07/13/23

Most Gun-Friendly States in 2023

By: Cassandra McBride | Ammo.com

Friendliest states for gun owners map

How does your state rank in gun ownership when compared to the rest? Our results are surprising! We took into account the current gun laws, current legislators’ past voting history, taxes, and more to bring you this comprehensive list for 2023.

Jump to a state: IA | UT | GA | LA | FL | AZ | KS | TN | IN | KY | AL | AK | ME | WY | ID | ND | SD | TX | OK | MO | MS | MT | AR WV | NH

Report Highlights:

  • New Hampshire is #1 thanks to its incredibly relaxed gun laws, low crime rates, and lack of state sales tax.
  • West Virginia is #2 due to recent legislative actions to remove firearm restrictions and reduce sales tax on firearms and ammunition.
  • ArkansasMontana, and Mississippi are #3#4, and #5 thanks to their pro-2A governors, stand-your-ground laws, and relaxed carry and conceal requirements.
  • IowaUtah, and Georgia all dropped in the rankings to #23#24, and #25 due to enhanced restrictions on lawful gun owners, including taxes and fees.
  • Some states ranked better than others due to the current governors’ past and present 2nd Amendment voting history.

Scroll down to read how we ranked America’s best states for gun owners in 2023.

To see a larger version of our Friendliest States for Gun Owners Map, click HERE!

State rankings for gun owners

Best States for Gun Owners

#25 Iowa

Iowa

Iowa allows law-abiding citizens to carry firearms under permitless carry laws but still offers a PCW (Permit to Carry Weapons[1]) for those over 21 years of age (those under 18 are eligible if the permit is required for work). The state honors 49 others’ CCWs, while Iowa’s citizens can carry in 33 states with a PCW.

While those purchasing firearms are still subject to federal background checks, a permit is no longer required in the mid-western state. Of course, standard sales tax[2] also applies to all firearms and ammunition purchases, but some state legislators have supported firearms tax holidays in the past.

Citizens do have some protections with Iowa’s self-defense laws[3], and there’s no duty to retreat. On another note, the state isconsidering passing legislation[4] to allow gun owners to keep firearms in their vehicles on school campuses. We are seeing some progress in Iowa for gun owners in the state under Governor Kim Reynolds. She was instrumental in passing legislation[5] that stopped requiring permits for purchases, and we’re interested to see where Iowa ranks in the list of best states for gun ownership in coming years.

#24 Utah

Utah is a constitutional carry state[6] with no registration requirements and options for CCWs, making it possible to travel to 36 other states (with 48 states honored). While there aren’t any additional taxes, firearm purchasers will pay an additional $7.50 for background checks (those with an in-state CCW are exempt from this fee). There also aren’t any tax exemptions for firearms and ammunition purchases.

However, those in Salt Lake County do have a duty to perform background checks for person-to-person purchases. Utah also has stand-your-ground laws[7] with no duty to retreat to protect those acting in self-defense from prosecution.

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05/4/23

Best 40 S&W Ammo For Self Defense & Target Practice

By: Wes Littlefield | Ammo.com

Best 40 S&W Ammo For Self Defense & Target Practice

If you carry a Glock 23 or any other .40 caliber pistol, you should only trust your life with the best 40 S&W ammo for self-defense.

When it matters most, you must be able to depend on the accuracy and dependability of the round you have chambered.

Regarding target practice, accuracy, and dependability are nice. Still, often it comes down to price because the average person who carries can’t afford to practice with their carry ammo all the time.

So we usually compromise a little and meet in the middle with a similar round but less expensive than the ammo we carry.

So which ammo is best for each situation? I trust Hornady Critical Defense in my carry weapon because it’s reliable and powerful enough to take out a threat. However, it is expensive.

For plinking at the shooting range, I would use PMC 165gr FMJ-FN because it’s inexpensive, so I won’t be spending a fortune every time I visit the range.

Best 40 Cal Ammo

What are some of the best rounds you can purchase? Below you’ll find some of the best 40 self-defense ammo on the market and 40 S&W target ammo for training.

