Armed Texas Democrats

Concealed Handguns at Texas Colleges?

2011-02-20T19:50:00.002-06:00

The Huffington Post is reporting on a bill to allow students to carry concealed handguns on college campuses in Texas.

Last year, as many of you are aware, the Texas Democratic Party passed a resolution opposing CHLs on campus, and the 2010 TDP platform even contains a clause stating that college campuses should be "weapon-free." You may or may not agree with the offical stance of the TDP, but as Chair of the Gun Owners Caucus, I felt it was important for you to have this information at hand so you can make your own decisions.

Tracee Larson on NPR program discussing "high-capacity" magazines

2011-01-18T17:24:00.006-06:00

Our former Vice-Chair, Tracee Larson, was on Monday's episode of NPR's On Point with Tom Ashbrook discussing proposed legislation against over-10-round magazines along with Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign, and attorney Robert Levy. Please click on the link if you're interested in hearing the program.

You can also read more of Tracee's own comments on her blog, The Well-Heeled Shooter.

Those of you who attended the Caucus Meeting last June at the TDP State Convention may remember the Caucus awarding a 30-round AR magazine as one of our door prizes. Your Chair disagrees with Tracee's position on gun magazines holding more than 10 rounds (and he owns a few 30-round magazines himself), but he supports Tracee's right to speak her mind on this issue.

All my best to Tracee.

82nd Texas Legislature convenes today

2011-01-11T15:06:00.002-06:00

Another 140 days of fun and games in Austin begins today with a diminished Democratic presence in the state legislature. Will keep you posted on gun-related bills as information develops.

Hope everyone had a peaceful holiday season!

A long-overdue update

2010-11-16T19:09:00.002-06:00

Like many of you, I too am still reeling from the drubbing that Texas Democrats across the state took at the ballot box this month. We had a lot of great candidates on the slate, and many of them were very supportive of our Second Amendment rights. The best advice I can offer is that after the holiday season, we immediately concentrate all of our available efforts on 2012.

Speaking of available efforts, I have been absent from this blog for way too long. There are several reasons for this, chief among them the aftermath of my wife's death and the loss of my job. I'm having to adjust to a lot of life changes, but some changes are easier to take than others. Please bear with me - as long as the Gun Owners Caucus can stand to have me at the helm, I'll be here.

US Supreme Court rules on MCDONALD V. CHICAGO, strikes down Chicago handgun ban

2010-06-28T21:07:00.002-05:00

You can download the PDF of the McDonald ruling here.

In a nutshell, today's ruling extends protection of Second Amendment rights to state law instead of just Federal law as decided in 2008's Heller case.

This is a landmark decision in the annals of gun legislation in America, and it has strengthened the position of gun owners all across our nation.

More to come as the details unfold. I was on the beach in Port Aransas when the Supreme Court issued their ruling, so I'm playing a little catch-up at this point. Please bear with me.

Gun Owners Caucus 2010 Election Meeting and Convention Post-Mortem

2010-06-27T09:03:00.002-05:00

Wow.

The 2010 TDP State Convention in Corpus Christi has been adjourned, and what an experience it was.

First, the bad news. We did not get our Firearms plank into the 2010 party platform. I think it would have been a big help for our Democratic candidates, but let's try again in 2012. The good news is that the Firearms plank was adopted on the convention floor as a resolution for the second convention in a row, so that's something to build on.

Now for the Election Meeting on Friday morning. Great turnout - I counted some 60 people in attendance. We had so many candidates come to address the Gun Owners Caucus that I lost track of them all. Most of them wound up on videotape, and I'll try to get them on YouTube as soon as I can.

We have a new Executive Committee to serve the Caucus until the 2012 convention. Here are your new officers:

Chair: Daniel Barnett
Vice-Chair: Glenda Bailey
Secretary: Glenda McCray
Treasurer: Kit Carson
At-Large Committeeperson: Rhonda Phillips

I sincerely thank all of our new officers for stepping up to support the Caucus.

Take another look at the list. With the sole exception of yours truly, the Executive Committee is all-female! This is a most welcome development that should mollify some of our critics while promoting true diversity in our Caucus. I look forward to working with all of them - and I know they'll keep me on my toes.

I also got elected to the Resolutions Committee at the 2010 convention, and I am truly grateful to the folks at SD16 for the honor of serving them.

Will share more later. Right now, I'm pooped even after getting some sleep. Thanks to all of you who showed up at the Election Meeting!

PS: I'll post a complete list of candidates who visited the Caucus either tonight or tomorrow.

