There's still time to enter MPFO's Winter Rifle Raffle fund raiser!
(2010-02-02) The latest fund raiser for the Cause will conclude at end of this month, offering a beautiful M1 Garand rifle from Fulton Armory. Now is the time to fill the war chest in anticipation of defending our friends and defeating our foes in next year's elections. Equally important, a strong showing now will help chill enactment of new gun control - like the assault weapon ban just introduced in the current legislative session. Let's tell everyone that we are capable of defending our friends who fight for us in Annapolis, just like we have the means to defeat our foes who champion the abuse of our rights. CLICK FOR DETAILS on the latest raffle.
Charles "Mac" Mathias, Maryland Senator
(2010-01-25) We note the passing of Charles “Mac” Mathias, native of Western Maryland and the last Republican to serve Maryland as a Senator in Washington. He stepped down in 1986, to be replaced by Barbara Mikulski, who of course serves to this day. In coming weeks he will be remembered by many as a “champion of civil rights.” However, he also championed handgun bans, especially of so-called ‘Saturday night specials’ – ironically, itself a racist term. For years he served as an honorary co-chair of Marylanders Against Handgun Abuse. Obviously Mathias was only interested in some rights for some people.
Maryland weights in on the next battle over RKBA - on the wrong side
(2010-01-18) Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler joined with his counterparts in New Jersey and Illinois to file an amicus brief in McDonald v. Chicago, presently before the US Supreme Court. This is the next big case to follow the Heller ruling – now that the RKBA is established as an individual right, the question is whether its protections apply beyond the federal government to states and localities. Hanging in the balance is not just Chicago’s famously fascist gun control restrictions. A favorable ruling here would let us start the really heavy lifting of rights restoration via challenges to a broad spectrum of infringements. Gansler’s brief argues in favor of a locality’s power to infringe, in effect saying city rules are for the peasants’ own good. You see, residents can’t be trusted to handle rights – or guns – for themselves. Among the brief’s many reasons for why this government power is acceptable is the lack of any effective challenge to Maryland’s 1994 ban on so-called “assault pistols.”
Remembering a true friend of liberty
(2010-01) 2009 marked the loss of George Cormeny from our ranks. We remember his service to the Cause over the years in Annapolis.
Rep. Frank Kratovil leads as champion of Second Amendment.
(2009-12-22) Because he is a freshman in the Maryland caucus - and we endorsed him - it is time for a report on the performance in Congress of Rep. Frank Kratovil. In a word: magnificient. CLICK FOR REPORT
State Police move to Internet-only gun safety training.
(2009-12-11) Maryland State Police have notified dealers that it will no longer accept video based training classes as a way for citizens to satisfy the training requirement associated with purchasing a regulated firearm (handguns or selected long guns.) This requirement took effect as a consequence of the Gun Safety Act of 2000, and presented an obligation which the state initially showed no sign of providing a legal means of satisfying in order to buy these firearms. Following our litigation, the state provided a class on videotape, and later, a dealer's association also provided one that was accepted by the state. The latest notice is that these courses will no longer be accepted, as of January 1, 2010. The only means of taking such a class will now be on the internet from a state web site. Those who do not own a computer or have such access have been invited to visit a public library that might have such access, in order to become registered and print out the receipt. CLICK HERE for a PDF copy of the notice sent to dealers.
Smart guns: They weren't then. They aren't now.
(2009-09-11) A decade ago, Maryland gun grabbers were on the verge of banning all handguns except those that are "smart guns." Officials kept a straight face when claiming such products existed then, and even some companies testified that they had products just around the corner. If the charade wasn't obvious to everyone before, it ought to be today. Ten years later, still no smart guns, as confirmed by the state's annual report. CLICK TO RETROSPECTIVE
End of the road for Lonaconing Trap Club
(2009-08-26) It’s the end of the road for Lonaconing Trap Club in its fight against the Maryland Department of the Environment. MDE’s action to close the club based on noise complaints began as a pet project of the Ehrlich administration years ago, and has been in litigation ever since. Maryland’s highest court has now issued its ruling and opinion against the club, establishing in case law MDE’s blueprint for overstating its standing to close facilities. In Lonaconing’s case, if there was friction between neighbors, then most observers thought prompt mediation would have been best for all. Unfortunately, the club rebuffed such efforts, just as the Ehrlich administration rebuffed a direct request from the NRA for care in handling the situation, tasking instead appointee Jonas Jacobson to come up with a litigation plan and close the club. He did. And in far western Maryland there is now permanently one less place to shoot.
