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  • 05/18/2022 10:22 AM | Anonymous

    Tom Reynolds, President of Shooters Committee On Political Education, Inc. (S.C.O.P.E.), has issued the following statement in response to the recent tragedy at the Tops Supermarket, in Buffalo, Erie County, New York:

    The shooting at Tops in Buffalo, on Saturday, was a tragedy that will impact lives forever.  In its wake, the proper responses are condolences, sympathy, remembrances and prayers.

    Good leaders know that bad decisions get made in the heat of emotion. But like vampires poised over the still warm bodies of the victims, Joe Biden, Kathy Hochul and Chuck Schumer chose to drain every bit of advantage from the emotions around this tragedy.  Shame on them.  They are willing to exploit the suffering of others in order to push their own discredited ideology on America.

    There was no need for immediate action by any of those three politicians as the killer was immediately apprehended.  They should have used their offices to start the healing process.  Instead, they almost immediately rushed to the like-minded media and restarted their campaigns against the 2nd Amendment.

    They seem to believe that they can bring America together by dividing it.  That more racism is the solution to racism.  And most important to them, that no tragedy goes to waste.

    In the days and weeks ahead, we will learn more about what drove the murderer to this inhuman act.  Then, in a calm deliberative manner we can seek the truth.  There is an old military adage, “The first reports of the scouts are usually wrong”.  Basing unnecessary action on the breathless reporting of those first on the scene and on politicians, intent on shoring up support for their next election, is wrong.

    This trio of politicians will try to focus on an inanimate object that is incapable of action without human input and the obvious mental health issues of the human that used it.  But the degeneration of our culture where human lives are tossed away must be included in that conversation.  We can’t begin to solve the issue without deliberate consideration of where our moral and religious values have gone.

  • 05/16/2022 7:42 PM | Anonymous

    School Board Elections

    Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 17th, is election day for school board members.  Historically, many people stay home and don’t vote. But the next day, many of these same people are complaining about the loss of American values and culture.  Change starts in the schools and with school board elections. 

    Lynn Leonard is a SCOPE member and she is running for a seat on the Corning - Painted Post School Board. She chose to be part of the solution by taking action at the local level.  She had this to say about the importance of this election and participating in it:

    “In recent years public education has lost focus, no longer believing parents should decide what is best for the education of their children”. 

    “Instead of teaching the basic skills necessary to succeed after graduation, our schools have prioritized Critical Race Theory and LGBTQ activism”.

    “Instead of teaching our students the blessings of liberty guaranteed by our Constitution, educators are programmed to teach that the United States and capitalism are the root cause of all the ills of the world”.

    “It is time for the silent majority to speak up and demand that our schools return to a foundation of teaching proficiency in math, science, and literature”.

    “As a mom and life-long educator, I choose to be part of the solution by taking action at the local level instead of complacency and complaining.  It is time to show up, speak up, and VOTE”.

    “Research your local Board of Education candidates and vote on Tuesday, May 17th.   Let your voice be heard!   If not you, who?  If not now, when”?

     Education professionals and the federal government no longer believe parents should decide what is best for the education of their children. The National School Boards Association (NSBA) sent a letter to the Biden administration comparing parents who protested school's COVID policies to domestic terrorists.  The Department of Justice then issued a memo directing the F.B.I. to investigate.  Speak your voice for the benefit of your child at a school board meeting and the F.B.I. may come calling.  

    Talking to a first grader about sex would formerly have gotten you arrested.  Now, LGBTQ activism trumps common sense parenting.   

    This election is the first of several elections, this year, that will determine the direction of our country.  Vote in every one of them to save your country. As Thomas Paine said, “…he that stands by it (America) now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman”.

  • 05/05/2022 4:36 PM | Anonymous

    Joe Biden Said  by Tom Reynolds

    Joe Biden has pledged that he wants to unite all Americans.  This week he said: "MAGA crowd" the "most extreme political organization that's existed in American history—in recent American history." He added, Let me tell you about this ultra-MAGA agenda: It's extreme, as most MAGA things are…

    Joe Biden just called 74 million Trump voters, “the most extreme political organization that existed in American history.” That’s uniting America? 