TDP 2010 State Convention - Complete Caucus Schedule

2010-06-14T12:53:00.004-05:00

In just two weeks, this year's state Democratic Convention will be held in Corpus Christi (June 24-26). We finally have the complete list of caucuses for the convention, starting with the Senatorial District Caucuses and moving to the Issue/Organization Caucuses:

SENATORIAL DISTRICT CAUCUSES
Friday, June 25

3:00-5:00 pm
SD 1: Exhibit Hall B (1), 1st Floor, American Bank Center
SD 2: Riviera 1, Lobby Level, Omni Marina
SD 3: Room 225C, 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 4: Riviera 2 & 3, Lobby Level, Omni Marina
SD 5: Room 226, 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 6: Room 227, 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 7: Padre Island Ballroom A-B-C-D, Lobby Level, Omni Marina
SD 8: Watergarden A (1), 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 9: Room 103, 1st Floor, American Bank Center
SD 10: Bayview Ballroom D, 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 11: Corpus Christi Ballroom A, 3rd Floor, Omni Bayfront
SD 12: Nueces Ballroom B, Third Floor, Omni Bayfront
SD 13: Bayview Ballroom B, 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 14: Bayview Ballroom A, 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 15: Room 225 DE, 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 16: Bayview Meeting Room, 1st Floor, Omni Bayfront
SD 17: Marina View, Lobby Level, Omni Marina
SD 18: Corpus Christi Ballroom C, 3rd Floor, Omni Bayfront
SD 19: Selena Auditorium, Rehearsal Hall, American Bank Center
SD 20: Bayview Ballroom C, 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 21: Room 105, 1st Floor, American Bank Center
SD 22: Nueces Ballroom A, 3rd Floor, Omni Bayfront
SD 23: Watergarden B, 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 24: Watergarden A (2), 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 25: Corpus Christi Ballroom B, 3rd Floor, Omni Bayfront
SD 26: Room 225 A-B, 2nd Floor, American Bank Center
SD 27: Room 101-102, 1st Floor, American Bank Center
SD 28: Riviera 4 & 5, Lobby Level, Omni Marina
SD 29: Room 104, 1st Floor, American Bank Center
SD 30: Exhibit Hall B (2), 1st Floor, American Bank Center
SD 31: Aransas Room, 3rd Floor, Omni Bayfront

ISSUE/ORGANIZATION CAUCUSES
Friday, June 25

9:00 - 10:00am
Progressive Hispanic Caucus, Bayview Ballroom B

9:00 - 11:00am
Democrats with Disabilities, Bayview Ballroom D
Democrats for Life, 225 C
Gun Owners Caucus, Room 104
Non-Urban Caucus, Room 226
Reform the TDP Caucus/Primary Process, Room 225 D-E

10:00 - 11:00am
Mexican American Democrats, Bayview Ballroom B
Tejano Democrats, Arena

10:30 - 11:30am
UAW Caucus, Bayview Ballroom A

11:00 - 12:00pm
Hispanic Caucus, Arena
Local Communications and Outreach Coordination, Room 103

11:00 - 12:30pm
Small Business Caucus, Room 106

11:00 - 1:00pm
Clean, Fair, Public, Voter-Owned Elections, Room 225 C
Coalition of Black Democrats, Watergarden B
East Texas Democratic Caucus, Room 226
Texas Democratic Veterans Association, Bayview Ballroom C
Texas Democratic Women, Bayview Ballroom D
Texas Environmental Democrats, Room 101-102
West Texas Coalition of Democrats, Room 227

11:45 - 1:00pm
TX AFL-CIO Labor Caucus, Bayview Ballroom A

12:00 - 1:00pm
#TDPSC Tweet-Up, Room 104

12:00 - 2:00pm
Education Transformation with State Representative Mike Villarreal, Room 103
Muslim Democratic Caucus, Room 105
Technology Caucus: Democratic Caucus on Computers and Communications, Rehearsal Hall
Texas Blue Dog Coalition, Bayview Ballroom B

12:30 - 2:30pm
Texas Stonewall Democrats, Watergarden A

1:00 - 2:00pm
Energy Caucus, Room 101-102
State House District 17, Room 227
Jewish Caucus, Room 226

1:00 - 2:30pm
Democrats Against the Death Penalty, Room 225 D-E
Texas State Teachers Association, Room 225 A-B

5:00 - 6:00pm
Asian American Democrats, Watergarden B

Bill White's candidacy and the gun question

2010-06-07T08:45:00.002-05:00

Here's an interesting article from Saturday's Washington Examiner about Bill White's gubernatorial campaign and his history on gun issues.