  1. Underwood 150gr JHP – Most Powerful .40 S&W Ammo
  2. Sellier & Bellot XRG Defense – Best 40 SCHP
  3. Hornady Critical Defense 165gr – Best .40 JHP
  4. Underwood 150gr JHP – Most Deadly 40 S&W Ammo
  5. Winchester Ready Defense 170gr – Hardest Hitting 40 Ammo
  6. Federal LE BallistiClean – Best Close Quarters Target .40 Ammo
  7. Speer Lawman 180gr – Best .40 S&W Indoor Target Ammo
  8. PMC 165gr FMJ-FN – Best 40 S&W Outdoor Target Ammo

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12/13/22

Bluffing Their Way to an Art. V Convention Part 2: The Best PR Money Can Buy

By: Judi Caler

In Part 1, we saw that ever since 1907, 2/3 or more of the States have had at least one active application on record asking Congress to call a convention under Art. V. And if Congress is hoodwinked into validating all non-rescinded applications by passing H.R.8419 or its 2023 counterpart,[i] Congress will likely trigger the first constitutional convention since 1787.

So why wasn’t Congress deceived into calling a convention 50 or 100 years ago? Perhaps it’s because the PR industry hadn’t come of age yet! To justify a “call,” Congress, whose priority is getting re-elected, would require considerable constituent pressure—or the appearance of such—before casting a vote that would risk our Constitution.

Enter Mark Meckler, President of the Convention of States (COS), who has been waging a PR war with millions of dollars in dark money for almost a decade. COS is creating the impression that Americans are demanding a “convention of states” under Article V, while most Americans have no clue what an Article V Convention (A5C) is.

“Grassroots”—From the Top Down?!

In 2011—while Meckler was still with the Tea Party and just getting involved in the convention deception, he joined Eric O’Keefe’s John Hancock Committee of the States (JHCOS) as a Director and President. O’Keefe is known as the front man for the Koch brothers’ money. He is also Chairman of the Board and co-founder of Meckler’s Citizens for Self-Governance (CSG)—parent to COS.

In its 2011 IRS filing signed by Meckler, JHCOS reported over $1.8 million in anonymous contributions (pg. 1), and almost one million dollars in expenses to public relations & lobbying firms (pg. 8).[ii] At least 38% of the contributions can be traced to Donors Trust, the “dark money ATM” of the Right.

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12/2/22

Bluffing Their Way to an Art. V Convention

By: Judi Caler

Sound the alarm!! We are closer than ever before in our nation’s history to Congress’s calling a  convention under Article V of the US Constitution, where we would likely lose our Constitution. And it’s because of yet another deception from the con-con lobby.

Article V says that “The Congress…on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States [now 34], shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments [to the US Constitution]…”

There have been approximately 450 applications passed by 49 State Legislatures since 1788, the year our Constitution was ratified. So, whether or not a constitutional convention has been triggered depends upon the criteria Congress uses to determine which of the 450 applications are valid. Only then can Congress count the States that submitted those applications to find out whether or not the 34-state threshold was reached.

On July 19, 2022, US Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX), introduced H.Con.Res.101 and  H.R.8419. The former is a purported “call” for a convention.[1] And the latter directs the Archivist of the United States to “authenticate, count, and publish” all non-rescinded applications and notify Congress of its duty to call a convention, if those applications were passed by at least 34 State Legislatures.

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11/1/22

Censorship Ordered by Biden Admin

By: Denise Simon | Founders Code

Simply, it is a violation of the law. Remember recently when the Department of Homeland Security was creating a disinformation task force? Remember how it was quickly terminated? Well… it was never terminated.

Primer: Attached is our final report, DHS Needs a Unified Strategy to CounterDisinformation Campaigns. We incorporated your formal comments into the final report.

(that report is dated August 2022)

Then there is this Fact Sheet from May of 2022 by DHS.

Do you ever wonder about what is actually on social media including Wikipedia? You should, but even more importantly, you should wonder what is not on social media or Wikipedia. But more importantly… those Internet search results. Every American is being politically engineered by tech companies, social media, and cable/print media operations… but read on.

A big hat tip to the Attorney General of Missouri and to The Intercept… excellent work and this case continues.