Maryland Handgun Roster to be used for DC gun regulations
(2009-07-01) The list of handguns lawful for sale in the District of Columbia will now be based, in part, on Maryland’s Roster.
Following the Supreme Court’s Heller decision, that affirmed firearm ownership as an individual right, officials in DC were tasked with drafting regulations to allow handgun registration and ownership. Naturally they crafted tricks along the way, intending to yield as little as possible. One rule said only guns lawful for sale in California would be lawful for possession in DC. That was a problem. A handgun’s California listing must be regularly renewed by its manufacturer, and commonly they are not, since product lines evolve. Companies don’t pay the cost of re-listing old products. But once a gun ceased being lawful for sale there, it would no longer be lawful for possession in DC.
Under threat of new litigation, DC changed its rules so that handgun offerings would be based on availability in not only California, but also Massachusetts and Maryland. Once a gun is evaluated here and listed on our Roster, then it is not removed, and so will continue to be lawful in DC. (No word on what they think of Maryland’s requirement for an “integrated mechanical safety device.” Many top-quality handguns remain unlawful for Maryland sale for want of being able to meet this regulatory requirement needlessly imposed on us by the Ehrlich administration.)
Of course, there are still no gun shops in DC, so how do citizens acquire lawful products? One proposal had been to allow them to buy in adjacent states. In DC hearings, the O’Malley administration’s Kristen Mahoney vehemently opposed this, arguing it could not be done since Maryland would not have access to DC residents’ mental health records needed to do the check. (Maryland, of course, requires buyers to relinquish privacy of medical data in order to complete a regulated firearm transfer. This restriction, implemented without pesky details like gaining approval of legislators or having a bill signed by the governor, is the work product of Mahoney, who serves as the anti-gun energizer bunny in O’Malley’s operation, a role she began when working for him back when he was Mayor. All Maryland gun restrictions in recent years came from her office. To date, the mental health rule remains unopposed.)
MPFO announces winner of its Spring Rifle Raffle fund raiser
(2009-06-18) MPFO is pleased to announce that Billy Gleaves, of Ellicott City, MD, is winner in its spring fund raising event, bringing him the Fulton Armory Titan .308 Carbine. CLICK TO READ
Gun registration records placed on the MSP Dashboard
(2009-04-25) Maryland's lawful gun owners are even more likely to be the legal target of an inappropriate social agenda now that Martin O'Malley's State Police have included gun registration records (such as are retained by police following a citizen's purchase of a handgun) in MSP's new 'dashboard' computer system for criminal investigation. CLICK TO READ details about the coming impact from yet another invasion of citizen privacy.
Maryland General Assembly conclude's 2009 session
(2009-04-25) It's a wrap. While some gun bills went through, the legislature concluded its annual business without touching any signature gun control measures. We will live to fight another day. CLICK TO READ details and learn what it means for upcoming battles.
Jim Boulet, RIP
(2009-01-18) We're saddened to learn of the passing of Jim Boulet after a tough fight with cancer. A happy warrior in conservative issues (and for two decades the director of English First) his earliest efforts as an activist were on behalf of the Second Amendment. He was active in Maryland's fight against the handgun ban in 1988, and authored a definitive chronology of the events, "Firearms Folly in Maryland". CLICK TO READ others' memories of Jim.
More Tasers in the news
(2009-01-04) A task force on electronic weapons is launched in Maryland for 2009. CLICK TO READ for details.
2008 election update and results
(2008-10-13) A generally gloomy overall assessment for Maryland gun owners, but there are still action items for us, as we work for the Cause in Western Maryland (Roscoe Bartlett) and Eastern Shore (Frank Kratovil). CLICK TO READ our endorsements. UPDATED 2009-01-04: Congratulations to our two Congressional picks, Roscoe Bartlett and Frank Kratovil! To read our full analysis of the impact of this election on Maryland gun owners as we go into the next legislative session, CLICK HERE.
Appeal denied in Lonaconing noise case
(2008-10-06) Nearly two years after the case was argued before it, Maryland's Court of Special Appeals has denied the appeal of Lonaconing Trap Club in its fight with Maryland Department of the Environment. CLICK TO READ how this can affect all ranges in the state.
Legislative audit reveals DNR again spends Open Spaces money on golf shacks
(2008-10-07) An update on the DNR follies - CLICK TO READ the latest.