Once again, if Bill is interested in dropping by the Gun Owners Caucus Election Meeting this month in Corpus Christi, he is most definitely welcome.

Gun Owners Caucus Election Meeting - Friday, June 25 in Corpus Christi

2010-05-25T16:23:00.003-05:00

I am happy to share the details of the upcoming Election Meeting for our Caucus at the TDP 2010 State Convention:

Gun Owners Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party - Election Meeting
Friday, June 25, 9am - 11am
Room 104, American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, TX

All elected positions in the Caucus will be up for grabs at the meeting, the current holders of which are listed here:

Chair: Daniel Barnett
Vice-Chair: Tracee Larson
Secretary: Vacant
Treasurer: Daniel Barnett

If you're interested in running for any of these positions, come on down. If you just want to vote for the new crop of officers, come on down. Due to our extended time allotment for this year's Election Meeting, we will try to hold the elections at 10am. I realize that there are other caucuses many of you wish to participate in, but I also want to make sure our guest speakers have plenty of time to drop by.

We will also vote on a proposed change to the Bylaws regarding the manner in which Caucus meetings are conducted. Details to come soon.

Democratic candidates for the Texas legislature are welcome to pay us a visit and share a few words with us. Staffers for Bill White, this includes your boss. Don't be shy. I'll try to get the word out as much as I can, but if you want to poke your local Democratic candidates with info about our Caucus meeting, feel free.

There will be door prizes available, and everyone who attends and participates in the Election Meeting will get a special, limited-edition button created specifically for the Corpus Christi convention. Wear it with pride and with my compliments.

Any questions, please let me know. Thank you, and see you in Corpus!

Virginia Barnett: September 27, 1953 - May 12, 2010

2010-05-13T22:04:00.003-05:00

I am truly saddened to inform everyone that Ginny, my beautiful wife of 10 years, died in her sleep during the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 12.

The funeral for Ginny will be on Saturday, May 15 at the Grove Hill Cemetery in Dallas, TX. Visitation will start at 1:30pm on Saturday, and the funeral itself will be at 3pm.

If you knew Ginny, please attend if you are able - I know she would greatly appreciate it.

My niece's husband, Chris Cochran, will be officiating at the funeral, and I am also planning to deliver her eulogy.

Grove Hill Cemetery is located at 3920 Samuell Boulevard, just south of Interstate 30. Their number is (214) 388-8887. Flowers will always be appreciated, but if you'd rather make a donation to a charity in Ginny's name, please consider donating to either Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation or SPCA of Dallas.

I will love Ginny and treasure her forever.

Kirk Watson's Really True Secret

2010-05-10T15:06:00.002-05:00

Yes, it's been a while, but check out this post from District 14 Senator Kirk Watson on Burnt Orange Report if you're in need of a good chuckle.

How many of you are going to Corpus Christi in June?

New protocol for firearms within the Texas Capitol

2010-04-20T21:47:00.003-05:00

Here's a story in the Austin American-Statesman dealing with plans for increased security under the Capitol Done in Austin and what this means for carrying firearms into the Capitol:

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/capitol-plan-is-a-far-piece-from-firearm-565796.html

Firearms Platform Plank Headed for State Convention in June

2010-03-22T13:56:00.002-05:00

I have learned that the Caucus' suggested platform plank has passed in various county and senatorial districts - no definitive list as of yet, but it looks like it will be reviewed by the Platform Committee at the Texas Democratic Party State Convention on June 25-26 in Corpus Christi.

This is not a guarantee that our plank will become part of the 2010 TDP Platform, but this is certainly good news for the Caucus and for all pro-RKBA Texas Democrats.

More info as it develops.

County/Senatorial Conventions - Saturday, March 20

2010-03-19T09:27:00.003-05:00

If you are a member of the Gun Owners Caucus or just a like-minded Texas Democrat, hopefully you'll be attending your County/Senatorial Convention tomorrow. Your participation will be very important, as there are several gun-control resolutions that are being considered at Democratic regional conventions throughout Texas on Saturday, not to mention our own platform plank that reaffirms our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

Good luck to everyone tomorrow!

Towards a pro-RKBA platform plank in the TDP Platform

2010-03-04T10:08:00.002-06:00

I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone in the Gun Owners Caucus who submitted our platform plank on Tuesday night. Whether or not the plank was adopted by your precinct convention, your efforts are sincerely appreciated.

The next step is to attend your senatorial conventions. If you were not able to attend your precinct convention on March 2, call or e-mail your Democratic precinct chair and see if he or she has any open delegate spots available for the senatorial convention. It can't hurt.