Court Orders Depositions of Top Biden Officials in Missouri AG’s Case

Oct 21, 2022, 16:38 PM by AG Schmitt
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced today that the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana granted Missouri and Louisiana’s request for depositions from top-ranking officials in the federal government. This is movement in his lawsuit against top-ranking Biden Administration officials for allegedly colluding to suppress freedom of speech. The list of granted depositions includes Dr. Anthony Fauci, former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Director of White House Digital Strategy Rob Flaherty, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, CISA Director Jen Easterly, and FBI Supervisory Special Agent Elvis Chan.
“After finding documentation of a collusive relationship between the Biden Administration and social media companies to censor free speech, we immediately filed a motion to get these officials under oath,” said Attorney General Schmitt. “It is high time we shine a light on this censorship enterprise and force these officials to come clean to the American people, and this ruling will allow us to do just that. We’ll keep pressing for the truth.”

The original lawsuit was filed by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry on May 5, 2022. Missouri and Louisiana filed a Motion for Expedited Preliminary Injunction-Related Discovery on June 17, 2022, and that motion was granted on July 12, 2022, clearing the way for Missouri and Louisiana to gather discovery and documents from Biden Administration officials and social media companies.

The request for depositions was filed on October 10, 2022, and that motion was granted on October 21, 2022, allowing Missouri and Louisiana to depose top-ranking officials in the federal government under oath. More here.

Furthermore, the Biden White House is approving the operations that are already infecting the mid-term elections and those of the 2024 general election.

In part from the documents revealed by The Intercept:

  • DHS is “directly engaging with social media companies to flag MDM” (MDM is defined as mis-information, dis-information, and mal-information). It is doing so “Ahead of midterm elections in 2022” and is readying its efforts with eyes focused on 2024:
  • DHS is questioning how to “inspire innovators to partner with the government” without this “being seen as government ‘propaganda’”.
  • The “rapid response team would need to surge for short periods of time around elections.”

CISA, by the way, is The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency. It is an agency known to work with partners to defend against threats and collaborates to build a more secure and resilient infrastructure for the future as noted on the website. Hmmm… is right. www.cisa.gov

***

Additional details include in part:

The government had its fingers all over social media companies. DHS would tell social media companies what they wanted off the platforms via “takedown requests,” and then the platforms would submit reports to government. They would be “called on to ‘process reports and provide timely responses, to include the removal of reported misinformation from the platform where possible.’”

This was specifically done with election information, which would be flagged by state election officials, submitted to DHS, which would then tell social media companies to pull it. source

06/28/22

More Legal Cases Still to Come Over the SCOTUS Roe Ruling

By: Denise Simon | Founders Code

There is no denying that the federal government has overt abortion activists including beyond the White House, even at the Department of Justice and sadly even at the Department of Defense.

Wasting no time, Merrick Garland, the U.S. Attorney General took to Twitter to expose his advocacy for abortion.

“The Supreme Court has eliminated an established right that has been an essential component of women’s liberty for half a century – a right that has safeguarded women’s ability to participate fully and equally in society. And in renouncing this fundamental right, which it had repeatedly recognized and reaffirmed, the Court has upended the doctrine of stare decisis, a key pillar of the rule of law." AG Garland “The Justice Department strongly disagrees with the Court’s decision. This decision deals a devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States. It will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country. And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect – with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means." Attorney General Garland

His full published statement is found here.

Garland, like a few Justices on the Supreme Court… just needs to read aloud the text of the U.S. Constitution where it refers to a Constitutional right… we’re waiting.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/companies-offering-abortion-travel-benefits-us-workers-2022-06-24/

Meanwhile…there is General Lloyd Austin, the Secretary of Defense… yeesh… but read on.

Axios reported –>

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Friday that the Pentagon is working to ensure that members of the military, their families and its civilian employees will still have access to “reproductive health care” after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Why it matters: The Defense Department currently does not have a policy to accommodate service members or employees who are seeking an abortion but are stationed in a state that has outlawed abortion, Politico reports.

  • Federal law currently allows military medical facilities to provide abortions only in cases of rape, incest or if a woman’s life is in danger, while the military’s health program is allowed to cover abortions at private facilities for those same reasons only.

What they’re saying: “Nothing is more important to me or to this Department than the health and well-being of our Service members, the civilian workforce and DOD families,” Austin said in a statement on Friday.