    Joe Biden believes that if you voted for Donald Trump:

    ·      you are more extreme than the Ku Klux Klan

    ·      you are more extreme than the Democrat Part which fought a war to preserve slavery

    ·      you are more extreme than the American Communist Party 

    ·      you are more extreme than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 

    ·      you are more extreme than those that believe you can wish yourself into a different gender

    ·      you are more extreme than Antifa, which led riots and routinely targeted law enforcement officers

    ·      you are more extreme than the Nation of Islam, a racist, antisemitic group that spawned violence such as the murderer of a Capitol Police Officer

    ·      you are more extreme than the New Black Panther Party which is fueled by anti-Semitism and anti-white beliefs and wants the creation of an all-black country or state within the US.

    ·      you are more extreme than the Weather Underground which conducted a bombing campaign targeting government buildings and several banks

    ·      You are more extreme than the Department of Homeland Security’s Disinformation Governance Board which has the goal of “protecting” American citizens from using their First Amendment Rights

    Biden’s statements came about in response to a draft Supreme Court ruling on Roe v Wade.  Biden claimed that as a consequence of overturning Roe v Wade, What happens if you have states changing laws saying that children who are LGBTQ can’t be in classrooms with other children?”  In the leaked draft ruling, Justice Alito explicitly said: “Nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion.”  Biden also forgot about the federal laws that ban discrimination, based on sexual preference and gender.

    Trump voters can now add being called “The most extreme” to the many other titles that Biden and the left have bestowed on them: Deplorables, Misogynists, anti-Science, Traitors, Religious Fanatics, Homophobes, Smelly Wal Mart Shoppers, Fascists and that old reliable – Racists.  But things you can be sure that Biden will never call them are Communists or Socialists.

    The fascinating thing, missing from most of the current news, is that when he was a Senator, Biden stated in 1974, “I don't like the Supreme Court decision on abortion. I think it went too far. I don't think that a woman has the sole right to say what should happen to her body.”

    And to top that off, in the 1980s he supported a constitutional amendment that called for letting states decide abortion law – which is exactly what is called for in Justice Alito’s draft ruling.

  • 05/04/2022 9:41 AM | Anonymous

    New Lt, Governor – Same Old Same Old  by Tom Reynolds

    Governor Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday that she had picked U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado to be New York’s lieutenant governor, replacing former second-in-command Brian Benjamin after his resignation.  Hochul said, “I am proud to appoint Antonio Delgado…as lieutenant governor of New York, and I look forward to working with him…” 

    Delgado is a Harvard Law School grad who represents the Hudson Valley in Congress.  The head of the New York State Democratic Party was asked if Delgado was picked because Empire State Democrats feared he would lose his reelection bid, Jacobs responded, “No, no. Absolutely not.” 

    A source familiar with Hochul’s selection process told The NY Post “she wanted to select a Latino in order to give the Latino base a statewide elected official — something they had been asking for. 

    On Monday, Democrat majority state lawmakers passed legislation allowing candidates indicted for a crime to withdraw their name from the ballot.  Hochul immediately signed the bill into law, which also allows Democrats to name a new candidate for lieutenant governor.  The previous Lieutenant Governor, Brian Benjamin, who also had been appointed by Hochul, had recently been indicted on five federal criminal charges.

    Assembly Minority leader Will Barclay said of this appointment, “Just yesterday, Assembly Democrats rejected a Republican proposal to require a majority vote of the Legislature to fill a vacancy for lieutenant governor – the same process necessary to fill vacancies for state Comptroller and Attorney General, and similar to the Congressional procedure to fill a vacancy for Vice President…”

    “Rep. Delgado will now hold the second-highest office in New York without being elected to the position or requiring any approval from the Legislature.”

    Concerning the 2nd Amendment and law enforcement, On the Issues reports:

    Delgado supports the survey question, 'Guns: Do you generally support gun-control legislation?

    Delgado co-sponsored George Floyd Justice in Policing Act which addressed policing practices and law enforcement accountability.  Specifically, it limited qualified immunity as a defense to liability in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer.

    Delgado’s own web site contains the following two reports on Delgado’s approach to the 2nd Amendment:

    On, March 11, 2021: “Today, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) voted to pass the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Enhanced Background Checks Act.”