Baltimore enacts illegal "lost-or-stolen gun" reporting obligation
(2008-10-01) Mayor Sheila Dixon has signed into law a measure passed by Baltimore City Council that criminalizes the failure of any gun owner to report a lost or stolen firearm. You may recall this measure was considered – and abandoned – by the General Assembly in recent sessions, which in light of state pre-emption (the state reserves unto itself the right to legislate gun laws) begs the question ‘why have a legislature when mayors can just do what they want?’ Officials went forward with this after getting one of the more ridiculous Attorney General opinions we can remember seeing, giving the bill a green light. We know (Haines v. US in the 1960’s) that such a measure can only apply to the honest gunowner in the first place, not criminals they are ostensibly targeting. Of course, what Dixon wants is not to reduce crime but to chill the climate for gun ownership in the first place. This measure joins other of her ridiculous laws (a ‘gun offender registry’, for example) illegally put on the books – all of which are to date unopposed.
MSP proposes re-write of Handgun Permit Review Board regulations
(2008-07-07) Rejuvenating Maryland's failed ballistic fingerprinting program isn't the only thing on administrators' minds. CLICK TO READ about newly proposed regulations affecting the handgun permit review board.
New "ballistic fingerprinting" regulations remain on hold
(2008-07-07) A regulatory proposal from Maryland State Police to free police to re-distribute private gunowner information for uses unrelated to fighting crime remains blocked by an oversight committee within the Maryland General Assembly. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Legislative Sportsmen's Foundation re-defines 'sportsman' as 'environmentalist'
(2008-07-01) Bill Miles, with connections to animal rights and environmental groups, continues effort to separate sportsmen and guns. CLICK TO FIND OUT how hunters support group that is selling out their interests in Annapolis.
Social legislation is about channeling cash to companies, not solving problems
(2008-05-21) What businessman wouldn't want a law that mandates use of your product? CLICK TO FIND OUT which Maryland legislator is working hard to set up a corporate funding stream for a private company, under guise of promoting social legislation.
Annapolis makes more sense when you see all the connections
(2008-05-21) In February we wrote about a report from the Abell Foundation which later in the session came to be used by legislators as a prop waved around to justify support for new gun control. To people not paying attention it looked like scholarly research. Looking past the veneer, we saw it was a repacking of Johns Hopkins University advocacy documents (itself a repackaging of materials of their funding agent, the anti-gun Joyce Foundation) as written by a public relations firm and timed to appear at start of session for use as, well, a prop. The same PR firm handles both the Joyce Foundation and Senator Brian Frosh (rabid anti-gunner and head of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee), and is an open affiliate of the Soros Foundation network. (Yes, that Soros.) In retrospect, it seems unlikely that the Abell Foundation commissioned an anti-gun report for itself. More likely, as one of the PR firm’s several clients, Abell simply allowed its name to be used by the firm to serve the other clients’ business and advocacy interests (not that this reflects better on them.)
Legislative oversight committee puts hold on new "ballistic fingerprinting" regulations
(2008-05-14) A regulatory proposal from Maryland State Police to free police to re-distribute private gunowner information for uses unrelated to fighting crime was just put on hold by an oversight committee within the Maryland General Assembly. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Maryland General Assembly closes legislative session with minimal damange to liberty
(Evening of 2008-04-07) As the minutes count down to "sine die" (adjournment without more time) in the General Assembly, it is clear that gun owners in Maryland will suffer little new infringements this year - at least from legislation. No other legislation from our earlier report became active, and we managed to keep the so-called "AGC Act" (also described in an earlier reports) clean as it passed. (Stopping it was not in the cards, but at least it didn't wreak more damage, as it very well might have.) Detailed reports forthcoming!
Maryland State Police proposes new regulatory overreach
(2008-03-29) MSP has proposed modifications to its regulations on "ballistic fingerprinting" that would expand what data is retained for each record, expand the purposes for which the records can be used and enable transmission of all this information to the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - apparently to be used for any sort of operation BATFE wants. Public comment period is through April 28. As with the mental health record overreach, no public hearing is scheduled. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Good appellate ruling on return of property
(2008-03-27) A good opinion for gunowners recently issued from Maryland’s Court of Special Appeals in Ballard v. State of MD. To refresh from our reporting of the case when it was argued last year: In 2001, Laurence Ballard, a retired Montgomery County police officer, became entangled in a convoluted criminal complaint which was resolved by plea bargain. In 2002, a judge ordered probation before judgment, and put in the record that police must arrange to store Ballard’s many firearms at a gun dealer’s shop, so they could be returned after he completed terms of the PBJ. When Ballard did, the county still refused to allow return of his property, and the judge who heard Ballard’s motion went along with what government wanted. He agreed that Ballard could buy the same guns today, yet refused to honor the 2002 deal. (Cops don’t even return guns to cops.) The Appellate Court ruled that, although the judge was “exercising an abundance of caution”, Ballard was “no longer subject to sanction by the court” and therefore the Court was “constrained to reverse the circuit court’s denial of Ballard’s motion seeking the return of his firearms.”
