A Democrat in 2012”.  But while this is a deceitful hit piece on Noah Robinson, the person noted on the flyer is not even Noah.

The upper right corner has an arial photo of the Robinson’s property with the absurd text “WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE THIS COMPOUND?”  That nonsense, of course, was pulled directly from the mouths of lying leftists. But, so we can illuminate things for the Iverson’s and Goodwin, we’ll tell you what goes on. Because it just so happens we know.

What goes on very often is the creation of thousands of campaign signs for conservative causes and candidates at rates way too low for the Robinsons to be making much.  They provided all our signs in the fight against Ballot Measure 114 and at a ridiculously low price.  If Goodwin and her cronies the Iversons don’t know that they might want to crawl up out of their mud holes and take a look around. This ain’t news.

Further down the flyer claims Robinson was “Sued By State Of Oregon For Not Paying His Taxes.” This is another blatant and disgusting lie told by desperate hacks trying to cling to power.  In fact, Noah has made it clear that he OVERPAID his taxes that year and the state sent him a refund. 

To the right of that lie is a screenshot of the Legislature’s page with the contact info for Senators Brian Boquist and Noah’s father, Art Robinson.  The image attempts to make it appear that Art is not a Republican. (And Art is not even running for this election, Noah is.). But notice how these hacks used a separate screen shot to cover up Art’s party affiliation. Here is what the page actually looks like.

The bottom of the piece may be most indicative of just how despicable and desperate these people are. It shows a photo of Art Robinson, a decent and committed man, snapped in the most unflattering moment they could find from a legislative video.  We would say these people are disgraceful but that would elevate them.

Not to be outdone, friends of Brock Smith, who also proudly boasts of “endorsements” from Oregon Gun Owners and the vaporous “Gun Rights First” Pac, are soliciting volunteers for “ballot harvesting” (their words.) In a move straight out of the Marxist playbook, Smith and other “Republican” candidates, are “harvesting ballots” at an ASSISTED LIVING CENTER! The payoff to the folks who help? Root beer and ice cream floats. Do you suppose the folks whose living is being assisted will be getting any “assistance” in picking out candidates?

While it’s interesting that candidates who never lifted a finger to protect gun rights are desperate to appear to have the support of gun rights organizations, voters deserve to know what’s really happening in our elections. And it’s not pretty.

Do nothing organizations have long sought to cash in on the generosity and commitment of gun owners.  And often they are quite successful.

Don’t fall for it here. 

Don’t Let The “Lobby” Decide.

Ballots are out. If you have already voted, thanks for taking part in this election, as frustrating and pointless as it may seem.

If you have not yet voted, please don’t let your voice go unheard.

As we have noted recently, OFF’s Political Action Committee found very few candidates worth endorsing this year.

However, there are some candidates we are urging you to support if you live in their districts. These are the candidates of the people and not the candidates of the corporate lobbyists who buy elections to maintain the status quo and their grip on legislation.

The lobby’s main interest is making sure the legislature continues to do their bidding uninterrupted. As a result you can bet they will always support candidates who don’t rock the boat.  But right now the boat of Oregon is the Titanic and it’s steaming full speed towards an iceberg.

Some of the strongest voices for our rights have been silenced by Republican “leadership’s” sellout to the Democrat bullies.  Because they stood tall they cannot run for office again.  But, at least in some cases, you can still vote to continue their dedication to principle, and against their paid-for opponents.

In Senate District 1 you can vote for Todd Vaughn and against David Brock Smith.

While some Senators risked their political futures by standing up and walking out, Smith sat on the Senate Floor day after day to do the bidding of the Democrats.  His goal? Protect his seat and his ability to funnel taxpayer money into his own pocket. And while Smith hilariously crows about his NRA endorsement, we all know what a joke that is. His touting of an endorsement from “Oregon Gun Rights” is equally absurd.

It was the actions of people like Smith that helped the Democrats steal even more of your personal liberty.

Smith showed how out of touch he is with his constituents by twice voting to put tampons in kindergartner boy’s bathrooms and then denying it.

Smith has demonstrated he is there to follow orders of the party in power and he really must go.

In Senate District 2, Senator Art Robinson stood up for your rights and helped deny quorum.

Then, of course, after walking out for you and ending his political tenure, the Senate Republican leader rolled over to the Democrats and gave them everything they wanted.  Robinson’s sacrifice meant nothing to the inside players who run the show on both sides of the aisle.  But you have a chance to keep Art’s principles and spirit fighting for you in Salem by voting for his son Noah who has been working with Art daily at the legislature and shares his passion, commitment, and values. 