    SCOPE Note: The Bipartisan Background Checks Act would require a background check for almost every gun sale or transfer.  The Enhanced Background Checks Act would address the so-called "Charleston Loophole," which currently allows the sale of a firearm to proceed if a background check is not completed within three business days.

    Delgado was quoted as saying, "Gun violence is a public health and safety crisis that has plagued our communities for far too long…" 

    On September 11, 2019: “U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado blasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his steadfast refusal to allow any gun-control measures to the Senate floor.”

    “He also accused President Donald Trump of caving to the gun lobby on background checks.”

    "’It's naked corruption,’ the freshman congressman said…”.

    "This feels like money and special interests and gun companies being able to dictate to Mitch McConnell how to proceed."

    The names may change but the policies in Albany won’t change without real change with the November election.

  • 05/02/2022 2:38 PM | Anonymous

    SCOPE‘s Members’ Meeting

    On April 30th, 100 attendees at SCOPE’s annual Members’ Meeting in Geneva had the chance to hear speeches from seven political office candidates.  Governor candidate, Lee Zeldin, New York Attorney General candidate Mike Henry and 25thCongressional District candidate La’Ron Singletary were the featured speakers and, in addition, conducted question and answer sessions.  Also, there were short presentations from U.S. Senator candidate Diane Sare, 22ndCongressional District candidate Mike Sigler, 131st New York District Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan and 130th New York District Assemblyman Brian Manktelow. 

    In several ways, all seven candidates expressed support for the 2nd Amendment and defending civilian gun ownership. 

    As a long-time police officer and former Rochester Police Chief, La’Ron Singletary had the most first-hand experience with the effects of the anti-2nd Amendment movements and highlighted several negative results from it.  He was especially critical of the “Defund the Police” movement and its negative effect on minority communities.  Singletary also expressed his admiration for Governor DeSantis work on the Covid epidemic.  He also said he was pro-life and that late term abortion was “unthinkable”.  Singletary wants to return “checks and balances” to D.C.   

    Attorney General candidate Mike Henry blasted current Attorney General Letitia James as a grandstander who did not believe in law enforcement.  He said law abiding citizens with guns are not the problem.  Henry came firmly down against bail reform and letting non-citizens vote as the latter would diminish the votes of citizens.  He believes that crime is the biggest problem facing New Yorkers and that opening the southern border to fentanyl traffickers will make it worse. Mike added that he would work with I.C.E. on immigration.  Henry covered a number of topics in two question and answer sessions. 

    Lee Zeldin was a last minute drop in to the meeting and he covered a variety of topics.  He condemned gun free zones as they are targets for criminals and criticized the use of emotional responses to tragedies for political purposes.  He promised to fire District Attorneys who do not enforce the law, in particular, Manhattan’s Alvin Bragg, and also to repeal the so-called “Bail Reform”.  Zeldin condemned the fear mongering against hydro-fracking.  He is in favor of voter ID.

    Four candidates were recognized from the audience and they each spoke briefly.  All four expressed their support for the 2nd Amendment in their comments.  The four candidates were:

    • Diane Sare is an independent candidate for U.S. Senator to run against Chuck Schumer.  She must get 45,000 voters’ signatures to get on the November ballot.
    • Mike Sigler is a Republican candidate in a new 22nd Congressional District. He will face an opponent in a Republican primary.  There are multiple Democrat candidates in their primary.
    • Jeff Gallahan and Brian Manktelow are both sitting New York Assemblymen seeking reelection on the Republican ticket. They have to deal with newly redrawn districts but they are not impacted by the current court case on redistricting.  Manktelow’s new district includes Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego Counties.  Gallahan’s new district includes Yates and Seneca Counties.

    Various candidates warned about the disastrous one-party rule in New York and the need for voter turnout in November, in order to change that.  As an example of the dangers one-party ruling in its own interests and not the interests of the people of New York, they pointed out the New York Senate and Congressional maps that were so partisan that they were overturned by the courts.

    The current court case, which threw out the redistricting map signed by Kathy Hochul, will impact Singletary and Sigler as they will not know what counties are in their districts until the courts decide on a newly redrawn map. Sigler’s district was slated to include parts of Tompkins, Cortland, Cayuga, Seneca, Madison and Onondaga County.  Singletary’s district was slated to include Monroe County and a bit of Ontario County.