"AGC Act" in Annapolis threatens all handguns in state
(2008-02-19) The Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore, or AGC, inexplicably begged leadership in Annapolis to open the section of Maryland code dealing with Handguns, in a political environment that is anything but friendly to gun ownership. Resources that might have been invested on productive efforts must now be redirected to prevent disaster - if we can stop it at all. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Tripwire legislative report
(2008-02-17) Most bills are in (not all!) and hearings are upon us. MDRKBA alerts will go out for the domestic matters bills to be heard later this week. Do it!
- Bill status as of 2008-2-17
- Position analysis: Where we stand today
- Position analysis: Penalties bills
"Parkville gun dealer gets 5 years in prison"
(2008-1-14) As we reported last fall would be in the cards, Sandy Abrams today pled guilty to a charge of unlawfully selling a restricted firearm, and was sentenced to five years (sentence suspended) with a year of probation. See the Sun Article for breaking coverage.
Bush administration aids gun-grabbers in DC gun law case
(2008-1-12) On Friday the Bush administration filed an amicus asking the Supreme Court to remand the
Parker case (“DC gun law case”) back to the District of Columbia to come up with a ‘softer standard of
review’ on what constitutes reasonable gun regulations. In doing so, Bush strikes a major blow against
all Americans in the on-going struggle over the scope of individual rights.
CLICK FOR FULL REPORT
Updated coverage: See WorldNetDaily article and
the John Lott essay.
Appellate court affirms for gun manufacturer in District of Columbia v. Beretta Corporation
(2008-1-10) The District of Columbia's litigation against Beretta Corporation for its ostensible role in "gun violence" in the city too yet another blow, as the court hearing DC's appeal (of a lower court's ruling) today issued its affirmation of the earlier judgement in favor of the firearm manufacturer. Moreover, today's ruling upholds the role of the Protection of Lawful Commerce Act, which was enacted federally to protect the firearms industry from predatory litigation.
Tripwire endorsements for 2008 congressional primary
(2007-12-28) While there is no pro-gun opportunity in most of Maryland's congressional districts, that doesn't mean there are no action items for gun owners. In District 6 (western Maryland) be sure to support incumbent Roscoe Bartlett - not threatened in this race, but nevertheless worthy of our maximum effort. (Why take chances?) In District 1 (chiefly eastern shore) we endorse Senator EJ Pipkin, challenger in this contested GOP primary, to move up. Pipkin deserves your maximum effort too! CLICK FOR DETAILS
Tasers: From defensive tool to compliance mechanism
(2007-12-28) Police in Maryland increasingly rely on Tasers to shock subjects into compliance. Some victims die. Honest gun owners have no business giving coercion tools to agents of the state who are increasingly tasked with using them on us. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Report on Maryland's 2007 Special Legislative Session
(2007-12-28) It was a revenue grab of unprecedented proportions. What does it mean for gunowners as we go into the regular legislative session starting January 2007? CLICK FOR DETAILS
Maryland General Assembly overrides gubernatorial veto of gun bill
(2007-11-13) Earlier today the Maryland House of Delegates voted 135 to 4 to join the Senate in overriding Gov. Martin O'Malley's veto of SB 497, titled "Disposal of Handguns Owned by a Law Enforcement Agency". This bill repeals a small part of Parris Glendening's "Gun Safety Act of 2000", and allows police departments to sell firearms back to manufacturers. At issue is the equity that was lost when police were required to destroy used guns (such as became surplus when they upgraded officers' duty sidearms.) Gov. O'Malley's veto tied up nearly $400,000 worth of State Police property alone. With the override, police are now free to transfer used property (and also confiscated firearms) to firearms manufacturers.
Spokesman for state gun dealers pleading guilty to charge of illegal gun transfer
(2007-10-27) Sandy Abrams, spokesman for the Maryland Licensed Firearms Dealers Association and one-time NRA Board member, is apparently pleading guilty to one charge of illegal transfer of a regulated firearm. (See previous reporting on Abrams for background.) A hearing in January will finalize details of any agreement with prosecutors. (2007-12-28) UPDATED: Sandy Abrams, long-time spokesman for Maryland Licensed Firearms Dealers Association, will enter into a plea deal with prosecutors in order to avoid the full weight of charges brought against him after a rifle he sold turned up in the hands of a man who shot it out with police. The gun was sold after Abrams lost his dealers license, and in the course of investigation police found Abrams to be in possession of an unregistered machine gun as well. His plea hearing, scheduled for January 14th, is where we could learn if jail is in his future, but the crime to which he has reportedly admitted is disabling. No more firearms or ammunition for Abrams. (Inexplicably, he has continued to run a table at area gun shows, skirting the edge of the law and exposing the shows to what at best could be bad PR for both the show and gunowners.)