Noah’s Republican opponent is Christine Goodwin who saw the principled actions of Robinson as the perfect chance to move up from the House to the Senate.  Goodwin, you will recall, was the lucky recipient of an “endorsement” from a “pro-gun” organization created solely to give her the appearance of gun owner’s support. That “organization” consists of two people; the former Senate Republican “leader’s” son and a staffer for House Rep and sell-out former Republican “leader” Vikki Iverson.

Now it what can only be seen as a total desperation, Goodwin is texting this bizarre ad for herself.  We are sure Donald is thrilled at this endorsement and no doubt it will take his race for president over the top…

Senate District 28 is also losing one of the most dedicated defenders of gun rights because of his dedication to protecting them. 

Senator Dennis Linthicum has also been stripped of his ability to seek his seat again and voters in his district have been robbed of their right to vote for the candidate of their choice.  But Dennis’s wife Diane has filed to run and that means voters can turn the tables on the Democrats and elect a person of integrity who will continue to stand up for the principles Dennis has fought for.  We believe Diane will continue to take the tough stands for your rights.  We cannot say that about her opponent.

And of course, no contest is more a race between the people and the lobby than the election in House District 51 where lobby darling and establishment suck-up, Christine Drazan, is trying to “regain” “her” seat from incumbent Republican James Hieb.

Hieb is certainly not an establishment stooge.  If Drazan manages to buy her way back into that seat the damage she is capable of is incalculable.  Please support Hieb if you live in the 51st District in Clackamas County.

The lobby, and their money, have made their picks.  We urge you to vote for the people who care more about you than lobby money. 

It’s All Theater

05.07.2024
When you check your Oregon Voter Pamphlet for the races for judges for the Oregon Supreme Court and the Oregon Court of Appeals you’ll note that your choices are.. wait, there are no choices.

Much like any third world, socialist, hell hole, Oregon gives you the choice to vote for exactly one candidate.

Most Oregon judges are appointed because most Oregon Judges (oddly) retire before their term is up meaning they have to be replaced,  not by the people, but by the Governor.

Then, they are the “incumbent” and lawyers rarely run against them for fear of retribution should they wind up in their courtroom.  When the merry go round completes another revolution that judge retires early and his replacement is…picked by the governor.  

Rinse and repeat.

Judges are the only offices that are noted on your ballot as “incumbents.”  What a coincidence.

Every single “candidate” for the Oregon Supreme Court and the Oregon Court of Appeals is already on the court. In no case do you have a choice. You may vote for whomever you like as long as it is the only candidate running.

While this is a terrible system, one “race” is particularly troubling.  The coronation for Appeals Court Judge Position 6.  There your “choice” is…Jim Egan. (See “non partisan candidates”) And that should send chills up your spine if you still have any shred of faith in Oregon’s Judicial System.

Egan, you may recall, was the “judge” who declared gun owners to be racist, anti-semitic, white supremacists in an unhinged rant against the people’s vote to create a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary in Columbia County. 

You can read his entire demented screed here.

Egan is unfit to appear in a courtroom let alone serve as a judge. His mindless hatred for law abiding Americans disqualifies him from any job that requires a measure of impartiality. In spite of his clear bigotry against gun owners, he has refused to recuse himself from the appeal of the Measure 114 injunction. And that, like the entire system, is a disgrace.

This hateful bigot is going to win re-election because the dice are loaded.  But you don’t have to participate.

In this election we suggest you write in our attorney Tyler Smith, who Egan directed his mindless attacks against.

A small gesture in a game that’s rigged. But a gesture non-the-less.

 

 

05.03.2024

For decades the NRA has used their candidate ratings to promote anti-gun candidates.

They promoted John McCain while he was running anti-gun commercials in 2000.

They supported Kurt Schrader and Harry Reid while they worked on gun control bills, and now, in their latest embarrassment, they have endorsed, and given an “A” rating, to House Rep Charlie Conrad.

While, with very few exceptions, we have no use for any current Oregon House Reps, an endorsement of Conrad is a direct slap in the face to NRA members and anyone who values their rights and freedoms.

Conrad was one of only two Republicans to vote in favor of Dacia Grayber’s bill to entrap lawful gun owners while protecting left wing rioters.  We did the research. We exposed who was behind this outrageous attack on the Second Amendment and your freedom to assemble. Any fool could see what this bill was about.  But Conrad and House Rep Kevin Mannix joined the far left and helped pass it.

Mannix has been promoting gun control for 25 years so his vote was to be expected. Charlie Conrad is new at this. His votes have been so egregious his own county party has demanded he resign.

What in the world is NRA thinking?  Well, they also endorsed Vikki Breese Iverson who was the Republican House Leader when they folded and handed a gun control victory to the Democrats with HB 2005. Iverson then orchestrated a bogus photo op on the Capitol steps with a giant fake check for $25,000.00 which they said was for a lawsuit against the bill they helped pass.  Needless to say, that lawsuit never materialized and now the Republicans ain’t talking about it.