    A presentation was made by Jack Prendergast and Jim Tuttle about the SCOPE annual banquet that will be held at Batavia Downs on September 17th.

    SCOPE had invited Singletary’s and Henry’s likely Democrat opponents to also be featured speakers but they did not respond.  Only two days earlier, Zeldin had asked to drop in.

  • 04/27/2022 6:04 PM | Anonymous

    Redistricting  by Tom Reynolds

    On Wednesday, the NY Court of Appeals rejected the NY State redistricting maps for Congress and for the NY Senate!

    This is the top appeals court in NY State.  

    The maps drawn by the Democrat controlled legislature (and rejected by the court) would have made it very difficult for most Republicans to win, except for a very few districts.  

    Things are going to be interesting and confusing.  Primaries are up-in-the-air and might end up being on multiple dates for various offices.  For instance: statewide races, such as governor and US Senator, are unaffected by this ruling but Congress and State Senate are affected. It also confuses the candidates as they won't know, now, what district they will be running in.

    For more information try this link.

    https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/watertown/ny-state-of-politics/2022/04/27/court-of-appeals-rejects-lawmaker-drawn-redistricting-maps


  • 04/27/2022 3:09 PM | Anonymous

    Hypocrisy Supports the Radical Left  by Tom Reynolds

    Should a home-made pie be called a “Ghost Pie”?  But if you make a home-made gun, the result, according to Joe Biden and the anti-gun left, is a “Ghost Gun”.  Shouldn’t it more properly be called a “Home-made gun”?

    Per the FBI, knives are used 4 to 7 times more often in homicides than all kinds of rifles.  And yet, Biden and the anti-gun left don’t use the term “Assault knife” but they do use the term “Assault Rifle”.

    More people are killed in auto accidents than by all types of firearms, but Biden and the anti-gun left never use the term “Ford violence” or “Auto violence”.  But “Gun Violence” is never far from their lips.

    Biden and the “Green radical left” refer to “Global Warming” and “Global Climate Change” as a reason for shutting down the fossil fuel industry.  Then, Biden begged Saudi Arabia and other countries to increase their exports of oil to the USA.  Isn’t Saudi Arabia still on the globe? 

    Per the FBI, in 2019,

    246 black races were murdered by white races 

    2,574 black races were murdered by black races. 

    2,594 white races were murdered by white races

    566 white races were murdered by black races.

    And yet, Biden and the radical left want to divide Americans with constant charges of racism.   

    The Biden administration said you couldn’t fly on an airplane without a mask, to prevent the spread of Covid.  But illegal aliens are allowed to illegally enter the USA bringing, with them, a host of diseases.

    The Biden administration talks about an opioid epidemic but illegal immigrants can cross easily into the USA from Mexico, with the aid of Mexican drug cartels.

    The left loves to refer to gun “control” but what they really mean is “people control”.

    And in the height of hypocrisy, the party of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez uses the term “common sense” when referring to their gun control proposals.  I repeat, it is the party of AOC defining “common sense”.

    7 or 10 rounds in a magazine are variously called “high-capacity magazines”.  Does 7 items in a shopping cart make it a “high-capacity cart”?  Is pizza containing more than 7 pieces a “high-capacity pizza”?  On the other hand, if you ate 7 slices of pizza that is definitely “high-capacity”.

    And speaking of so-called “ghost guns”…

    The ATF has declared war on “homemade guns”.  Per Ammoland, this attack on unfinished frames and receivers was largely based on the work of former Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Division, Carlos A. Canino.  He told anti-2A, Bloomberg funded, web site The Trace that 41% of all firearms recovered were “ghost guns.”

    Really? Is that statistic true?

    Ammoland further reports that ATF Spokesperson, Erik Longnecker, stated that the ATF’s Los Angeles Field Division could not verify Canino’s claim.  But Longnecker obscured the issue by stating that the ATF does not label any firearm as a ‘ghost gun,’ but prefers to use the term ‘privately made firearm’.