Updates ...
(2007-10-26) Select status reports from the most recent issue of Tripwire newsletter:
- STORY ON NEW HANDGUN RESTRICTIONS EVOLVING. Officials want more than check of just mental health records.
- LATEST LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS IN MARYLAND GUN LAW. Gunowners have hard row to hoe in all three branches of government.
- THE INSANITY IN BALTIMORE CONTINUES. Update on recent primary election and the rising crime.
MPFO announces winner in Summer Rifle Raffle
(2007-10-15) Congratulations to Dr. Michael Emmer, whose winning ticket brought him the prize package in MPFO's summer fund raiser which concluded at the end of September. His prize: A Fulton Armory "tactical titan" .308 rifle with Eotech sighting system. CLICK FOR MORE DETAILS
Mental health checks now in place for Maryland gun purchases
(2007-8-6) Without legislation, regulation or any opportunity for public comment, Maryland state police now administratively deny any application for purchase (or transfer) of a regulated firearm (handgun or select long gun) which does not include a release of mental health records. CLICK TO LEARN WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU.
Lampooning Baltimore gets easier all the time ...
(2007-8-6) What goes up faster, the murder rate or the count of silly social experiments that city officials will propose to do anything except improve public safety? CLICK TO FIND OUT!.
GAME ON
(2007-7-16) This morning AP reports Washington DC Mayor Fenty will will petition the Supreme Court to hear its appeal of the federal circuit court's decision to overturn the city's 30-year-old handgun ban. 7-30-2007 UPDATE: And what is the political backdrop for considering the so-called "Parker Case"? Check out the National Review article assessing, which reports Congress is not nearly so totally left wing on guns as some might have you think.
Maryland State Police to implement new checks - and restrictions - on handgun purchases
(2007-7-1) Hard on the heels of a new superintendent taking over at MSP the agency has quietly announced it will administratively deny applications for purchasing a regulated firearm (handgun or selected long guns) which do not contain a release for police to inspect medical records. The agency does this without lawful authority. Rather than use the bright line standard defined in law for determining a gun disability, they show every appearance of intending to exercise new discretion over who may possess a firearm. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Maryland's Senator Mikulski leads the attack against gunowners
(2007-7-1) The battle over public release of gunowner background check information (as championed by gun-grabbing officials intent on harassing honest citizens) heated up, with Barbara Mikulski leading the attack. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Chief High lives up to his name
(2007-6-27) On June 26th Prince George’s County Police Chief Melvin High marked the first anniversary of Project Exile – a partnership between the Department and the US Attorney’s Office of Maryland that targets guns – by holding a press conference where he proclaimed “The project Exile partnership effort contributes to our success.”
Chief High’s comments stand in stark and surreal contrast to the county’s explosive murder rate, which runs about fifty percent higher than last year at this time. If this is success, then there’s only so much we can handle. (Of course, one county official later stated: “We have an Exile program in Prince George’s? Huh. Who knew?”)
Congressional mid-term report for Maryland
(2007-6-25) How is Maryland's congressional delegation doing? UPDATED 8-2007: CLICK FOR MID-TERM REPORT
Changes at Maryland State Police impact gun owners
(2007-6-22) Terrence Sheridan, until recently top cop in Baltimore County PD, recently assumed command of the Maryland State Police as an appointee of Governor Martin O'Malley. Given his history of bashing gun owners, it is no surprise that new gun control started rolling out of the organization, a short flash-to-bang time clearly intended to telegraph what a rocky road honest citizens have before us in the rest of this term. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Dealers Association spokesman up on gun charges
(2007-6-1) Arraignment scheduled for 4 June in the case of Sandy Abrams, who was arrested and charged with a number of gun violations stemming from his alleged sale of a regulated firearm to a man who later used that rifle in a shootout with police. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Baltimore ... the beat goes on ...
(2007-5-29) Crime goes through the roof while officials jockey for position in the September mayoral primary. Doesn't look good for the natives. CLICK FOR DETAILS
Session Retrospective - the rest of the story
(2007-5-27) Now that we've seen which bills are signed and which vetoed, we know the rest of the story for the 2007 legislative session. CLICK FOR REPORT
Session Retrospective
(2007-3-20) It ain't over till its over, but the first analysis of this session and its impact on our community (and our community on the session!) is up at the Analysis page - CLICK FOR ANALYSIS