Participation in the senatorial convention will give you a chance to help move the GOC-TDP platform plank forward towards the State Convention in Corpus Christi this coming June. If there is enough support for the plank among Texas Democrats, it will be written into our state party platform for all the world to see.

I'll be at the State Convention - after all, my job as Chair is up for grabs at the Election Meeting in June. And I hope to see all of you there!

TX-10 candidate Ted Ankrum weighs in on RKBA issues

2010-02-10T11:10:00.004-06:00

Ted Ankrum, Democratic candidate for Texas' 10th Congressional District, has responded to a questionnaire from Amendment II Democrats that asks various questions about concealed-carry, hunting on Federal land, background checks at gun shows, and other Second Amendment issues.

To read Ankrum's positions on gun legislation, click here.

Gun Owners Caucus Executive Committee Meeting - March 6 in Waco

2010-02-05T09:45:00.003-06:00

Here's the details on next month's Executive Committee Meeting:

Saturday, March 6 @ 12pm
Chuy's, 5501 Legend Lake Parkway, Waco, TX (SW corner of I-35 and Loop 340)
(254) 420-4242

We'll discuss the results from the March 2 primary and precinct conventions as well as progress on inserting an affirmation of our Second Amendment rights into the state party platform. There will also be a need to discuss our roles in the upcoming senatorial conventions as well as the Election Meeting at the convention in Corpus Christi this coming June. We can also revisit any pending old business and discuss anything else that may be of interest to the Gun Owners Caucus.

If there are any questions or concerns, please let me know. Thanks for everything, and remember - the Executive Committee Meeting is open to all caucus members, so please come and join us if you can.

See you guys in Waco on March 6!

Daniel Barnett
Chair, Gun Owners Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party

Ted Ankrum campaign website on-line

2010-01-28T09:50:00.001-06:00

http://www.ankrum2010.com/

Be sure to pay his campaign a visit, especially if you live in the 10th Congressional District. Thanks!

Farouk Shami campaign's statement on the Second Amendment

2010-01-15T16:51:00.002-06:00

Taken from the website of Farouk Shami, Democratic candidate for Governor of Texas:

Farouk unequivocally supports the Second Amendment rights of all Texans.

Farouk will fight any effort to restrict the ability of Texans’ to carry concealed weapons. However, he believes Texas’ higher educational institutions must be gun free.

Daniel Boone running for Texas SBOE

2010-01-15T16:36:00.002-06:00

Those of you who attended the Gun Owners Caucus meeting at the 2008 State Convention in Austin probably remember seeing Daniel Boone pay us a visit while running for House District 73. I have just learned that Boone is running as a Democratic candidate for state office once again, this time for the Texas State Board of Education, District Five.

Boone is competing against Rebecca Bell-Metereau, Robert Bohmfalk, and Josiah James Ingalls in the Democratic primary for the SBOE seat.

Ted Ankrum for Texas' 10th Congressional District

2010-01-15T09:32:00.004-06:00

If your representative in Congress is Michael McCaul, take heart. Despite the news that Jack McDonald has dropped out of the race for Texas' 10th Congressional District, there is a Democrat running against McCaul who could use all the help you can give him. His name is Ted Ankrum, and he was the Democratic nominee for the seat back in 2006.

Ted is also a pro-RKBA Democrat, as witnessed by his responses to a 2006 questionnaire from Amendment II Democrats:

http://www.a2dems.net/campaign2006/speakout-tx.htm

Here's Ted commenting on why he chose to run for Congress at the last minute:

http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/9821

No campaign website yet, but he's setting up a Facebook page, and his mailing address is available from the BOR article. I hope to bring you more information on the Ankrum campaign soon.

Holiday wishes to all

2009-12-16T14:42:00.002-06:00

It's been fairly quiet over here, so I'd like to wish everyone Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Joyous Solstice, Festive Kwanzaa, and best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year!

Daniel

Proposed Changes to Texas Democratic Party Caucus Rules

2009-11-16T09:09:00.003-06:00

The next meeting of the TDP State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) will be held on Saturday, November 21 at the Double Tree Hotel in Austin, Texas. On the agenda for the SDEC meeting are some proposed rule changes that will have a significant impact on the ability of the Gun Owners Caucus to develop and maintain an official presence within the TDP.

If these changes are adopted, our caucus can still hold meetings at the State Convention and as otherwise required by our Bylaws, but the new rules will affect our ability to obtain official recognition by the SDEC, let alone a place at the SDEC table. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it will be a challenge to our caucus, and the proposed rules do offer some minimum standards for what qualifies as a "caucus" in the eyes of the SDEC.