  • “I am committed to taking care of our people and ensuring the readiness and resilience of our Force. The Department is examining this decision closely and evaluating our policies to ensure we continue to provide seamless access to reproductive health care as permitted by federal law,” he added.

The big picture: The court’s decision may further strain the military’s recruitment efforts — already hampered by low employment and other factors — as potential recruits may fear being stationed in states that have banned abortions, according to Bloomberg.

  • Women make up around 20% of the military’s 1.3 million-member active-duty force, and 95% of them are of reproductive age, according to Stars and Stripes citing department statistics.

Then..one of the first messages I received was a headline article from Associated Press predicting the stockpiling of abortion pills…imagine the looming black market on those. Then VOX weighed in –> Medication abortion, or taking a combination of the drugs mifepristone and misoprostol, is an increasingly common method for ending pregnancies in the United States. Reasons vary and overlap: Some women lack access to in-person abortion clinics; others prefer to end pregnancies in the comfort of their own home. Others seek out the pills because they cost far less than surgical abortion. (…)

small but growing number of reproductive experts have been encouraging discussion of an idea called “advance provision” — or, more colloquially, stocking up on abortion pills in case one needs them later.

It’s an idea that has merit: Mifepristone has a shelf life of about five years, misoprostol about two, and both drugs work better the earlier in a pregnancy you take them. In states that are ramping up abortion restrictions, there’s often a race against the clock to access care. In Texas, for example, if you don’t realize until eight weeks in that you’re pregnant — which could be only a couple of weeks after a missed period — you would have already passed the state’s new legal deadline for obtaining abortion pills. But if you had already stored them in your home, or your friend or neighbor had, then you’d be able to take them.

Now…let’s take a look at corporations that have made pledges to pay for abortion expenses…then consider when the lawsuits begin for corporations paying in kind for wanted pregnancies and full term, real birth for planned and wanted babies…will that be considered? Ah…but read on. It is still going to be ugly going forward.

Company
Benefit(s) Offered
JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N)
The company told employees it would pay for their travel to states that allow legal abortions, according to a memo seen by Reuters. read more
Citigroup Inc (C.N)
The bank has started covering travel expenses for employees who go out of state for abortions because of newly enacted restrictions in Texas and other states, becoming the first major U.S. bank to make that commitment. read more
Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N)
Goldman Sachs Group Inc will cover travel expenses for its U.S.-based employees who need to go out of state to receive abortion or gender-affirming medical care starting July 1. read more
Meta Platforms Inc. (META.O)
Meta said in statement it intends to offer travel expense reimbursements, to the extent permitted by law, for employees who will need access to out-of-state healthcare and reproductive services.
Yelp Inc (YELP.N)
The crowd-sourced review platform will extend its abortion coverage to cover expenses for its employees and their dependents who need to travel to another state for abortion services. read more
Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O)
The second-largest U.S. private employer told employees it will pay up to $4,000 in travel expenses yearly for non-life threatening medical treatments, among them elective abortions. read more
Levi Strauss & CO
The apparel company will reimburse travel expenses for its full- and part-time employees who need to travel to another state for healthcare services, including abortions. read more
United Talent Agency
The private Hollywood talent agency said it would reimburse travel expenses related to women’s reproductive health services that are not accessible in an employee’s state of residence. read more
Tesla Inc (TSLA.O)
Tesla’s Safety Net program and health insurance includes travel and lodging support for its employees who may need to seek healthcare services that are unavailable in their home state, according to the company’s 2021 impact report. (https://bit.ly/3beSOOQ)
Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O)
Microsoft said it would extend its abortion and gender affirming care services for employees in the United States to include travel expense assistance. read more
Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O)
Starbucks said it will reimburse U.S. employees and their dependents if they must travel more than 100 miles from their homes to obtain an abortion. read more
Netflix Inc (NFLX.O)
Netflix said it will offer travel reimbursement for U.S. employees and dependents who travel for cancer treatment, transplants, abortion and gender-affirming care through its U.S. health plans.
Mastercard Inc (MA.N)
Mastercard said it will fund travel and lodging for employees seeking abortions outside their home states from June, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. read more
Kroger Co
Kroger said it will provide travel benefits up to $4,000 to facilitate access to several categories of medical treatments and a full range of reproductive health care services, including abortion.
Uber Technologies Inc
Uber said its insurance plans in the United States cover a range of reproductive health benefits, including pregnancy termination and travel expenses to access healthcare.
DoorDash Inc
DoorDash said it will cover certain travel-related expenses for employees who face new barriers to access and need to travel out of state for abortion-related care.
Lyft Inc (LYFT.O)
Lyft said its U.S. medical benefits plan includes coverage for elective abortion and reimbursement for travel costs if an employee must travel more than 100 miles for an in-network provider.
Bank of America Corp
The bank said it will reimburse employees and their dependents for the cost of traveling to receive reproductive healthcare, including abortions.
Deutsche Bank AG
The bank said it is updating its U.S. healthcare policy to cover travel costs for any medical procedure, including abortion, that is not offered within 100 miles of an employees’ home, according to a source familiar.
American Express Co
American Express said it will cover travel and other related expenses for employees and their dependents if they need abortion or gender-affirming treatment that is not available where they live.
Block (SQ.N)
The payments company said it will cover expenses for U.S. employees who must travel more than 100 miles for abortions starting July 1, a source familiar with the matter said.
Macy’s Inc
Macy’s said it made the decision to expand its benefits program to provide travel reimbursement for colleagues to receive the medical care needed and will abide by existing laws and legal standards.
Walt Disney Co
Disney said the company’s benefits will cover the cost of employees who need to travel to another location to access care, including to obtain an abortion, it said. read more
Gucci
Gucci said in May it will cover travel expenses of U.S. employees who need access to health care not available in their home state. The company also has said it will match employee donations to Planned Parenthood.
Bank of Nova Scotia
Scotiabank, Canada’s third-largest bank, said it will pay for travel costs for U.S. employees in states that restrict access for abortions. Its U.S. employees have access to abortion coverage under its medical plan.