They also gave Christine Drazan and “A-“ in spite of her votes to protect antifa and her refusal to stop anti-gun bills when she was House Republican Leader.

Not to be outdone in the Senate, they gave an “A” and an endorsement to David Brock Smith, who not only sent insulting  emails to voters questioning why he voted twice to place tampons in the bathrooms of little boys (and then lied about those votes) but also remained on the Senate floor to help pass Democrat gun control bills while more principled senators walked out at the expense of their political futures.

And now to add to the absurdity of this election, we have Reagan Knopp, Senator Tim Knopp’s son, bragging on Twitter about the farcical “gun organization” he created with the help of Vikki Breese Iverson’s staffer to promote his political allies.

You will recall this “organization” of two could not even quote the Second Amendment correctly.

This election will no doubt saddle us with more go-along-to-get-along frauds.  Vote with care and if your only choice is a weak and compromising incumbent, write in someone you respect.

04.29.2024

First we have an update on the mysterious “Oregon Gun Rights” that Christine Goodwin claimed “endorsed” her, and then on to the election debacle.

When we first saw last week that former House Rep Goodwin, who is now running for Senate District 2, was endorsed by “Oregon Gun Rights” we naturally wondered who they were. 

They were not listed as a business and were not a Political Action Committee. No one we knew had any idea who they were. Goodwin wasn’t saying.

Some people wondered if she was referring to the law firm of Gilroy, Napoli, Short which owns the website address “oregongunlaw.com” but gun rights attorney Jason Short assured us it was not them. 

Then late last week we learned that the unknown group’s website address was oregongunrights.org. 

 So we checked them out. And you can too. https://oregongunrights.org/

The website was one page that had no contact info, no “about us”, and nothing more than a collection of candidates they “endorsed” with links to some of their webpages. The name of the person who registered the website was hidden.

When we checked, the only candidate whose website listed this group as “endorsing” them was Goodwin. Two candidates we contacted had never heard of them and had not requested, and were unaware of, the endorsements.

Hilariously, the website twice misquoted the Second Amendment as “the right to bear and keep arms.”*

Now, at the very bottom of the site, in tiny type, appears the text “Paid For By Gun Rights First Pac”

“Gun Rights First Pac” suddenly appeared last Friday on the Secretary of State’s website.

Its director is Reagan Knopp. Knopp is the son of former Republican Senate Leader Tim Knopp. The only donation listed is from “Knopp and Company” for website development and that only appeared today.  (UPDATE. The treasurer for this PAC also happens to be the treasurer for Christine Goodwin and Vikki  Breese Iverson. What a coincidence .)

You will recall that it was Tim Knopp who folded and gave the Democrats everything they wanted after some Senators had walked out which barred them from running for their offices again.  This was one of the most bizarre surrenders in Oregon history.  One of the Senators who is barred from reelection is Art Robinson. It is Robinson’s seat that Goodwin is seeking. 

(Goodwin has still not explained why she claims to live on someone else’s ranch in the 2nd district when she owns a home nearby, but just outside the district.)

It’s a pathetic state of affairs when you need to have one of your political allies create a PAC that does nothing so you can pretend to be backed by gun rights supporters.  By the way, the PAC lists its “nature” as “Advoacting” for gun rights.  For obvious reasons OFFPAC will be supporting Noah Robinson for that seat.

Speaking of elections, our bi-annual exercise in futility, they are nearly upon us. Many of you have already received your voter’s pamphlet.

For several decades OFF has published candidate grades. It is always an inexact science at best.  Candidate surveys are not a very good tool for determining where a candidate stands or where they are going.  Voting records are a better resource when available but even they don’t tell the whole story. For example, House Rep Kim Wallan voted against the very dangerous “militia” bill that was designed to attack gun owners while protecting left wing rioters. That would appear to be a good vote. But she voted against it because she did not believe it went far enough! Republicans Charlie Conrad and Kevin Mannix both voted for the bill.

This year there is very little for gun owners, and all Oregonians, to be positive about. And we cannot make many recommendations for legislative seats.

There are only two incumbent House Reps we support. Dwayne Yunker in House District 3 and James Hieb in House District 51.

Yunker has been a breath of fresh air after being appointed to fill the seat abandoned by Lily Morgan.  He has been willing to speak the truth about the reality of what goes on in Salem. One of his recent email alerts correctly noted:“The Democrats are laughing at us.” We need more of that in Salem.

James Hieb was appointed to his seat after Christine Drazan walked away from it in her failed bid to be Governor. In the short time James served in that session, and since, the Republican Caucus has done everything they can to undermine him. Maybe because he has the courage to say things they don’t. James ran for, and won, the seat after that session even when the Republican establishment primaried him and pressured him to drop out of the race. Now, they have dragged Drazan out of the archives to run against him.