A summary of the pertinent changes that will be considered at the November 21 meeting:

1. An official caucus must hold two consecutive, officially scheduled caucuses at the State Convention. (No problem here, as our Bylaws mandate an Election Meeting during every State Convention.)
2. Minimum membership in an official SDEC caucus will be 250 members statewide, with 16 senatorial districts providing at least five members each.
3. All caucus members must vote in the Democratic primary and be eligible to serve as a State Convention delegate or alternate.
4. Caucus Bylaws must be approved as adequate by the Rules Committee of the SDEC.

I'll post any further details as they become available.

Open letter to Richard Ward, Mayor of Hurst

2009-10-07T10:57:00.002-05:00

BACKGROUND: Richard Ward has served as Mayor of the city of Hurst, Texas, since May 2004. Mayor Ward is a US Army veteran with a background in medical technology, human resources, and youth activities. He is also a current member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns and has written an editorial for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram dated September 27, 2009 to explain his involvement in MAIG:

Mayors group wants to make it harder for criminals to get guns

I sent Mayor Ward the following response on September 30:

Good morning, Mayor Ward:

In my current role as Chair of the Gun Owners Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party, one of my duties is to keep abreast of gun politics in Texas to the best of my ability with a view towards serving my fellow Texas Democrats. It is therefore within said capacity that I respectfully submit this open response to your Fort Worth Star-Telegram editorial published on September 27, 2009.

I know that serving as Mayor can wear on you at times. You have a lot of pressing issues to juggle - municipal services, public education, law enforcement, utilities, and the constant battle to reconcile all of the above with your annual budget. The same goes for any Mayor worth his or her salt, and I appreciate your efforts.

While discussing your membership in Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG), I read where you "fully support the rights of law-abiding citizens under the Second Amendment," and I appreciate those sentiments greatly. There are, however, ongoing concerns that I have with the policies and long-term objectives of MAIG that must be addressed.

By their own admission, MAIG supports using a secretive "watch list" to deny sales of firearms to law-abiding citizens if their names somehow wind up on this list:

http://mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/federal/closing_gun_gap.shtml

I have seen numerous reports of innocent civilians being denied the ability to fly on commercial airliners because their names have been placed on a "no-fly list" by some faceless bureaucrat. Even the late Senator Ted Kennedy fell victim to this list, which is by design secretive, unreviewable, and virtually unimpeachable. I do not want terrorists obtaining firearms or explosives, either - and I am glad that the FBI did their job in keeping that kid from blowing up the Fountain Place skyscraper in downtown Dallas - but curtailing the rights of innocent Americans without notification, without review, and without due process is not the way to do it.

In addition, MAIG's opposition to the Thune Amendment also touches on the notion of right-to-carry reciprocity between states, including Texas that issue concealed handgun licenses (CHLs):

http://mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/downloads/pdf/7_14_09_maig_letter.pdf

Although I acknowledge your own concerns about the Thune Amendment, I still hold out hope for a workable CHL reciprocity system between the several states. One of the reasons our nation scrapped the Articles of Confederation in favor of the Constitution was because the Articles denied Congress the ability to regulate interstate commerce, as evidenced in the ill-fated Jay-Gardoqui Treaty and the runaway inflation in Massachusetts that brought about Shay's Rebellion in the absence of any state or Federal intervention.

National CHL reciprocity could never have been enacted (let alone enforced) under the Articles, but it can work under the Constitution, and should be given diligent study on Capitol Hill in view of the Constitution bestowing upon Congress some ability to regulate firearm sales as interstate commerce (Article I, Section 8, as reflected in the National Firearms Act of 1934). The issue of minimum standards is a valid one, but it should not be used to derail all discussion of CHL reciprocity.

As for the "closing the gun show loophole," while I am confident that mandatory background checks for all sales at gun shows will not have any significant financial impact on these shows, I am concerned that the push for universal background checks could lead to criminal charges against any parent who bequeaths a firearm to a child of sufficient age and maturity to take possession of the gun, nor am I confident that legislation such as Senator Frank Lautenberg's S. 843 will have any appreciable effect on illegal trafficking or smuggling of firearms.

In addition, MAIG has voiced support as recently as December 27, 2007 for a new Federal ban on civilian ownership of semi-automatic firearms:

http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/media-center/pr015-07.shtml

Obviously, I cannot and will not lend my support to such a wholesale assault on our Constitutional rights. If I legally own a semi-automatic M1 carbine, a Kalashnikov, an AR-type rifle, or even a Smith & Wesson pistol that holds 11 rounds instead of 10, I have a responsibility to do everything I could to keep my gun safe from theft, but I need reassurance that my elected officials, even if they disagree with my choice of firearm, will continue to defend my Second Amendment right to own it.