And they called Vietnam veterans baby killers….

05/2/22

Dark Money – Not the Grassroots – Is Behind the Convention of States Organizations

By: Judi Caler

Patriots are rightly concerned that Mark Meckler, lobbyist and President of the Convention of States organizations (COS), has spent tens of millions of dollars spreading misinformation and cajoling State Legislatures into passing applications asking Congress to call a convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. Thirty-four States are needed to pass such applications to trigger a constitutional convention, where a new Constitution would likely be proposed, along with an easier mode of ratification. So, who is behind COS?

Meckler tells state legislators that COS is a grassroots movement, funded by thousands of ordinary citizens. In fact, since December, 2017, the COS homepage boasted:

WHO’S BEHIND THIS THING?

The American people. We thought you’d never ask! The Convention of States Project is first and foremost a movement of grassroots citizens who are fed up with business as usual in D.C. We’re funded by thousands of everyday patriots who have committed their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to protecting liberty for future generations.

But Andy Schlafly, attorney and son of conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly, testified at a Pennsylvania hearing on Oct. 22, 2019 against COS’s Article V convention application (@ 11:55):

Schlafly: “…[W]ho’s funding them? Where’s the money coming from? There’s a lot of money behind this. And they’re not disclosing where the money behind this push to change the Constitution is coming from. That should scare everybody in this room. Who are these people who are pushing to rewrite the Constitution? I suspect some of them are globalists, but ask them…it’s not disclosed. And I’m certainly not in favor of allowing billionaires who don’t disclose their identity…[or] their real agenda…to rewrite our Constitution. That’s not a good idea.”

Meckler, at the same hearing, feigning outrage, fumed (@ 46:11):

Meckler: “…[W]ho’s funding this? Any of you at any time are welcome to visit our very fancy corporate offices in my house in Texas. In my personal home office off the kitchen, where all the billionaires apparently come visit me. It’s an outrage and a slander. And this kind of slanderous politics takes this discussion to some place it should not go, which is frankly, it’s just slander, and innuendo. It’s gutter politics. And I don’t believe in it…

“I can tell you who my donors are. See, because the person that raises the money for…this organization is my wife of 26 years who works in the office next to mine, who has raised money from over 80,000 individual grassroots patriots all over this country. So, if those are the millionaires and billionaires that Mr. Schlafly is afraid of, well, he might want to talk to the grandmas who send me checks and say, ‘it’s five bucks a month out of my fixed income, and I’m sorry I can’t afford any more.’ Again, an outrageous slander on the tens of thousands of people supporting this movement.”