Drazan served as Republican House leader before quitting to run for Governor and her reign could only be called (charitably) disastrous.  She cut deals with Tina Kotek that a 5 year old would have laughed at and regularly voted with her Democrat overlords. She even sent out a celebratory tweet after the conviction of Derek Chavin in the death of drug addict, felon, George Floyd.  

She voted twice to put tampons in the bathrooms of kindergarten boys and then denied it. Now she is sending out email fundraisers asking for help “reclaiming” her seat. A seat that is held by another Republican, James Hieb. Disgracefully, the Republican Caucus, which loves to crow about “protecting incumbents,” seems determined to do anything they can to help her at the expense of Hieb.  Oregon simply cannot withstand 2 more years of Drazan’s backstabbing sell outs. OFFPAC supports Hieb for House District 51.

As a result of walking out to protect your rights, Senators Art Robinson and Dennis Linthicum are prohibited from running again for their seats. However, Art’s son Noah and Dennis’s wife Diane are running in their place. We are confident they will continue the principles and policies of Art and Dennis.

We cannot support any other incumbents. Or any candidates that served before and are running again, like Bruce Starr or Mike McLane. Oregon cannot survive the same old collection of self serving back scratchers who simultaneously complain about Democrat rule and  brag about their “bi-partisan” achievements.  While sitting Republicans will boast about the money they got for their districts (by rolling over for the Democrats) some of us would rather have our rights than a new fire hydrant.

Of course, in many cases voters are left with little choice.  

In races where the Democrats cannot lose your pick for the Republican candidate will make little difference so vote for whoever you like best.

In Republican districts many incumbent Republicans are running unopposed in the primary. In that case we suggest you write in your favorite conservative talk show host.  The unopposed Republican will still win the primary but you will not have helped and maybe a tiny message will be sent.  With the exception of the Hieb/ Drazan primary, in contested races currently held by Republican incumbents, we recommend you vote for the challenger. Given the sorry state of the Republican establishment there is very little to risk.

Oregon is disintegrating and we will not fix anything by returning the same compromisers year after year. 

 

UPDATE. In the email version of this alert, we failed to note that both Republican members of Congress from Oregon, Bentz and DeRemer, have regularly voted to support the Biden agenda. They both voted for unsustainable budgets, millions more to protect illegal aliens, and to reauthorize the much abused FISA law that is regularly used by rogue law enforcement agencies to attack American citizens.

*Today after our alert went out “Oregon Gun Rights” corrected their misquote of the Second Amendment. Glad to help them out.

04.19.2024

Primary elections are not far off, and voters who treasure their rights don’t have a lot to be excited about.

In past elections OFF has posted candidate ratings. This year there is very little to report that’s positive.

We will have more in the coming days, but for now we wanted to share info one race that is particularly troubling.

Oregon’s Senate District 2 has two Republicans facing off in the primary.

This district is currently represented by Republican Art Robinson. Senator Robinson has been a committed defender of Second Amendment rights, and because of that commitment he has been barred from running to keep his seat.

Robinson was one of the Senators who walked out to stop the demented agenda of Oregon’s radical left and their latest effort to turn gun owners into criminals. As a result of taking that courageous stand, he is now prohibited from running for reelection.

The two Republicans seeking to replace him, and facing off in the primary, are Robinson’s son Noah, who has worked beside Art throughout his tenure in the Senate, and Christine Goodwin who is currently a Republican House Representative.  

You will recall that while some members of the Senate walked out to protect your rights, the Republicans in the House chose to remain in Salem, provide a quorum for the Democrats, and thereby help to pass the Dem’s latests outrage, HB 2005, which, among other things, makes it a crime to build your own firearm.

Keep in mind, that because of the timing of the bill’s progress, the House Republicans, under the “leadership” of Vikki Iverson, risked NOTHING by walking out. They could have killed this bill at no cost to themselves but they refused to. 

We’ll put aside the fact that the House Republicans made quite a public spectacle of their promise to fund a lawsuit against HB 2005, and then did nothing. The fact is, no matter how they voted on the bill, they helped pass it.

As part of the House Republican Caucus Christine Goodwin helped provide the quorum needed to pass HB 2005. 

Now Goodwin is running for the seat that will be open due to Art Robinson being punished for standing up for principle, something Goodwin and most  House Republicans did not do.  

Currently Goodwin is involved in a controversy regarding whether she actually lives in the Senate District whose seat she is seeking.

She recently discussed the issue with KMED’s Bill Meyer. You can listen to that interview here and make up your own mind about her residency.

But our concern with Goodwin is not where she says she lives but with a mailer she recently sent out to voters in the district.