I recognize that you consider the safety of Hurst residents your top priority, which is commendable. I also recognize your statement that you do not wish to be associated with any organization that is considered anti-Second Amendment. And I'm not going to suggest that you resign from MAIG if you truly feel that your respect for our Constitutional rights is in harmony with the goals and objectives of MAIG. Nevertheless, I feel that the concerns I stated above are still valid, legitimate, and of great interest to my fellow Texas Democrats, especially those who own guns.

On the other hand, your own voice within MAIG could do much to temper some of the more far-reaching proposals of your coalition partners and renew the focus on combatting illegal gun trafficking and violent crime without threatening the rights of innocent, law-abiding Americans. This, I believe, would be a laudable objective.

Thank you for taking time out of your admittedly busy schedule to reflect upon my concerns.

Sincerely,

Daniel Barnett
Gun Owners Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party

NOTE: Mayor Ward has kindly informed me that he is interested in composing a response. I will keep you posted on any further details.

Update on Mayor Bill White

2009-09-30T16:50:00.004-05:00

I apologize for not catching this until today, but it appears that Houston Mayor Bill White, a Democratic primary candidate for the US Senate, resigned from Mayors Against Illegal Guns back in July, parting company with MAIG over its opposition to a proposal for concealed-carry reciprocity between participating states. White's campaign has stated that MAIG's focus has grown from the original effort to curb trafficking in stolen firearms.

Very interesting news, indeed. I'll try to keep a closer eye on this one.

I got this fundraising letter from Jerry Patterson...

2009-09-18T14:48:00.002-05:00

If you don't know who Jerry Patterson is, he's a Republican who current serves as Texas Land Commissioner. This Marine veteran wrote our state CHL law during his tenure in the state Senate.

Now that Patterson is being challenged by Democrat Bill Burton for his job, his campaign sent out a letter dated September 8, 2009 warning of the dangers posed to the Second Amendment by liberal on Capitol Hill, including the newest Superme Court Justice:

Sonia Sotomayor ruled that the 2nd Amendment, as written by the founders of our great nation, only applies to the federal government and states do not have to respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

Eric Holder:

And Barack Obama's Attorney General has said that new gun control measures are on the way. Does that mean they'll try to interfere with Texas' right to carry law - the law that I wrote when I was in the Texas Senate?

and "Washington liberals" in general:

...who would dishonor our heritage and take away our guns...

Zakariah Johnson of American Hunters and Shooters Associaton provides a counterpoint to Patterson's assertions, making the argument that Sotomayor's ruling in Maloney v. Rice gives the Supreme Court an opportunity to reevaluate the case, which could result in Heller being explicitly applied to the states (as argued by Nordyke v. King in the Ninth Circuit).

As for AG Holder, he's already under pressure from no less than 65 House Democrats as well as the AHSA and the NRA to hold off on any new federal gun laws.

If Patterson wants to duke it out with Burton over the Second Amendment, that's fine, but maybe Patterson should cool his heels until Burton makes his own position on gun rights known.

As for Burton, his campaign is more than welcome to contact the Gun Owners Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party regarding his views on the Second Amendment. Don't be shy; I'd love to hear from you.

A tragedy that could have been much, much worse

2009-09-08T10:34:00.002-05:00

From News 8 Austin:

According to a press release Friday, San Marcos police do not anticipate filing charges against a resident who shot three Luling teenagers, killing two, after they broke into his home in Western San Marcos early Friday morning.

"At this time, we do not anticipate filing charges against the resident for firing the shots," San Marcos Police Chief, Howard Williams, said.

Instead, San Marcos police will be turning the case over to the Hays County District Attorney's office for review after San Marcos PD completes their investigation.

One of the teens involved in the home invasion was carrying a handgun as opposed to the pellet guns carried by two of his accomplices.

It is sad that two teenagers were killed, but at least the San Marcos resident had the means to defend himself against what was obviously deadly force in the hands of those with ill intent.

Time to gear up for 2010

2009-09-02T09:58:00.002-05:00

It's been a bit quiet lately, but it's time to start preparing for the 2010 elections as well as the state convention in Corpus Christi.

I'm currently serving as a precinct chair in Dallas County, and I know of at least one other precinct chair who's part of the Gun Owners Caucus, but we could use a lot more pro-RKBA Democrats in this role.