Notice that in one fell swoop, Meckler masterfully deflects attention from the source of his funding, while playing the victim and accusing his opponents of slander.

So, what’s the truth? Let’s go straight to the tax-exempt returns that Meckler is required to file with the IRS every year. These returns, also known as 990s, are public information and filed by all nonprofits.

The most recent 990s available for Meckler’s organizations are for the years 2020, 2019, and 2018. The Meckler organizations appear to include Convention of States Action (COSA); Citizens for Self-Governance (CSG); Citizens for Self-Governance Action (CSG Action); and Defending Liberty, Inc. (DLI). Each year, Meckler filed a 990 return for each entity, as required by law, and signed them under penalty of perjury.

Nonprofits are not required to disclose the identity of their contributors—so all contributors are anonymous, unless the organization chooses to disclose them. That’s why the accompanying Schedule B doesn’t include the names & addresses of the donors—only the total amount of all donations totaling $5,000 or more from each numbered donor during the year. Still, those figures are revealing.

Donations of $5,000 or more to each entity are summarized by year on the accompanying Chart. The source documentation for figures on the Chart can be found mostly on Schedule B of the linked 990s.

Here’s the short version:

Between 2018 and 2020, contributions ranging from $5,000 to $2,000,000 per donor, to the four entities totaled $16,751,011, or 63% of the $26.7 million in contributions reported on Meckler’s combined 990s for the 3-year period. And that $16.7 million was from at most 168 unique anonymous persons; thus, their average contribution was almost $100,000 [$16,751,011 ÷ 168 = $99,708].

But likely, Meckler has fewer than 168 major donors, as repeat donors over the 3-year period are to be expected. So, depending upon how many major donors gave in one, two, or three years and/or gave to multiple Meckler entities, the average donation per major donor over the three-year period amounts to at least $99,708, and may be more than $200,000 or $300,000! So, COS isn’t a grassroots organization funded from the bottom up by small donors. Schedule B provides proof that COS’s agenda to replace our Constitution is coming mostly from major donors.

Meckler frequently sends out emails asking for money, to his list of unsuspecting patriots. Unsurprisingly, most of his requests are accompanied by an offer from a “generous donor” to match each contribution. The patriots on Meckler’s email list probably have no idea that Meckler has been receiving almost two-thirds of his contributions from multi-millionaires and/or billionaires while drawing salaries for himself and his wife totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

We can only conclude that Meckler is disingenuous when he ridicules the suggestion that his organizations are funded by undisclosed multi-millionaires and billionaires. And while his organizations may well receive some small donations, he denies that the bulk of his money comes from the superrich. And all the while, he yells “slander” with a straight face, and shamelessly conjures up Grandma wishing she could give him more of her paltry income, when asked about the millions in dark money he’s amassing!

We know why the liquor, drug, and tobacco industries invest millions in lobbyists to influence state legislation. But why would major donors invest millions in COS to bring about a convention to rewrite the U.S. Constitution?

The total amount of money spent over the years by the Meckler organizations to trigger a constitutional convention is astonishing.  Meckler needs to be confronted everywhere he goes by opponents, supporters, & legislators alike—and asked why he is hiding the fact that he’s working for the superrich.  We have a right to know; it’s our Constitution they’re after!  You can download the 990 forms from the accompanying Chart and copy Schedule B, so you’ll have ammo to push back with, the next time Meckler plays the Grandma card.