On it, Goodwin calls herself  “A Friend to Gun Owners & Strong Defender of the Second Amendment”. Next to that she writes “Voted NO on making law abiding gun owners into criminals (HB 2005,2023)”. 

Curiously above that statement is this: “The ONLY Candidate Endorsed By Oregon Gun Rights”

After almost 30 years as advocates for Second Amendment rights, we can tell you we have no idea who “Oregon Gun Rights” is.  They are not listed as a business by the Secretary of State. They are not a political action committee.

We have never seen or heard of anyone claiming that name speak or submit testimony on any gun bill.

“Oregongunrights.com” is the URL for the law firm of Gilroy, Napoli, Short.  (Their website lists OFF as an “affiliate or partner” but we are not affiliated with them in any way.) However, “Oregon Gun Rights” is a website address, not a company or organization. So exactly who or what “endorsed” Goodwin?

We have no idea.  But what we can tell you is that claiming to be a “friend to gun owners” because she voted “no” on HB 2005 is absurd. 

Goodwin and the other House Republicans who showed up for the vote guaranteed the bill would pass no matter how they voted. 

Goodwin posed on the Capitol steps with other Oregon Republicans with a giant fake check for a social media photo about a lawsuit they never filed and will no longer discuss.   None of this makes Goodwin a “friend of gun owners” or a “strong defender of the Second Amendment.”

 

UPDATE 04.23.2024.  The attorneys at “oregonrights.com” have informed us that they are NOT the “Oregon Gun Rights” Goodwin is claiming an endorsement from.

ANOTHER VICTORY …FOR NOW.

 

04.12.2024

As you know, our federal lawsuit against Ballot Measure 114 is proceeding at what can only be called a glacial pace. The 9th Circuit shows no signs of wanting to issue a ruling that will almost certainly be reconsidered by the US Supreme Court.

However, we do have important news on the State case.

After a Judge in Harney County declared the clearly unconstitutional Ballot Measure 114, well…unconstitutional, the state immediately declared its intention to appeal that ruling.

The Oregon Department of “Justice” not only wants to disarm Oregonians at a very dangerous time, it wants to do it as quickly and completely as possible.

So not only did they file an appeal, they also took the unusual step of asking the Appeals Court to implement the measure before the appeal was even heard.  

Typically when a request is made to “stay” a decision of a court, it is done to protect the “status quo” while the matter is litigated. However in this case (as the Appeals Court has noted) the State asked to “stay” the injunction against Mz 114 to turn the status quo on its head and immediately turn thousands upon thousands of Oregonians into criminals.

Today we have received word from our attorney in the state case that the Oregon Appeals Court has denied the state’s request and as such, Measure 114, along with all its intended and very evil consequences remains “on hold” and not in force.  

This is very good news in a very anti-gun state.  We are grateful for the excellent work attorney Tony Aiello is doing in this case.

We are also grateful for the assistance from Firearms Policy Coalition and Second Amendment Foundation in this matter.

But we are long way from having this nightmare behind us.  We are still funding two lawsuits  and only your support has allowed us to get this far.

Please consider any help you can provide to cover the mounting expenses of holding the gun grabbers at bay.

You can make a secure online donation here. 

That page also has address information if you prefer to donate by check.

Thank you for your tireless support.

04.11.2024

Mz 114 and HB 2005 Update

We’ve been getting lots of questions about the status of Ballot Measure 114 lawsuits and House Bill 2005 that was passed last year. 

Measure 114 was declared unconstitutional in the state lawsuit in Harney County in November of last year.  Because of that decision, no parts of the measure can be implemented.  However, as expected, the State of Oregon has filed an appeal.  That appeal has not yet been scheduled to be heard at the State Appellate Court but could be heard as early as late summer or early fall.   If the state wins the appeal, Measure 114 could go into effect immediately, even without a system in place to issue permits.  As for our federal lawsuit, we have filed for appeal. It will be heard when the Federal Appellate court schedules it.  There is a similar case against standard capacity magazines bans currently in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in California.   

The 9^th Circuit has decided they will not hear our appeal until after that case is decided. While a ruling could come at any time, it is possible that the 9^th will delay this as long as possible in hopes that the makeup of the Supreme Court will change and firearms related cases will be decided against gun owners.

These same  9th Circuit judges previously ruled against the Second Amendment and said this ban was constitutional.   Only time will tell.

The portion of HB2005 pertaining to serial numbers for unfinished frames and receivers goes into effect September 1^st 2024.  That means that you cannot possess an unfinished, unassembled, home-made, or even a complete frame, receiver, or firearm unless it has a serial number that meets the requirements of ATF regulations, and is applied by an authorized FFL. 