    Longnecker was asked if Canino and the ATF were combining homemade firearms with factory-made guns that have had their serial numbers “privately altered or obliterated”?   Longnecker gave a long response which avoided answering the question.  “ATF investigates the criminal possession and other criminal misuse of both commercially manufactured and privately made firearms. These privately made firearms can be made from multiple sources and frequently lack serial numbers and other markings which generally make the firearms more difficult to trace…ATF also investigates the criminal possession and other criminal misuse of firearms that have had serial numbers altered or obliterated”. 

    The Left wants to control the language of the debate.  Don’t fall into that trap.  It uses emotions and not facts and knows how to obliterate the truth like serial numbers on a “ghost gun”.

  • 04/18/2022 10:14 AM | Anonymous

    NY SAFE Act, MHL § 9.46: A violation of the Second Amendment and a barrier to mental health care  by Sandra Richardson, RN, MS

    It all began when I sought guidance on managing stress from a healthcare provider. After I did so, a report was filed against me under the New York SAFE Act’s Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) § 9.46, “reports of substantial risk or threat of harm by mental health professionals.

    Under this law, when a mental health provider determines, “in the exercise of reasonable professional judgment,” that a patient is “likely to engage in conduct that would result in serious harm to self or others,” that provider “shall” be required to report this.  In turn, that information can be used to revoke any pistol license, confiscate all of a person’s guns and make that person ineligible to possess any guns of any kind in this state.

    As a result of and five weeks after that report, the Sheriff’s office demanded any guns that I possessed.  That demand was the first notice I received of the report against me.  An order to show cause came in the mail shortly after that, directing me to appear in court to plead my case.

    I hired an attorney, prepared my defense, and fought for my rights.  Four months after the report, the court ruled in my favor and my pistol permit was “restored immediately.”  The court’s conclusion of law deemed the MLH § 9.46 report to be “arbitrary, capricious or an abuse of discretion.”  A victory, but at a cost of both $4,000 in legal fees and, ironically, magnified stress.

    Not only did this process cost me thousands and magnify my stress level, it made me want to share my story to raise awareness.  I also wanted to help providers understand the impact of and their responsibility under this law.  This unfortunate experience should not happen to anyone because they sought care.

    Although unfortunate, this experience piqued my curiosity.  I wanted to understand more about the impact of MHL § 9.46 on the citizens of New York.  There are very few people who have shared their story publicly, but I could not be the only person to whom this happened.

    I learned that beyond the provider who files a report, the relevant information goes to at least four entities:  the State Office of Mental Health (OMH); the County Director of Community Services; the State Department of Criminal Justice Services (DJCS), and if the reported person has a handgun permit or registered assault weapon, the County Sheriff’s office.

    Based on information obtained from a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request, OMH has all of the reports ever filed.  Based on another FOIL request, the DCJS has only the past five years of the reports.  The Director of Community Services to whom I spoke told me that he does not retain the information.  It is reasonable to assume that the county Sheriff’s Office retains records of the confiscation of personal property and the cause of such action.

    Meanwhile, the subject of the report is not permitted to see it and the reporter is not obligated to make the person aware of the report.  Based on the DCJS FOIL request, only one percent of those reported are notified of the report and that is because they have a handgun permit or registered assault weapon in the state database.  That one percent get a day in court to challenge the allegations and retain their rights.  The remaining ninety-nine percent may never be told that they were reported and may have had multiple Constitutional rights violated, including deprivation of rights and property without due process; specifically, the right to keep and bear arms.  This may be a violation of United States Code Title 18 § 242 (Deprivation of rights under color of law).

    An additional issue is that there is little recourse against the provider who made the report, even if it is found to be false.  Under the law, “the decision of a mental health professional to disclose or not to disclose in accordance with this section, when made reasonably and in good faith, shall not be the basis for any civil or criminal liability of such mental health professional.”  However, what constitutes “good faith” and “reasonably” are not defined in the law, leaving it open to interpretation … or misinterpretation.

    Furthermore, it has been recognized that the law itself is not intended to protect any one from harm. In reviewing MHL § 9.46, the New York State Psychiatric Association stated that “…following discussions with OMH staff, it has become clear that the SAFE Act reporting requirement is solely to limit access to legal firearms and not to protect individuals from imminent risk of harm to self and others.”

