MCC’s

Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) classify merchants and businesses by the type of goods or services provided.  Most businesses have one (1) code that covers all purchases.  Historically firearms and ammo purchases were included under a general sporting goods code (5941) under the MCC.

Financial Services companies such as credit card companies use these codes.

The International Standards Organization approved creation of a separate code for guns and ammo, under pressure from the gun control activists, worldwide.

The Biden administration, of course, pushed American financial institutions to adopt this, which is a backdoor into a gun registry.

At the individual state level, California Governor Gavin Newsom became the first governor in the country to enact the MCC firearm credit card code. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis followed suit.  New York Gov. Kathy Hochul joined in by becoming the third state to enact the firearm retail store MCC. 

Hochul expressed the real reason for the code change: “We’re also going to require credit and debit card companies to track purchases at gun dealerships, and make it (possible), in turn, for us to monitor the sale of guns and ammunition.” 

As usual, this effort of the gun grabbing left has lots of holes in it, the main one being that one (1) code applies to all purchases at that business.

Even the anti 2A Bloomberg News reported: “The payment network and its banking partners would have no idea if a gun-store customer is purchasing a [firearm] or safety equipment.”

Hochul suggests NYS can flag “suspicious” purchasing behavior.  A “suspicious” purchase” would prompt a bank to file a Suspicious Activity Report to the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.  However, the banks haven’t defined what would be a suspicious purchase, in this case.

Are all purchases under the new code ‘suspicious?’  Hochul would say yes!

Will buying boxes of shotgun shells, waders, decoys and a hunting license at a local retailer be flagged with the MCC.

To remedy this, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act (PPPA), was introduced by Representative Riley Moore (R-WV) and 25 House colleagues.   It would prohibit a credit card network from requiring firearms retailers to use or assign a special merchant category code that distinguishes such a retailer from a general-merchandise retailer or a sporting-goods retailer.  A firearms retailer may not be assigned any merchant category code that distinguishes the gun dealer from a general-merchandise retailer or a sporting-goods retailer.

Not only would this protect gun owners from one form of government intrusion, it would eliminate a lot of bureaucratic created confusion. 

A similar bill, HR 7450, was introduced in a previous session of Congress, but it did not come up for a vote.  The new version does not yet have a bill number, as of this writing.  

2A defenders are encouraged to write their congressperson to support this bill.

NYS Congress printable .pdf 

Recertification 2.0

Got this advice from a SCOPE Member.

You might want to inform others that if they need to make changes in pistols being co-registered, they need to delete it from their current list and then add it back in as co-registered. (Make sure to jot down the info before you delete so you can add it all back in.)

This is the only method for making changes.

Also, if you have had the semi-automatic rifle added to your permit you need to go to that line and click yes even if you already have it on your permit.

A very helpful gentleman at the NY Trooper website for pistol permit recertification helped me navigate these issues.

If you need to contact the Recertification help desk call: 855-529-4867

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U.S. Rep. Mike Bost(R-Ill) and Rep. Morgan Lutrell (R-Texas) introduced H.R. 1041.  Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced S. 478, a companion bill.

Veterans’ who name a fiduciary (or someone to assist with their finances) have their names submitted to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) as prohibited individuals.   This practice was temporarily suspended but the suspension will expire on March 14, 2025.

This legislation, introduced both in the House and Senate, would ensure that no Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) bureaucrat can strip a veteran with a fiduciary of their rights to keep and bear arms without a judge or court ruling first that the veteran is a danger to themselves or their community.

Those pesky 5^th and 14^th Amendments strike again, much to the dismay of gun grabbers.

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U.S. Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI) reintroduced H.R. 45, the Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination Act (FIND Act). U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) also introduced a companion bill in the U.S. Senate (S. 137).

The FIND Act would prevent corporations and other entities that receive government contracts from discriminating against the firearm and ammunition industries. 

This is important in relation to large financial institutions, to stop them from implementing ‘virtue-signaling’ corporate policies.  These financial institutions have wielded their size and influence in an attempt to restrict firearm manufacturers from conducting constitutionally protected business.

An Illinois County Resident Circuit ruled against a requirement that Illinois residents must obtain a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card in order to possess a gun in the home for self-defense.