Meckler Entities Anonymous Major Contributions (≥ $5,000) For Years 2018 Through 2020
Meckler Organizations’ Forms 990 (A)
# of Major Donors (Sched. B)
(B)
Total $ from Major Donors (Sched. B)
(C)
Total of all Contributions: Form 990 p.1, line 8
B ÷ C
Major Contributions’ % of Total
B ÷ A
Average Major Donation
COSA 2020
47-2245708
55 $4,112,370 $7,159,560 57% $74,770
COSA 2019 45        3,884,001          6,777,645 57%          86,311
COSA 2018 26        2,239,125          4,872,216 46%          86,120
CSG 2020
27-1657203
8        1,016,800          1,622,566 63%        127,100
CSG 2019 13           633,100             961,914 66%          48,700
CSG 2018 13        1,844,815          2,319,810 80%        141,909
CSG Action 2020
27-4648506
1        2,000,000          2,000,000 100%     2,000,000
CSG Action 2019 2           305,800             305,800 100%        152,900
CSG Action 2018 2           535,000             581,000 92%        267,500

DLI 2018: 812320022
[no revenue 2019-20]
3           180,000             180,000 100%          60,000
TOTALS 168 $16,751,011 $26,780,511 % of total contributions ≥ $5,000* Avg. $ per Major Donor –at the very least*
*See note below 63% $99,708
*Note: $16,751,011 in major contributions [≥ $5,000] out of $26,780,511 total contributions [63%] were reported, from 168 Major Donors giving $5,000 or more to the above Meckler entities from 2018-2020. Thus, the Average contribution given by a Major Donor was at the very least $99,708 [$16,751,011 ÷ 168] and may be over $200,000 or $300,000—if the same Major Donors contributed in multiple years and/or to multiple Meckler entities.

___________

[1] Dark money is money donated to politically active nonprofit organizations or anonymous corporate entities, which spend this money to influence political campaigns or other special interests but are not required to reveal their donors.
___________

Judi Caler is a citizen activist working to defend our Constitution from those who would risk it at an Article V constitutional convention. She serves as Article V Issues Director for Eagle Forum of California.

12/14/21

Mark Meckler’s “COS” Board Member has drafted a new Constitution which imposes gun control

By: Publius Huldah (Joanna Martin, J.D.)

Our Framers understood that a free State cannot exist without an armed and trained populace (the Militia).  Accordingly, they wrote a Constitution which prohibits the federal and State governments from infringing the natural right of the People to keep and bear arms.

Under our Constitution, the federal government has no authority to make any laws whatsoever over the Country at Large restricting the rights of the People to keep and bear arms.  Gun control is not an enumerated power.  Furthermore, the Second Amendment expressly forbids the federal government from infringing the right of the People (the Militia) to keep and bear arms.

The States are also prohibited from infringing the right of the People to keep and bear arms by Article I, Sec. 8, clauses 15 & 16, US Constitution.  Those two clauses provide for the Militia of the Several States, and implicitly prohibit the States from making any laws which would interfere with the arming and training of the Militiamen in their States. 1

Applications for Congress to call a convention under Article V, US Constitution

Various groups, such as Mark Meckler’s Convention of “States” (COS) organizations, have been lobbying State Legislators to pass applications asking Congress to call an Article V Convention.

Whether or not State Legislatures should ask Congress to call an Article V Convention is one of the most important – and contentious – issues of our time. The Delegates to such a convention, as Sovereign Representatives of the People, have the power to throw off the Constitution we have and propose a new Constitution, with a new and easier mode of ratification, which would create a new government. 2

The Pennsylvania Senators Roundtable Discussion

On November 8, 2021, several Pennsylvania Senators conducted a roundtable discussion about whether they should pass Mark Meckler’s “COS” application (SR 152) for Congress to call an Article V convention.  In addition to Mark Meckler and his allies, two large gun rights organizations, Gun Owners of America and Firearms Owners Against Crime 3 were present at the roundtable.

Much of what Meckler said at the roundtable is not true.  But this paper focuses on his comments ridiculing his opponents’ concerns that, if there is an Article V convention, we could lose our existing Right to keep and bear arms.

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10/23/21

Jeff Cooper: The Forgotten History of Lt. Col. Cooper and his Impact on Combat Readiness

By: Sam Jacobs | Ammo.com

history of jeff cooperThe United States Marines have a saying: “Every Marine a rifleman.” That being said, some of them are pretty handy with a pistol, too.

Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper literally wrote the book on modern handguns in combat. In fact, you’re probably already acquainted with a number of concepts he introduced to the world of pistols, even though you might not know his name. Some of them are so common sense and simple that it’s hard to believe anyone had to invent them.

This was the genius of Jeff Cooper.