    In addition to these flaws, MHL § 9.46 has created a massive barrier to mental health care. That in itself is counterintuitive to the stated purpose of this law.

    In August 2020, Psychiatric Quarterly published an original paper, “The Influence of New York’s SAFE Act on Individuals Seeking Mental Health Treatment.”  The paper reported on a study conducted to determine if the NY SAFE Act impacts mental health treatment-seeking and symptom-reporting behaviors.  According to the study, about 18% of respondents were concerned about being reported to the government, 9% were less likely to seek mental health care, and about 23% were less willing to report mental health symptoms/behaviors to a mental health provider because of the New York State SAFE Act.

    Society’s common goal should be to create a space where everyone feels comfortable seeking mental health care when needed.  Getting there will involve reducing bias and stigma surrounding guns and gun owners, and removing barriers to care such as MHL § 9.46 of the New York State SAFE Act.

     


  • 04/13/2022 4:26 PM | Anonymous

    Suicide Bomber in the White House  by Tom Reynolds

    What’s the difference between a Suicide Bomber and Joe Biden?  A Suicide Bomber only gets one chance at causing destruction but Joe Biden tries over and over and over.

    It would be hard for anyone to deny that Biden’s policies, both here and abroad, have been failures.  But don’t believe me, check every political poll that’s been taken in the past few months; well over the majority of Americans believe Biden has been a failure.  And if you don’t believe the polls, check out the headlines for further evidence of his failures. 

    Faced with policy failures and what seems like a coming disastrous November election for Biden’s party, a change in direction would be appropriate.  Not Joe – or whoever is actually running the country.  He’s / they’re doubling down on their anti-2A policies.

    During the last two years, record numbers of gun purchases were made in America.  The 2nd Amendment is back in style.  Ignoring this movement, Biden, earlier, nominated David Chipman, who is a fiercely anti-2A zealot, to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE).  Sentiment was so strong against this anti-2A nominee that Biden eventually withdrew the nomination.

    Wouldn’t it make more political and common sense to nominate someone who is non-political and will not try to force anti-2A regulations on the American people; just follow the law, not try to write it.  Not Biden!  He’s doubling down by nominating someone who is described as equally as anti-2A as Chipman. 

    But before we get to the nominee, a few words about Biden.  At a recent bill signing celebration he said, “…it’s going to sound bizarre, I support the Second Amendment”.  Obviously, Joe is as confused about his 2nd Amendment policies as he is about all his other policies. 

    But is he confused or he can’t stop lying?  During his State of the Union Address, he said, “Repeal the liability shield that makes gun manufacturers the only industry in America that can’t be sued”.  That statement’s a lie!  What he is referring to is the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) that protects gun makers from frivolous lawsuits, but not from the common liability suits that can be brought against gun manufacturers as well as almost all other manufacturers.  So, gun manufacturers can be sued, but not frivolously.  

    At that same bill signing where he claims to be pro 2A, Biden got cleverer about the way he phrases that infamous remark.  He said that gun manufacturers “have more immunity than any other American industry”. Technically, that’s partially true as the PLCAA shields only the gun industry, so it does have one additional item granting it more immunity.  Jen Psaki now has a basis to try to defend that latest remark, where Biden’s State of the Union remark is indefensible.  However, Biden’s latest remark is also partially a lie since other industries, such as the pharmaceutical industry which developed the Covid vaccine, got lawsuit immunity tailored only to their industry.  So, other industries also get immunized.  But the purpose behind Biden’s statement is still the same; to falsely convince the average American that the gun industry can’t be sued.     

    In conflict with Biden’s self-proclaimed support of 2A, he just nominated Steve Dettlebach to head BATFE.  Dettlebach has spent most of his legal career working in the “Swamp” with occasional, short, private practice interludes during republican presidencies, when he worked on “regulatory matters”, which usually means he lobbied the “Swamp”. 

    Biden has nominated a lifetime “Swamp denizen” to lead a “Swamp Bureau”.  That won’t end well for the American people. Biden claimed Dettlebach was a “noncontroversial candidate,” even though he holds virtually the same policy positions on 2A as the previous nominee. 