The judge noted:

“…the defendant’s possession of a .22 caliber rifle within the confines of her own home, even without a valid FOID card falls squarely within the protections afforded her by the Second Amendment.”

“If we compare [the right to keep and bear arms in one’s home] to the right to vote, requiring a voter to pay an administrative fee for absentee voting from their own home would be unthinkable. There is no question that voting from home requires more administrative work. Yet, to require the payment of additional fees would disenfranchise voters, regardless of the amount of the fee”...any fee associated with a FOID card, as related to possessing one for having a gun in one’s home for self-defense, “violates the Second Amendment.”

“After analyzing all the evidence in this matter, this court finds that the defendant’s activity of possessing a firearm within the confines of her home is an act protected by the Second Amendment. Additionally, there are no historical analogues to the FOID Act as required in Bruen.

The decision only impacts this specific case and Illinois.  Being a thoroughly Blue state dominated by Chicago, it will certainly appeal this decision.  But, the logic is strong and may be picked up in other similar cases.

Executive order on 2A

On Friday, February 7th, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that will start to undo the Second Amendment regulations put in effect by Biden. It reads as follows:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

     Section 1.  Purpose.  The Second Amendment is an indispensable safeguard of security and liberty.  It has preserved the right of the American people to protect ourselves, our families, and our freedoms since the founding of our great Nation.  Because it is foundational to maintaining all other rights held by Americans, the right to keep and bear arms must not be infringed. 
     Sec. 2.  Plan of Action.  (a)  Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General shall examine all orders, regulations, guidance, plans, international agreements, and other actions of executive departments and agencies (agencies) to assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights of our citizens, and present a proposed plan of action to the President, through the Domestic Policy Advisor, to protect the Second Amendment rights of all Americans.
     (b)  In developing such proposed plan of action, the Attorney General shall review, at a minimum:
          (i)    All Presidential and agencies’ actions from January 2021 through January 2025 that purport to promote safety but may have impinged on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens;
          (ii)   Rules promulgated by the Department of Justice, including by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, from January 2021 through January 2025 pertaining to firearms and/or Federal firearms licensees;
          (iii)  Agencies’ plans, orders, and actions regarding the so-called “enhanced regulatory enforcement policy” pertaining to firearms and/or Federal firearms licensees;
          (iv)   Reports and related documents issued by the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention;
          (v)    The positions taken by the United States in any and all ongoing and potential litigation that affects or could affect the ability of Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights;
          (vi)   Agencies’ classifications of firearms and ammunition; and
          (vii)  The processing of applications to make, manufacture, transfer, or export firearms.
     Sec. 3.  Implementation.  Upon submission of the proposed plan of action described in section 2 of this order, the Attorney General shall work with the Domestic Policy Advisor to finalize the plan of action and establish a process for implementation.
     Sec. 4.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
          (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
          (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
     (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
     (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Assembly Bill A00929

NY State Assembly bill A00929 was introduced by Phillip Steck and Rebecca Seawright.  Referred to Codes Committee in January 8th. No same as (corresponding) bill introduced in the NYS Senate.

Quotes directly from the bill:

‘a) Investigate and prosecute any individual  seller  of  firearms  or retail  firearms dealer who knowingly sells an illegal firearm or rapid fire modification device to a resident of the state of New York or to an individual who purchases a firearm or rapid-fire modification device  on behalf  of a New York state resident or who knowingly sells a firearm or rapid-fire modification device to a resident of the state of New York or to  an  individual  who  purchases  a firearm or rapid-fire modification device on behalf of a New York state resident without contacting the New York state police for authorization  pursuant  to  section  two  hundred twenty-eight of this chapter and any other law, rule or regulation.’

‘c) Investigate and prosecute any individual seller of firearms or retail firearms dealer should they knowingly sell ammunition to a resident of the state of New York or to an individual who purchases ammunition on behalf of a New York state resident without contacting the New York state police for authorization pursuant to section two hundred twenty-eight of this chapter and any other law, rule or regulation.’  (Emphasis Added.)