Firearms manufactured before October 22^nd, 1968 are exempt.  If you would like to have  personally made firearm serialized, you will need to find an FFL licensed to do so.  Those licensed to manufacture firearms and many licensed gunsmiths are authorized. 

Keep in mind, 2005 has a pretty much blanket prohibition on unserialized firearms and things that may one day become firearms.  2005 has a specific exemption for specified license holders to take possession of these objects for the purpose of applying a serial number. However, there is no corresponding exception for the owner of the device to be in possession of it at all.

So while the licensed party can legally receive one to apply a serial number, the person who brings it in is still breaking the law and subject to prosecution for possession.

Under the language of HB 2005, If you wait until after September 1^st to have one engraved, the FFL can only return your property after a background check is approved, and then, only after verification that you have a permit to purchase.  That permit does not exist and there is no legislation currently in place to implement such a program.  This element of the law relies on the implementation of Ballot Measure 114, but while that measure is currently “on hold” HB 2005 is not. So how it will be enforced is anyone’s guess. But as noted above, even if you want to apply a serial number, you will already be breaking the law simply by being in possession.  

There is a component of HB2005 pertaining to “undetectable firearms.” This was the brain child of Senator James Manning and is comical and buffoonish. Now Manning wants to be Secretary of State. If you think things were bad under the corrupt Shemia Fagan you ain’t seen nothing yet.

That component also mimics long standing federal regulation and has no place in state law.  You can read the complete measure here: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2005

Republican leadership said they allowed HB2005 to pass because it was simply parroting new federal regulations.  If that was the case, why does Oregon need to repeat federal law in state law?  The federal regulation has since been declared unconstitutional by a federal judge and is on hold, but it is now the law in Oregon.  This is what happens when you “compromise” with liberal legislators.  Passing the law does nothing for public safety since it was already on the books.  It was virtue signaling, pure and simple, and was held over the heads of weak politicians.  Some have said that the value of a firearm serial number for solving crime is as valuable as a chalk outline on the sidewalk.

Republican House members stood on the steps of the Capitol and held a fake cardboard check for $25,000, saying it was for a lawsuit against the bill.  Repeated emails to both House Reps Breese-Iverson and Helfrich to find out how far they’ve gone with the lawsuit have gone unanswered.  We expect better from the people we hired to represent us, and they should know that they are causing their loyalty to “we the people“ to be questioned.  They need to be held accountable if they want our support for re-election.  Call and write them, let them know that Oregonians deserve better.

Jeff Helfrich 503-986-1452
Rep.JeffHelfrich@oregonlegislature.gov

Vikki Breese Iverson 503-986-1459

Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov

 

The Hustle

04.02.2024

It’s campaign season, the time when politicians make new promises they have no plans to keep and pretend the ones they made last time never happened.

And it’s a time when everyone running for office will be asking you to send them money so they can continue to do the amazing work they have done so far.

We get it. Campaigns are expensive and there is no way around the need to raise funds.  But sometimes things just get…shameless.

We receive, as many of you do, an endless stream of mass emails from legislators boasting about accomplishments they never had, ignoring their repeated sell outs, and now suggesting that you be part of one fight or another by “adding your name” to some pointless and phony “petition” which takes you immediately to a page to send them money. It’s a gimmick of course, but some are just downright insulting.

Yesterday we received an email fundraiser from Republican House Rep Cyrus Javadi.

The email opened with bold type, some in alarming red.

“Last month while we were caught up in session, the Oregon Department of Justice filed a motion to stay for Measure 114, which threatens our Second Amendment rights. M114 would be the most extreme anti-firearm law in the country, which is why it has lost at every stage of this case thus far.”

Gun owners in Oregon, and in fact nationwide, are well acquainted with Measure 114, because they have been generously funding the two lawsuits to stop it.  They are, to be sure, a lot better acquainted with it than Javadi seems to be and know damn well it has not “lost at every stage of this case so far.” 

While a state judge has placed an injunction on the measure, it’s well known that a Federal Judge in Portland, Karin Immergut, has declared this demented measure fully constitutional.  If she has her way, and Measure 114 takes effect, gun sales in Oregon will end and countless Oregon gun owners will become instant criminals. As you know, we are currently in the process of appealing this absurd federal decision and will be fighting the Department of “Justice” in the Oregon Appeals Court.

Javadi’s email goes on:

“Friend, despite the fact that this measure has been deemed unconstitutional every step of the way, the Oregon DOJ is still working tirelessly to get it implemented. We must stop the Attorney General and the progressive left from stripping away our Second Amendment rights in our state.”   Take action by signing the petition and voicing your opposition for the Oregon Department of Justice to hear. “

Of course, the hyperlink in Javadi’s email takes you to… a petition. A petition no judge will ever see or give a damn about. But that petition takes you to the real point of Javadi’s email.  His donation page.