Precinct chairs are the backbone of every countywide Democratic Party organization in Texas. The primary job of a precinct chair is to identify Democrats living in their precinct and help get them out to vote in the Democratic Primary and General Election. Another thing to remember is that precinct chairs also have the option of serving as an election judge - the individual who runs the voting booths on Election Day. However, the primary goal of every precinct chair is to increase the number of people voting Democratic in their precinct.

Check with your county party headquarters to see if your precinct has an active chair - if not, please consider throwing your hat into the ring. Your county party HQ should have all the details.

I'll discuss a few more ideas for 2010 as time goes by. Feel free to share any thoughts you might have.

Observations on August 15 gun buyback in Dallas

2009-08-16T09:24:00.002-05:00

I dropped by Dallas City Hall for a while yesterday to see how their recent gun buyback was going. Those who surrendered a gun to the Dallas Police Department received a $50 grocery card in return. The DPD claims they received 175 guns from the Saturday buyback.

Most of the guns I saw, however, looked like they've seen better days. I saw a lot of old hunting rifles and shotguns with worn-off finishes and scuffed wooden stocks. I also saw a couple of pistols that looked like they still worked, but barely. I talked with another observer who told me he saw a lot of cheap .25-caliber "Saturday night special" pistols being turned in. He did inform me that he saw a TEC-9 being surrendered. I used to own one for a very brief period in the 90s, but never fired it - the sights don't adjust, the gun is prone to jamming, and unless your model has a ventilated barrel shroud (as mine did), a firm two-handed grip is almost impossible.

The two of us did see this one 12-gauge pump shotgun being turned in that still had a great finish and lovely woodwork. Had the owner tried to sell it at a pawn shop, I reckon he could have made a little more than $50 from the sale. It was a shame to realize this shotgun, instead of being put to good use during hunting season, now has a date with the smelter. My companion told me he'd love to install an optics rail and a laser on that particular shotgun. Me, I think I'd leave it exactly as it is. Some firearms are simply elegant in their simplicity.

This was the second gun buyback in Dallas this year. A similar event in February netted another 147 guns.

Obese inmate uses belly fat to sneak gun into Houston jail

2009-08-07T16:45:00.001-05:00

It's hard to find any words to respond to this, so here's the link without further comment:

Obese Inmate Sneaks Gun Into Jail in Belly Fat

John Sharp to Bill White: Quit anti-gun group

2009-07-27T13:57:00.003-05:00

Just received this news item from Texans for John Sharp:

SHARP CALLS ON WHITE TO QUIT NATIONAL ANTI-GUN GROUP

U.S. Senate Candidate says Houston Mayor's membership in New York City coalition is out of step with mainstream Texas

(AUSTIN) — United States Senate candidate John Sharp today called on opponent Bill White to immediately denounce his position in a national anti-gun coalition founded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, saying that the Houston Mayor's continued membership in the group is a threat to the rights of law-abiding Texans to own guns.

"Mr. White's war on guns is already making it impossible for him to be elected statewide in Texas," Sharp said. "He should immediately disassociate himself from this anti-gun group so he doesn't also hurt the chances of other Democrats running for public office."

Sharp said a measure in the U.S. Senate last week that would have allowed legal gun owners with valid permits to carry concealed weapons from one state to another failed by just two votes after fierce opposition from the group, known as Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

White is one of only two Texas mayors who are currently a part of the group, which was formed by Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino to champion legislation aimed at limiting gun ownership.

Among the top goals of the mayors' anti-gun coalition is to repeal the Tiarht Amendment, which was passed by Congress in 2003 to protect gun owners from the release of their confidential personal information to anyone but a federal law enforcement agency in connection to a specific criminal investigation.

Millions of legal gun owners in Texas could find their constitutional rights threatened by White’s support of the group's agenda, Sharp said. A life member of the National Rifle Association, Sharp has a perfect legislative record in support of the Second Amendment, owns dozens of guns, and is an avid hunter.

New York's Mayor Bloomberg founded the group to promote legislation that would limit gun ownership across the country. The group boasts a membership of more than 400 mayors, mainly from the Northeast and California. Houston Mayor White is a charter member and one of only two Texas mayors who belong to the group.

In addition to advocating the end of the federal Tiarht Amendment, the groups is pushing to create broad new authority for the federal government to register gun show customers and maintain a database of information on legal gun sales that take place at such public events.

Bloomberg's group is widely criticized for its "determination to punish all those who possess" firearms, and a number of high-profile mayors have quit the group, including U.S. Senator Mark Begich (D-Alaska), who joined the group when he was Anchorage mayor. According to news reports, he realized that "the coalition is working on issues that conflict with the beliefs we share in Alaska about legal gun ownership." (Anchorage Daily News, February 4, 2007.)