Article 1 Section 8 of the United States Constitution says:

‘The Congress shall have Power to…regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes…’ (Emphasis added)

Article XIII Section 1 of the New York Constitution reads:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the State of New York, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of ......, according to the best of my ability…”  (Emphasis Added)

It seems that Assemblypersons Steck and Seawright have violated their oaths of office by introducing a bill which is obviously contrary to the United States Constitution in which regulation of interstate commerce is only done by the United States Congress.  Will they be impeached?  (Sarcasm intended.)

How is NY State going to notify every individual seller of firearms or retail firearms dealer in the world that they need to be contacting the New York state police for authorization - or NYS Attorney General Letitia James will be coming after them? 

Because of the burdensome background check and fees introduced by the Concealed Carry improvement Act and signed into law by Governor Hochul, (an act that has numerous unconstitutional parts) many gun owners now buy ammunition in other states.  

If you should buy ammo in another state, this bill would allow:

3. The attorney general shall have the power to enforce the provisions of this section by bringing civil and criminal actions in the state courts of New York.  (Emphasis added.)

It is easy to complain but difficult to get people motivated into action.  How aggressive in doing away with 2nd Amendment protected gun rights does New York State have to get in order to get gun owners motivated? And not just gun owners – anyone who believes in the Constitution and the rule-of-law.

Concealed Carry Recertification

Prior to 2013, pistol permits were good for a lifetime and required no recertification. 

In 2013, the NY SAFE Act required pistol permit holders to recertify every five years. This began in January of 2017. Those that certified in 2017 had to recertify five years later, in 2022.

But in late summer 2022, the state tweaked the rules for those who hold a concealed carry permit and they must recertify every three years, not the five that continues to pertain to other permit holders.

So, for those concealed carry permit holders that recertified in 2022 and thought they had five years, guess what?  You will need to recertify this year - 2025

Prior to 2013, lifetime pistol permitting had been typically handled through the county clerks’ offices.  But the SAFE Act granted control of the new pistol permit renewals to the New York State Police.  During the renewal process, handgun owners affirm their basic personal information and that they still own the guns appearing on their permit.

To handle this process an online system was created.

If you want to check your recertification status:

Go to  NYS Pistol Permit Recertification

Click on Check Recertification Status

You will need to know:

 your last name,

date of birth,

drivers license number,

last four digits of your social security number

and that you are not a robot

Click on Check Recertification Status

Your recertification status should then appear.

Miscellaneous lawsuits and Proposed Laws

“Elite Precision Customs LLC, et al. v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, et al.”  is a new lawsuit, which has just been filed, that challenges the federal ban on interstate handgun sales.  Under current federal law, individuals cannot purchase handguns across state lines directly from dealers unless the firearms are shipped to a dealer in the purchaser’s home state. (Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(3) and § 922(b)(3).)

The lawsuit says the ban violates the Second Amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens from purchasing handguns across state lines for lawful purposes.  Modern background checks and digital records negate the concerns that originally justified these restrictions and that the restrictions are outdated.

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Currently, New York State fully bans the use and ownership of suppressors.

State Senate Minority Leader Robert G. Ortt’s proposed bill, S02099, would legalize firearm suppressors in New York state, allowing for the legal possession of suppressors. Forty-two other states allow for the use of firearm suppressors.

Senator Ortt has introduced a version of this bill every legislative session since 2017.  It is hoped that, at some point, Democrat Senators who oppose this bill will realize that suppressors have no legitimate negative consequences as they are almost never used in crimes - except in movies where they only go puff.  (And we all know that Hollywood never lies.  Sarcasm intended.)

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 Reese v. ATF is a Louisiana lawsuit challenging the ban on firearm sales to persons under 21 years of age. The plaintiffs argue that federal laws unconstitutionally restrict their right to keep and bear arms based on their age, thereby denying them equal protection under the law. They seek a judicial declaration that these provisions are unconstitutional

Initially, the district court found that the plaintiffs had standing to sue but dismissed the case under Rule 12(b)(6) for failing to state a claim upon which relief could be granted.

A three-judge panel of the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the Western District of Louisiana unanimously ruled to reverse the lower court decision and remand the case for further action. 