    Some people in NY formerly believed that Attorney Generals are supposed to be non-political and pursue the law even handedly.  That is, they may have believed that until Letetia James became NY’s Attorney General and put anti-2A politics above the law. In 2018, Dettlebach lost in his bid to be elected Ohio’s Attorney General.  Dettlebach and James ran somewhat parallel anti-2A campaigns, where Dettlbach promised: an Assault Weapons Ban; Universal Background Checks; gun confiscation for misdemeanor crimes and for those dealing with mental health issues; closing the “gun show loophole”; and disarming teachers, which keeps schools as “gun free” targets.  Politics trumps the law for leftist Attorney Generals.

    At various other times, while holding positions in and out of the “Swamp”, Dettlebach has published op-eds in favor of leftist anti-2A positions such as Universal Background Checks.  In one op-ed, he argued that a background check system will not lead to a federal gun registry (which he admits is illegal under current law.)  This ignores that BATFE has been converting out-of-business Firearm Transaction Records (Form 4473s) and Acquisition and Disposition Logs into a digital searchable database. 

    Will Dettlebach discontinue what he admits is an illegal activity?  It’s as likely as the-oceans-are-rising alarmist Barack Obama will stop buying beach front property.

    Joe Biden may be willing to go down with the ship but other politicians, who are anti-2A, may not be as suicidal and might be willing to work behind the scenes to try and save the November elections.  (Working behind the scenes has come to mean begging Joe Manchin to save the Democrat Party from itself.)  Let the NY Senators know how much we oppose Dettlebach’s nomination and these continued assaults on our liberties.

  • 04/08/2022 11:57 AM | Anonymous

    One Man One Vote - Again

    Last April 29th, SCOPE wrote about “One Man One Vote.  (It is available on SCOPE’s website under Briefings, Page 11).  It ended saying, “…one man one vote was another constitutional aberration of the Warren Court and needs to be overturned.  That would overcome the tyranny of the majority that is now the rule of law in NY State and give gun owners and Upstate NY a voice in their government that is currently denied to them”.

    In his recent letter to Second Amendment for EVER members (SAFE), Ed Pettitt reiterated that issue and it is reproduced, below, with his permission.  As he points out, this is a long-overlooked issue.  It doesn’t get mentioned during Senate confirmations of judges, but needs to be resurrected.  We need to keep reminding ourselves and our legislators about this issue if we are ever to get this changed and restore a legislative voice to rural areas.      

    A Direct Hit on the Republican Form of Government

    by Ed Pettitt

    If you are like me, you are probably frustrated by a seemingly continuous onslaught of ridiculous legislation passed by NYS that targets gun owners, small businesses, farmers and actually anything that seems to be part of life in rural areas. They all seem to be coming from legislators in the NYC area.

    The floodgates opened once the NY Senate majority switched and there was no longer a means to balance the Assembly.  There is more to this than Republican Party vs. Democrat Party.  This is really about a change in the structure of our Republic that occurred under our noses and has been completely overlooked, in my opinion. And it is fundamentally about the rights of rural communities to have equitable representation in the making of State Law.


    In 1964, US Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren orchestrated a direct hit on the Republican form of government guaranteed to every state by Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution.  The decision in Reynolds vs. Sims, where Warren, basically, directed every state to district their state Senates by population instead of by county.
    The first step of solving any problem is to recognize and expose its cause. That is the purpose of my letter to you here.  Look it up, ask your representatives about it, make your friends aware of it.  In the end, the solution can only come from restoring electoral equity to our counties.

    As you know, our founders built in checks and balances to the structure of our Republic and part of that was having bicameral legislatures with a Senate representing sub-governments while the House or Assembly represented "The People."  Warren disregarded that balance in order to subvert the ability of rural areas to balance the representation of the urban areas.  After shifting over to population-based districts, the state Senates have become controlled by urban areas.  In New York State, 38 of the 63 senators are from NYC and 48 counties are controlled by 14 of the more urban counties.  There really is no balance in the legislature where both houses are dominated by NYC.

A 2nd Amendment Defense Organization, defending the rights of New York State gun owners to keep and bear arms!

PO Box 165
East Aurora, NY 14052

SCOPE is a 501(c)4 non-profit organization.

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