{"id":988,"date":"2017-02-22T12:36:32","date_gmt":"2017-02-22T12:36:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/index.php\/2017\/02\/22\/more-lies-about-hb-69\/"},"modified":"2017-02-22T12:36:32","modified_gmt":"2017-02-22T12:36:32","slug":"more-lies-about-hb-69","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/2017\/02\/more-lies-about-hb-69\/","title":{"rendered":"More lies about HB 69"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"GRNC<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

By F. Paul Valone<\/span><\/p>\n

February 22, 2017<\/span><\/p>\n

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Dear Gun Rights Supporter:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Unfortunately, the operatives from the long-discredited \u201cNational Association for Gun Rights\u201d (appropriately enough, \u201cNAGR\u201d) are at it again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The culprits are Noel Fritsch and Ryan O\u2019Neal<\/u><\/strong>, both \u201cformerly\u201d of NAGR (but likely still working on NAGR\u2019s behalf). And their playbook — straight from NAGR — is not to actually pass legislation, but rather to tell lies about pro-gun legislators and organizations, branding them \u201cnot pro-gun enough.\u201d Why? To raise money, of course<\/strong><\/u>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Recently, North Carolina Gun Rights (\u201cNCGR\u201d, which is likely a deliberately misleading anagram of GRNC) and one of O\u2019Neal\u2019s other entities, \u201cfirstinfreedomdaily,\u201d have obliquely referred to GRNC as a \u201cfraudulent gun rights organization,\u201d attempted to bill brand House Bill 69 for constitutional carry as \u201ccompromise carry,\u201d and lied about veterans supposedly being denied their rights under the bill.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meet the scammers<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0To give you the flavor of the two operatives involved, O\u2019Neal, formerly a campaign manager for Greg Brannon\u2019s US Senate bid, and also formerly a Ron Paul campaign staffer (in conjunction with NAGR, whose principals consulted for Paul), has reportedly been disavowed by Brannon<\/strong><\/u>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In addition to other dubious fundraising organizations on a variety of issues here in North Carolina, O\u2019Neal was the subject of ethics complaints<\/a>\u00a0for his \u201cDefense of Liberty PAC\u201d (\u201cDOLPAC\u201d) in Maine and has been caught doing predatory fundraising in Louisiana<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Then we have Mr. Fritsch. Considered by some as responsible for sinking the US Senate bid by pro-gun Mississippi state Sen. Chris McDaniel<\/strong><\/u>, for whom he served as communications director, Fritsch was reportedly a subject of a grand jury investigation into whether he or others paid someone to lie about vote buying by McDaniel\u2019s opponent. Indeed, Fritsch was so \u201cpopular\u201d in Mississippi during the debate over constitutional carry there that his own bill sponsor threatened to call capitol police on him<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0To give you a feel for Fritsch\u2019s stability, one Mississippi reporter<\/a> called Fritsch\u2019s propensity to yell at and then hang up on reporters — later calling them back as if they were old friends — \u201cSybil-like.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But a Mississippi legislator said it best:<\/a> \u201cI think this is just a fundraising group \u2014 a shield, a sham, a ruse,” Gipson said\u2026They’re doing what they’ve done in other states, going after the most conservative, pro-gun rights people\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

The scam in question<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The most recent (among many) fundraising letter from \u201cThe Boys From NAGR<\/strong><\/u>\u201d makes a number of assertions about HB 69 which range from selectively misleading to downright false.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Scam #1:<\/strong> \u201c\u2026H.B. 69 includes numerous statutes that strip law-abiding North Carolina citizens of their God-given right to keep and bear arms guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Truth:<\/strong> HB 69 does not create any new restrictions. In order to be narrowly crafted (and more likely passed into law), the new Section 54C mirrors language in our existing concealed handgun statute, differing only in that people would no longer need permits. Meanwhile, GRNC has drafted language and recruited sponsors to remove many restrictions in OTHER legislation<\/strong><\/u>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Scam #2:<\/strong> \u201c\u2026under H.B. 69, a veteran who gets a divorce or is found guilty of committing adultery could be DENIED their right to carry in North Carolina\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Truth:<\/strong> Nice try, fellas, but wrong again. Under NC\u2019s original concealed handgun statute, flawed language bars applicants who were discharged from the military under \u201cother than honorable\u201d conditions. GRNC has been the ONLY organization involved in trying to get that language changed as recently as the last session of the legislature, and will do so again this year. However, HB 69 does NOT MIRROR THIS LANGUAGE<\/strong><\/u>, instead applying only to people who were DISHONORABLY discharged, a category which does not include adultery or other minor offenses, but instead only serious crimes subject to courts martial.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Scam #3:<\/strong> The Boys from NAGR intimate that a new, better constitutional carry bill will be introduced by Rep. Chris Millis at their behest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Truth:<\/strong> As Hertz commercials put it, \u201cNot exactly.\u201d While Rep. Millis (R-Onslow, Pender, GRNC ****) does plan to introduce legislation (which, presuming it is well crafted, GRNC will support), according to Millis, \u201cThe Boys from NAGR\u201d had nothing to do with it. If Millis introduces a good bill, what will likely happen is that bits and pieces of both bills will be melded into a committee substitute which is acceptable to enough parties to secure passage. (Expect to hear lots of Fritsch-like wailing when that happens.)<\/span><\/p>\n