Javadi concludes his email with “Friend, let’s stop this measure once and for all.”

Apparently Javadi thinks Oregon’s gun owners are idiots.  He, and the other House Republicans have done nothing to “stop this measure” and are powerless to do anything about it.  But the steps they could have taken to protect gun owners, at no risk to their precious political futures, were never taken. Let’s not forget the disgraceful bait and switch they pulled in the 2023 session when they helped pass HB 2005 by providing the quorum the Democrats needed to ban personally made firearms.

All the House Republicans had to do to kill that bill, and other awful legislation, was stay home. And they would not even have risked the “unexcused absences” that have cost a number of brave Oregon Senators their seats. But they didn’t. Javadi and his fellow Republican House Reps did the bidding of the Democrats and dutifully showed up to grease the skids for another outrageous and unconstitutional attack on your rights.

But then to complete the charade, the House Republicans posed on the Capitol Steps with a giant fake check and posted a photo on social media with the text “Today, despite House Republicans raising significant constitutional issues against House Bill 2005 B, House Democrats passed their omnibus gun control bill. In response House Republicans have pledged $25,000.00 towards the inevitable litigation.”

As you know, $25,000.00 dollars would barely be a downpayment on a lawsuit of this kind. But it doesn’t matter. No one has ever seen a dime of it and now Republican House Reps run for cover when you ask them what happened to their photo-op lawsuit.

You are the reason there are court battles to stop Measure 114. Javadi and the Republican House Reps have done nothing to help in this battle and it’s disgraceful that they would try to use this vicious attack on your rights to hustle you.

 

2024 Session Wrap Up

03.14.2024

 

The 2024 Oregon Legislative session is over, and the best we can say is “it could have been worse.”

(This sounds a lot like what many Republicans tell us when we question their actions… “well the Democrats are worse.”)

Of course, no session would be complete without the passage of at least one more bill attacking your gun rights. 

This session it was SB 1503.  We told you about this bill here.  And as we told you then, “Republican” Senators (Hansell and Anderson) joined the attack on your rights. Now a new and endless stream of your money will be shoveled over to the anti-gun extremists at the Oregon Department of “Justice” to prepare reports that will say we must ban guns. You can take that to the bank.

When the session closed we received a raft of mass emails from Republican legislators lauding  “bipartisanship.”

The Democrats chimed in with this bizarre quote: “As Speaker, Rayfield fostered a culture of respect and bipartisan collaboration, establishing an open-door policy of over-communication–in agreement and even more so when in disagreement–and Disney-level customer service.”

We are not sure what that means but it does demonstrate a remarkable lack of self awareness.  When you have total dictatorial control and the “opposing” party refuses to step up, you really don’t have to make sense.

Republican Senator David Brock Smith gushed “Thank you to Governor Kotek, Ways & Means Co-Chairs Steiner and Sanchez, President Wagner, Leader Knopp, Leader Lieber, Speaker Rayfield, Leader Helfrich, Leader Fahey, the members of the Legislative Veteran’s Caucus and the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans for your support. Thank you to U.S. Senators Wyden and Merkley, Congresswoman Hoyle, and my legislative colleagues for your support, and a special thank you to our new ODVA Director Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels for her incredible leadership and support.”

Notice only two “Republicans” were thanked in that obsequious and fawning display of groveling.

Democrat Senate President Rob Wagner, who refused to allow excused absences even for religious or medical reasons, and thereby ended the legislative careers of some of the best Republican Senators, absurdly quipped:

“This legislative session is proof that when legislators put aside our differences and work together toward a common goal, we can make real progress on the biggest issues facing our state. I truly want to thank my colleagues for coming to the table in good faith and advocating on behalf of all Oregonians. No doubt there is much work ahead of us, but I am confident that the actions we took this session to combat the drug crisis and expand access to housing will move our state in the right direction,”

Republican House Rep Jamie Cate wrote: “I will say that this session had its ups and downs, but ultimately there was a fair amount of bipartisanship which led to constructive policy work and the passage of nearly half of the legislation introduced at the start of session.”

Not to be outdone, even Republican candidates got into the act.

Former Republican Senator Bruce Starr, who is now running for the seat soon to be vacated by Brian Boquist after he and others were sold out by the Republican Senate “leadership,” was quoted saying “I applaud the Governor for listening to the public and I am eager to help craft an alternative transportation plan in the next legislative session.”
(As is so often the case, Starr is behind the curve…)

When Starr last served in the Senate he was videotaped promising anti-gun groups more anti-gun legislation. Comically he told OFF in a meeting years ago that “half the people in his district supported gun control”. We asked him then which half sent him money.  Fortunately his attempts at new gun control bills were thwarted.