Jeff Cooper’s Marine Corps Career

It’s impossible to tell the story of Jeff Cooper without talking about the United States Marine Corps. Indeed, Cooper enrolled in the Junior ROTC program when he was still studying at Los Angeles High School. He then attended Stanford, earning a degree in political science before receiving his commission in the United States Marine Corps.

During World War II he served in the Pacific Theater, earning the rank of major. In 1949, he resigned his commission, but duty called during the Korean War and so, Cooper returned. He served in irregular warfare and earned a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. After the war, he applied to remain on active duty but was rejected.

From there, Cooper earned a master’s degree in history and taught part-time at a high school and a community college. Here he remained until the early 1970s when he applied his passion for teaching to his passion for weapons.

It was in 1976 that Cooper founded the American Pistol Institute, now known as the Gunsite Academy. While he primarily taught rifles and shotguns to law enforcement, the concepts developed by Cooper during his time running the American Pistol Institute for pistols and long arms alike are used by every intelligent and responsible gun owner to this day.

jeff cooper and his wife

Jeff Cooper’s Combat Readiness

It was at the American Pistol Institute that Cooper developed the modern technique of the pistol. This was his system for pistol combat. Without knowing what it’s called or who invented it, much of it will seem familiar to you:

  • Large caliber, semi-automatic pistol: Cooper was an early advocate of the 1911 and a big caliber to go in it. At a time when most men favored wheel guns, Cooper believed there was simply no substitute for a semi-automatic with a big round like a .45 ACP.
  • The Weaver stance: Opinions vary on the best stance for combat, but Cooper was a strong supporter of the Weaver stance, developed by Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Jack Weaver through his experiences in competitive shooting.
  • The draw stroke: Cooper preached the importance of the draw stroke. A holstered weapon doesn’t do anyone any good. So Cooper drilled his students to consistently practice drawing their weapon with perfect form to be combat-ready.
  • The flash sight picture: Just as a holstered weapon is useless until drawn, so too is a weapon useless if not pointed in the right direction. The flash sight picture is a method of quickly targeting an attacker with sufficient accuracy. It is essential in life-or-death situations.
  • The compressed surprise trigger break: Considered the “secret” of quick and accurate shooting, the compressed surprise trigger break, which is a somewhat more sophisticated version of the “double-tap.” While Cooper did not invent the double-tap, he systematized the training for such.

All of the above are basic combat training for civilians, military, and law enforcement alike. While Cooper didn’t “invent” any of it, per se, he synthesized previously existing methods into a cohesive program of combat readiness just about anyone could learn.

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10/7/21

DOJ Considering Parents vs. School Boards as Terrorists

By: Denise Simon | Founders Code

The National School Boards Association wrote a 6-page letter to President Biden. The full letter is here. In part:

As these threats and acts of violence have become more prevalent – during public school board meetings, via documented threats transmitted through the U.S. Postal Service, through
social media and other online platforms, and around personal properties – NSBA respectfully asks that a joint collaboration among federal law enforcement agencies, state and local law enforcement, and with public school officials be undertaken to focus on these threats. NSBA specifically solicits the expertise and resources of the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service, and its National Threat Assessment Center regarding the level of risk to public schoolchildren, educators, board members, and facilities/campuses. We also request the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to intervene against threatening letters and cyberbullying attacks that have been transmitted to students, school board members, district administrators, and other educators.

As these acts of malice, violence, and threats against public school officials have increased, the classification of these heinous actions could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes. As such, NSBA requests a joint expedited review by the U.S. Departments of Justice, Education, and Homeland Security, along with the appropriate training, coordination, investigations, and enforcement mechanisms from the FBI, including any technical assistance necessary from, and state and local coordination with, its National Security Branch and Counterterrorism Division, as well as any other federal agency with relevant jurisdictional authority and oversight. Additionally, NSBA requests that such review examine appropriate enforceable actions against these crimes and acts of violence under the Gun–Free School Zones Act, the PATRIOT Act in regards to domestic terrorism, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the Violent Interference with Federally Protected Rights statute, the Conspiracy Against Rights statute, an Executive Order to enforce all applicable federal laws for the(…)

UPDATE: Cape school board meeting ends in protest | Cape Gazette

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