The scammers are spammers: Don\u2019t sign petition!<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Straight out of the NAGR playbook (and following what they\u2019ve done in Mississippi and elsewhere), the single and only thing The Boys from NAGR are doing is to push a \u201cpetition\u201d for which they claim a ridiculously inflated number of signatures.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But here is their dirty little secret: While we may disagree on the effectiveness of petitions as political weapons (many argue they are too easily ignored), a petition makes an excellent ruse for predatory fundraising<\/strong><\/u>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0You see, the scammers are also spammers<\/strong><\/u>. If you sign their petition, you will receive endless spam dunning you for money. And if The Boys from NAGR are anything like the folks who trained them, the \u201cthanks\u201d you receive for signing or contributing will likely be to have your email sold to other spammers<\/strong><\/u>.<\/span><\/p>\n

What you can do to pass constitutional carry<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Our problem is that HB 69 is currently assigned to the NC House Judiciary I Committee, chaired by Rep. Ted Davis (R-New Hanover, GRNC *), who will likely deny it a hearing, killing it. Accordingly, we need to move the bill to the Judiciary II Committee, chaired by Rep. John Blust<\/a> (R-Guilford, ***) who, thanks to your input in response to GRNC\u2019s alert last weekend, has promised to give the bill a hearing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0To get HB 69 moved to J-2, please contact Speaker Tim Moore<\/a> (R-Cleveland, ****) and Rules Chair David Lewis<\/a> (R-Harnett, ***) and tell them to re-assign the bill.<\/span><\/p>\n

GRNC: Kicking butt since 1994!<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

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\u2022 Since 1994, only one truly \u201cno-compromise\u201d North Carolina gun rights organization has defended your rights<\/strong><\/u>;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 One organization<\/strong> has been primarily responsible for passing concealed carry, concealed handgun reciprocity, the purchase permit bypass, Castle Doctrine\/Stand Your Ground, expansion of concealed carry into parks, restaurants, public assemblies and elsewhere;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 One organization<\/strong> has killed scores of proposed anti-gun bills;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 One organization<\/strong> sued Winston-Salem and forced dozens of municipalities to repeal illegal anti-gun ordinances and remove posting signs from parks and elsewhere;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 One organization<\/strong> forced hundreds of stores and restaurants to remove \u201cno firearms signs\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 One NC organization<\/strong> has sued to overturn NC\u2019s \u201cstate of emergency\u201d gun ban, reinforcing your right to self protection during riots and natural disasters …<\/span><\/p>\n

…and only one organization can get constitutional carry passed<\/strong> in North Carolina.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0That organization is Grass Roots North Carolina<\/strong><\/u>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And unlike the poseurs, GRNC vows to put your money<\/strong><\/u> to use more efficiently and effectively than any other organization in defending your rights.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Armatissimi e liberissimi,<\/span><\/p>\n

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F. Paul Valone<\/span>
President, Grass Roots North Carolina<\/span>
Executive Director, Rights Watch International<\/span><\/p>\n

P.S. I realize money is tight, but $100, $50 or even $25<\/a> will help GRNC defend your rights and pass constitutional carry<\/strong>!<\/span><\/p>\n

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By F. Paul Valone February 22, 2017 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Dear Gun Rights Supporter: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Unfortunately, the operatives from … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":196,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pauls-blog","resize-featured-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=988"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/988\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grnc.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}