The Fifth Circuit Court scrutinized the historical evidence regarding the regulation of firearms among eighteen-to-twenty-year-olds at the time of the nation’s founding. The appeal court found prior judicial interpretations, (like the NRA I decision which upheld similar age-based restrictions,) incompatible with recent Supreme Court decisions that emphasize a historical understanding of gun rights, such as Bruen and Rahimi.

A positive decision in this case would directly affect only the U S 5th Circuit (which encompasses Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) but would be a good start in total repeal of these laws.

In the case, U.S. v. Daniels, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed the conviction of a man under a federal law that prohibits firearm possession by one who is “an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance.” (The substance in question was marijuana.)   

Police officers legally searched Patrick Daniels Jr’s car and found marijuana and 2 loaded firearms.  Daniels waived his Miranda rights and admitted he had been a regular marijuana user since high school, smoking the drug “approximately fourteen days out of a month.” Importantly, the agents did NOT ascertain or render an opinion as to whether Daniels was under the influence of marijuana at the time of his arrest.

Daniels was charged and convicted under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(3) and sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison.

Daniels appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court which ordered the Fifth Circuit to rehear Daniels’s case in light of the high court’s opinion in U.S. v. Rahimi. 

Fifth Circuit then found that applying 18 U.S.C. 922 (g)(3) to his case violated the Second Amendment.  The Fifth Circuit determined that:

922(g)(3) was not per se unconstitutional and allowed the statute itself to stand.

922 (g)(3) could be validly applied where the accused was determined to be actively impaired by illegal drug use at the time of the firearm possession.  

922 (g)(3) could NOT be constitutionally applied “where it seeks to disarm an individual solely ‘based on habitual or occasional drug use.’” 

922(g)(3) might be applicable where the illegal drug use was so regular and heavy that it rendered the person “continually impaired,” even when not acutely intoxicated.

Habitual or occasional drug use has no historical basis under the Second Amendment as grounds for a lifetime firearm prohibition.

RIFLE, the ATF, Suppressors and Lead Ammo

Representative Tracey Mann (R-KS) is introducing legislation to put the ATF’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy toward Federal Firearm Licensees (FFL’s) in check.  The legislation is titled the Reining In Federal Licensing Enforcement (RIFLE) Act.

The RIFLE Act:

• ensures that the ATF gives FFLs a chance to comply before ATF moves to revoke a license,

• clearly defines and strengthens what constitutes a willful violation, imposing a presumption that there is no willful violation absent clear and convincing evidence,

• allows FFLs to review and appeal ATF determinations before an administrative law judge,

• reimburses FFLs for legal fees incurred while the ‘zero tolerance’ policy is in effect,

• automatically reinstates and approves licenses suspended, revoked, or denied while ATF’s zero tolerance policy is in effect,

• reimburses FFLs who were victims of the ATF’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy.

According to Mann’s office, in 2024 alone, ATF saw the highest levels of gun store license revocations in 20 years, which was the third consecutive year of increased license revocations under President Biden. The Biden Administration recently claimed it reversed its Zero Tolerance policy but it appears to remain fully in effect.

Representative Mann told Breitbart News, President Biden’s zero tolerance policy undermined the Second Amendment and trampled on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.

New York Congresswoman Claudia Tenney is one of the bill’s cosponsors.

But don’t get too excited…

Steve Dettelbach is out as the head of ATF and Deputy Director Marvin Richardson will return as the default head of the embattled agency.

Ammolandreports: “Richardson was the driving force behind the ATF’s war on pistol braces and privately manufactured firearms…Even though Richardson was only an acting assistant director at the time, pushing to go after braces was his idea.”

The pistol brace rule was defeated in multiple courts, but the ATF recently asserted that braced pistols still need to be registered with the NFA and that the owners still must pay $200 for a tax stamp. The ATF then reluctantly backed down under threat of further legal action.

Dettelbach is a prime example of the Swamp denizens that believe they – and not Congress – make the laws. 

President Trump cannot appoint a new ATF Director fast enough!

More about Silencers / Suppressors.

Last week, SCOPE reported that the Hearing Protection Act was being introduced in Congress; it would remove suppressors from the burdensome requirements of the National Firearms Act (NFA).

The bill demands the destruction of all current NFA registration records of silencers/gun mufflers within 365 days of the Act’s enactment.

