The President's Corner -January - March 2012

Greetings Fellow KSRA Members!

Happy New Year! I hope everyone is staying warm this winter and has enjoyed lots of time with family and friends through the wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season. This past year sure flew by. The older I get the quicker the years seem to go!

Entering into 2012 we have important work to do. I believe the political elections this year will be a turning point for this country one way or the other. This election cycle may be the most important in the history of our nation. We have a lot of work to do to seat candidates that have not forgotten that we are a great nation and that the constitution is our guide. We must turn things around now before it is too late. President James Buchanan said, "The ballot box is the surest arbiter of disputes among free men."

Our Founding Fathers left us with a Free Republic and all the protections from tyranny and unnecessary intrusion by the government that we needed. Let us all be thankful to them for that measure which cost them so much. I encourage each of you to do your part to see to it that we don’t lose that which they shed their blood for.

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Ask the Right Questions
By Former Congressman Todd Tiahrt

American’s are furious about the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF’s) undercover program, “Fast and Furious”. Little is known of the programs origin, including the author, date of conception, scope of operations and who, if anybody authorized the agenda. Even Congressional oversight Committees have been stiff armed from the answers to these questions. But was it part of some grander design?

Like the origins of the earth, the birth of this program remains a mystery. The facts haven’t been revealed. We know that the ATF was involved thanks to the courage of ATF agent John Dodson who risked his career to “blow the whistle” on the Fast and Furious program. But was it cleared through the Department of Justice (DOJ) prior to the start of this risky, controversial program? One would think that would be the case.

Perhaps the “when” is more interesting? Was it conceived by the political appointees of this Administration? The timing of the origins of the program may be enlightening.

Do you believe in coincidences? In the spring on of 2009 the new Attorney General Eric Holder approached Congress for changes to the Tiahrt Trace Data Amendment to the Commerce, Justice and State Appropriations Bill. The Tiahrt Trace Data Amendment protects the privacy of undercover officers and private citizens when they purchase a firearm by restricting the information tracing ownership from manufacture to final purchase, including home addresses, unless a crime has been committed. Trace data is then shared with the police organizations and prosecutors.

The request by AG Holder, to share firearms trace data was accepted printed in the bill, “(2) a foreign law enforcement agency solely in connection with or for use in a criminal investigation or prosecution;” Once signed into law, it became effective immediately.

This request was surprising considering Candidate Obama’s called for the repeal of the Tiahrt Trace Data even listing his position of repeal on his campaign website. According to Mayors Against Illegal Guns, an organization created and funded by NY City Mayor Michael Bloomberg the White House still seeks this goal. On their website, www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org they write, “The Obama Administration supports repeal of the Tiahrt Amendments: "Obama and Biden would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment…-White House Urban Policy Agenda”. Contrarily, President Obama re-affirmed the Tiahrt Trace Data Amendment when his signature made it the law of the land.

Why sign into law the Tiahrt Trace Data Amendment with clarification language to share trace data with foreign law enforcement agencies at approximately the same time that “Fast and Furious” program illegally allows firearms to cross the border into a foreign country?

The contradiction of calling for repeal the legislation that protects the privacy of undercover police officers and firearms owners and then signing it into law creates a conundrum.

Was the purpose clarified by Mayors Against Illegal Guns in their July 6, 2011 letter signed by Mayor Bloomberg? “Mayors Against Illegal Guns to urge you to repeal the appropriations riders commonly referred to as the “Tiahrt Amendments”.

Until Congress asks the right questions the connection of the origins of the “Fast and Furious” program and the sought after changes to the Tiahrt Trace Data Amendment will remain a mystery.

Todd Tiahrt is currently the president of Todd Tiahrt, LLC, he was a Member of Congress from 1995 to 2011. He currently serves as a Director on the board of the Kansas State Rifle Association.

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NRA CHALLENGES CONSTITUTIONALITY OF FEDERAL HANDGUN BAN
FOR LAW ABIDING 18-20 YEAR OLDS

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Fairfax, Va. -- The NRA is challenging federal laws that prohibit law-abiding Americans eighteen through twenty years of age from legally purchasing a handgun through a federally licensed firearm dealer. The case was filed Tuesday evening in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas Lubbock Division. James D'Cruz of Lubbock, TX is the plaintiff in this case.

"In Heller and McDonald, the U.S. Supreme Court clearly stated that the Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms for all law-abiding Americans," said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA's Institute for Legislative Action. "That right is not limited only to Americans twenty-one years of age and older. Indeed, throughout our nation's history, adults beginning at age eighteen have served in the military and fought for this country with honor. But while the Supreme Court has consistently made clear that the federal government cannot ban or unduly restrict sales of items protected by the Constitution, the federal government continues to prohibit these adults from purchasing handguns from federally licensed dealers, which represent the largest and most accessible means of purchasing handguns."

The suit asserts: "At eighteen years of age, law-abiding citizens in this country are considered adults for almost all purposes and certainly for the purposes of the exercise of fundamental constitutional rights. Indeed, at eighteen, citizens are eligible (and male citizens could be conscripted) to serve in the military-to fight and die by arms for the country. Yet, Section 922(b)(1) prohibits law-abiding adults in this age group from lawfully purchasing -- from the most prevalent and readily available source -- what the Supreme Court has called "the quintessential self-defense weapon" and "the most popular weapon chosen by Americans for self-defense in the home."

The plaintiff, Mr. D'Cruz, is well-trained in the proper handling and use of firearms, including handguns. His initial training was with his grandfather, a World War II veteran, who wanted his grandchildren to understand the proper and safe techniques for use and storage of firearms. Mr. D'Cruz received further training from his father and as a member of the Navy Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps, where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. During his junior and senior years of high school, Mr. D'Cruz was a member of the JROTC's marksmanship team, and as member of that team has competed in regional and national marksmanship competitions. Mr. D'Cruz received numerous awards, including a first place medal for marksmanship, in a regional competition. Mr. D'Cruz also received a Foreign Legion unit award for marksmanship.

The case is D'Cruz v. BATFE.
-NRA-

Copyright 2010, National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action