And speaking of retreads, as we have noted previously, failed Governor candidate (and horribly failed House Republican Leader) Christine Drazan, is back in the mix attempting to reclaim the House Seat she abandoned in her bid to be Governor.

The seat is currently held by pro-gun stalwart, and former Marine, James Hieb.  Because of his uncompromising conservative views, his Republican colleagues have done everything they could to undermine him, even trying to convince him not to run for election to the seat he was appointed to.  But he did run and he did win. And since that election he has stood on the House Floor making statements no other Republican had the courage to make. 

Drazan, the darling of the failed Republican establishment, asked Hieb to drop out of the race, because, well you know, it is her seat.

Drazan will be remembered as the single most disastrous “leader” in Oregon Republican history. Not only did she refuse to walk out when the Democrats were stomping all over the rights of Oregonians, she regularly voted for their worst bills.

She voted twice for tampons in the bathrooms of kindergarten BOYS and then made false claims that the bill had “been changed” after she voted for it.

She voted to protect one of Tina Kotek’s staffers when she was arrested at an antifa riot. 

She voted to hamstring the police and ban “ropes with loops at their end.”

Drazan made the now famous and astonishingly stupid deal with Tina Kotek which of course, Kotek reneged on when the time was right.

After Derek Chauvin was falsely convicted of killing drug addict felon George Floyd, Drazan tweeted “Guilty. Justice is served.” 

She led the expulsion of House Rep Mike Nearman who was convicted of a CRIME for opening the doors of the Capitol to the people who own the building.  And, after happily cashing checks the Oregon Firearms Political Action Committee wrote to help elect good candidates, she stated on the House Floor that OFF was a “rogue organization.”  But she didn’t send the money back. Speaking of money….remember this?

With primary elections coming up, gun owners will once again have the unenviable job of trying to determine which candidates will do the least damage to their rights.  As you know, some of the best have been locked out of running again, if not in this coming election then the next one.

The Oregon Republican Party continues to do virtually nothing to weed out the frauds like Kevin Mannix and Charlie Conrad or the countless other “Republicans” whose only goal is to get along.  One bright spot however is House Rep Dwayne Yunker who was appointed late in this session to replace Lily Morgan who quit the legislature mid session.

Yunker, another former Marine, has been calling a spade a spade. In an end-of-session email, Yunker wrote “The show of seeming bipartisanship came from the House floor, of course. But because the Democrat majority party controls every legislative committee, bills don’t get hearings unless the Dems want them to pass. Agreement and cooperation usually mean going along to get along. I guess after last year, no one wants to hear an unfair “Do Your Job” ever again” …“The Democrat majority is laughing”.

Yunker also listed the far left groups that will be getting your money:

• $65,000,000 – Project Turnkey

• $25,000,000 – Albina Vision Trust

• $7,000,000 – Urban League of Portland

• $5,265,823 – Bridges to Change

• $3,000,000 – Unite Oregon

• $1,400,000 – 4D Recovery

• $1,250,000 – Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization

• $1,000,000 – Seeding Justice

When Yunker voted against HB 4002, the supposed “fix” to Oregon’s legal drug wasteland, he filed a “vote explanation.”  As he noted, after the Democrats removed his vote explanation from the record : “The Democrat majority removed it from OLIS. They say I impugned their integrity. Who, me? I’m sure their motives are pure.”

Not bad for the new guy…

 

(Update… even Kotek approves…https://www.koin.com/news/politics/oregon-governor-kotek-housing-drug-epidemic/.  )

 

 

 

CONFISCATION EXPANSION COMING

 

03.05.2024

As you would expect, today’s “informational hearing” on Extreme Risk Protection Orders was actually a far left, gun grabbing, propaganda festival.

Most witnesses represented extremist anti-gun groups. No one with concerns about the implementation of a policy which eliminates due process and allows people to lose their rights and their property without ever having been accused of, let alone convicted of a crime, was allowed to testify.

It was no surprise that the entire point of the hearing was to pave the way to greatly expand the confiscation of firearms. 

One goal is to increase the list of people who can make unfounded and unproven accusations  leading to the state sponsored theft of firearms.

A second one is to promote ERPO’s so more people will be requesting  them.

Among the people the speakers want to add to the list of who can demand a gun confiscation order are ex-spouses , ex-intimate partners and medical personnel.

When this law was first promoted by Senator Brian Boquist, people expressed concerns that it might be used by angry, vindictive ex-spouses.  He ridiculed the idea and the people who suggested it.

You reap what you sow.

The presenters also want to be able to confiscate guns from adults by claiming their children are dangerous.

You can rest assured that soon, probably as soon as next session, we will see these gun grabbing dreams introduced as legislation.

You can see some of the propaganda presented here.