It’s reported that there are some complicated provisions that are intended to deal with the various state laws concerning suppressors.

In addition, it is unclear how the eight states that currently ban ownership of silencers / suppressors would fare under this bill. (NY is one of the eight states.) 

In addition, Illinois’ ban on ownership is being challenged in federal court in Illinois.

The text of the Hearing Protection Act has not been officially entered into the House of Representatives as of this writing, 

New York Congresswoman Claudia Tenney is also one of this bill’s cosponsors.

Back to lead ammo…

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Final Rule published in 2023 opened hunting and fishing opportunities on eight National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs),

but

banned the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle.

Representative Rob Wittman’s (R-Va.) introduced H.R. 556, the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, which would prohibit USFWS, the Bureau of Land Management  and the U.S. Forest Service from banning the use of traditional lead ammunition and tackle unless they have approval by the applicable state fish and wildlife department and proof that lead ammunition and tackle is primarily causing wildlife population decline.

Many argue that there is no scientific evidence that lead ammo is detrimental to wildlife.  This law would require scientific evidence to back up any lead ammo bans.

An Elderly Man . . .

At 1PM, yesterday, a man walked up to the White House and asked to speak to President Biden.

The guard responded that “Joe Biden is not President anymore.”

At 2 PM the same elderly man again approached the White House and asked to speak to President Biden.

The guard again responded that “Joe Biden is not President anymore.”

This continued for several more hours until the guard asked, “Why do you keep doing this?  I keep telling you that Joe Biden is not President anymore.”

“I know”, the man responded, “but I just love hearing it.” 

More Good News

Last week, SCOPE wrote that bills have been introduced in Congress for Reciprocity between states on gun licenses and changing the law on Suppressors / Silencers.

More is happening.

NY Representative Claudia Tenney has introduced the “Second Amendment Guarantee Act” (SAGA).  It’s a bill that would prohibit states from banning the manufacture, sale, importation, or possession of rifles and shotguns that are lawfully permitted under federal law. One of the cosponsors is NY Representative Nick Langworthy.

Basically, it would preempt state-level firearm restrictions, including New York’s SAFE Act, which was signed into law by former Governor Andrew Cuomo.  Tenney described the SAFE Act as unconstitutional and said her proposed federal legislation would not only nullify the SAFE Act but would also block other states from passing similar gun bans.

On another front…

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) acknowledged that it has over 920 million firearms records, (920,664,765 records).  The ATF is not legally allowed to keep a registry but has played fast and loose with semantics to claim that its database is not a registry because it isn’t searchable.

2nd Amendment defenders have long worked against such record keeping as an aid to any gun confiscation efforts.

Texas Representative Michael Cloud and Idaho Senator Jim Risch introduced legislation to block the formation of any federal gun registry, the “No REGISTRY Rights Act.” (NRRA.)  It’s designed to protect 2nd Amendment rights while also addressing the overreach of the ATF, (which ran wild during the Biden administration.)  The NRRA would: require “the ATF to delete all existing firearm transaction records, dismantling the current database;” allow “FFLs to destroy transaction records when they go out of business, preventing further accumulation by the ATF;” prohibit “any federal agency from creating or maintaining a firearms registry in the future.”

Or, why not just get rid of the ATF…

Representative Eric Burlison of Missouri announced H.R. 221 to abolish the ATF.

Burlison is quoted as saying, “The ATF is emblematic of the deep-state bureaucracy that believes it can infringe on constitutional liberties without consequence. If this agency cannot uphold its duty to serve the people within the framework of the Constitution, it has no place in our government.”

The future of these proposed legislations is unknown but what is important is that the pro-2A Republicans are going on the offensive.  For too long, 2A has had to play defense.  It’s time the anti-2A’s spent their time on defense.

Hopefully, at some point, we will see the Constitutional balance returned.   

Not a proposed law but of interest to 2Aers…

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg announced that Facebook would be dropping its “fact-checking network” and move to a “community notes” style system similar to the system on X.

Facebook used to count on fact-checking partners to cut down on so-called “disinformation.”   That some of this disinformation was actually true was just an inconsequential casualty in their war on the political Right. 

Will the new policy apply to firearms?  Meta has said it will only ban illegal materials, and firearms are legal in the United States.  If Meta is to be believed, it will lift restrictions on gun content. 

Will social media platforms become neutral to guns, or is it just lip service?  We shall see…

After the election, Zuckerburg was one of the CEO’s that made the trip to Mar A Lago to kiss Trump’s feet (or perhaps kiss something anatomically higher.)

This is important since many people get their news from social media posts and, in the past, it has been a constant drumbeat of Democrat political propaganda.  When all you hear is that guns are bad without any response, you tend to believe it to be true. 

Many leftist political commentators are condemning Zuckerburg’s and Elon Musk’s moves to make their social media companies more neutral instead of far-left parrots.  It’s like complaining that the referees are enforcing the rules against both teams.

Biden, Reciprocity, Stefanik and Hearing

2nd Amendment defenders should be happy that Joe Biden is riding – into - the – sunset and it’s probably best to forget Obama 2.0 as just a bad mistake.  Move on!  But in case anyone tries to rehabilitate his reputation on 2A matters (or his Vice President should reappear on national politics), here is a handy resource out of Ammoland, that covers their many anti-2A efforts.

An In-Depth Look at our Incompetent President’s Antigun Actions

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Reciprocity between states on gun carry is becoming a bigger deal and proposed bills are being introduced.  The upcoming edition of Firing Lines has a big article that explains the ins-and-outs of Reciprocity.

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Elise Stefanik is the Congresswoman for NY’s 21st Congressional District and President elect Trump has nominated her to be his Ambassador to the U N. 

She is off to a good start.  In November, she denounced the U.N. as a corrupt "den of antisemitism."  Trump is not a fan of the U N, so this could get interesting. 

However, with the Republican control of the House of Representatives so close, the election for her replacement will be critical to both parties.  She is not expected to resign her House seat until confirmed by the Senate.  Once confirmed and she resigns, Governor Kathy Hochul will have 10 days to schedule a special election in the following 70 to 80 days.  So, the 21st will have about three months without a Representative.

The 21st is rated a ‘solid’ to ‘safe’ Republican district and Stefanik won in November 215,996 to 132,447.

In lieu of a traditional primary election, the Republican and Democratic nominees will be internally selected by the party committee chairs for each of the district’s 15 counties. 

The issue is far from decided as GOP sources told the Albany Times Union that Assemblyman Chris Tague, former congressional candidate Liz Joy and Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin are currently the leading potential candidates.  The party chairs have also considered a range of New York Republicans, including NY State Senator Daniel Stec, former U.S. Senate nominee Joe Pinion, Rome businessman Joe Rutkowski, StickerMule CEO Anthony Constantino, Assemblyman Robert Smullen and Ogdensburg native Josh Parker.

All the leading candidates are considered strong supporters of Donald trump.

The Republican’s selection process is also politically tethered to the Conservative Party, whose chairs in the district are expected to try to align their selection with the GOP’s. 

Although a solidly Republican district, Democrats are hopeful that the tight timeline of the special election will help them make inroads.

Lynne Boecher, chair of the Warren County Democratic Party, said that the party chairs had interviewed 10 candidates for the nomination. They will soon be moving forward with a “select number” for follow-up interviews, 

One Democratic hopeful, Blake Gendebien, has already raised $265,000 toward his campaign. Gendebien runs a 1,000-acre dairy farm in St. Lawrence County and previously served on the Lisbon Central School Board. He joins 2024 NY-21 contender Paula Collins as a candidate for the nomination, as well as retired Army Lt. Col. Steven Holden, Jay town Councilman Knut Sauer, Middleburgh Mayor Timothy Knight and Clinton County educator Rod Driscoll. 

SCOPE will keep you informed on this important election as things start to sort out.

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Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA), joined by 38 additional House Members, reintroduced the Hearing Protection Act in the 119th Congress as H.R. 404.  NY Congresswoman Claudia Tenney is a co-sponsor.

The Hearing Protection Act would remove suppressors from the burdensome requirements of the National Firearms Act (NFA) and require purchasers to pass an instant NICS check.  This change will make it is easier for law-abiding hunters and sportsmen to access these hearing safety devices.

New York State is one of the few states where hearing suppressors (aka silencers) are illegal.