The Well-Heeled Shooter

2009-07-22T15:27:00.003-05:00

Vice-Chair Tracee Larson of the TX caucus has just unveiled her own blog dealing with women and gun ownership. Check it out:

http://thewell-heeledshooter.blogspot.com/

Good luck, Tracee!

Cooke County Democrats Meeting - Thursday, July 16 @ 7pm

2009-07-13T11:10:00.002-05:00

I'll be visiting the Cooke County Democrats during their monthly meeting this coming Thursday at the Neu Ranch House in Gainesville on Highway 82, east of I-35. Looking forward to meeting some new friends and eating some good Texas barbecue.

I may be wrong, but Neil Durrance might stop by for a few minutes - he's the current chair of the Denton County Democratic Party, and he's challenging Republican Michael Burgess for the 26th Congressional District next year.

Hope to meet some of you at Gainesville this coming Thursday!

Democratic National Committee Meeting in Austin (September 10-12, 2009)

2009-06-24T13:46:00.002-05:00

Received from the Texas Democratic Party earlier this month:

Dear fellow Democrat,

It is with great pleasure that I share this exciting news with you. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has just informed me that Austin, Texas has been selected as the location of the upcoming DNC fall meeting scheduled for September 10-12, 2009.

As the second largest and most diverse state in the country, Texas is quickly proving itself to be an important state for the long term growth and success of the Democratic Party. The selection of Austin as the site of the fall DNC meeting clearly shows that the significant gains we've made over the past two election cycles have not gone unnoticed.

With so much at stake in the 2010 election, this meeting is an opportunity for the Texas Democratic Party to show national Democratic Party leaders that Texas is on the right track and that we are worth investing in.

Thank you for all your hard work - your support makes this great news possible. We'll provide more information as it develops.

Your friend and fellow Democrat,

Boyd L. Richie
Chairman
Texas Democratic Party

Nice writeup about Texas City Municipal Shooting Range

2009-06-19T09:50:00.002-05:00

I know things have been quiet around here since the Legislature gaveled its latest session to a close, but I found a nice little story about the Texas City Municipal Shooting Range that I figured you'd enjoy taking a look at.

What appeals to me most of all is the fact that the range is bringing people together for some good company and harmless fun. Involving firearms. Yes, gun-control advocates, it can be done.

Concealed-carry on campus is dead - so what killed it?

2009-06-01T16:08:00.003-05:00

What kept concealed handguns at Texas colleges from being legalized by the 81st session of the Texas Legislature?

Here's a prime suspect: Voter ID.

Republican legislators were so hell-bent on passing this repressive and useless law that they scuttled their own time-honored rules of procedure just so they could keep Democrats from blocking a vote on the Voter ID bill.

The result was a five-day filibuster on the House floor, courtesy of Democratic legislators, that stretched over Memorial Day weekend. When the dust settled, Voter ID was dead, but so were hundreds of other bills - including SB 1164.

Democrats played by the rules - their "chubbing" strategy wasn't pretty, but it got the job done. And that means pro-ID Republicans have two years to sit at home and think about their folly at the Capitol that resulted in a host of good laws being scuttled. They have nobody else to blame but themselves.

Texas Senate tells US Congress to put a halt to Holt (SCR 54)

2009-05-26T14:34:00.002-05:00

Today, the Senate passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 54, authored by Sen. Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls), which admonishes legislators in DC to "cease and desist" attempting to pass Federal laws such as Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, otherwise known as HR 54 on Capitol Hill. If you haven't read HR 54 yet, do yourself a favor and take a peek - it's not pretty.

Fortunately, the Holt bill isn't getting much traction on the Hill, but that didn't stop the Senate from adopting the resolution with a 25-6 vote.

The latest on the campus CHL bill

2009-05-22T15:55:00.003-05:00

SB 1164 has been reported favorably without amendments out of a formal meeting by the House Committee on Public Safety. As a result, there will be no public hearing in the House to discuss SB 1164 as there was in the Senate.

After the bill is printed on a committee report and distributed, its next destination is the Calendars Committee for scheduling to be read and debated on the House floor.

The clock is ticking, though - the 81st Regular Session of the Texas Legislature ends on Monday, June 1.

Texas Senate passes campus CHL bill

2009-05-20T13:32:00.000-05:00

It's official - by a vote of 20-11, the Senate has passed SB 1164, which will allow students with valid Texas CHL licenses to carry concealed handguns at university dorms and classrooms.

SB 1164 now heads for the House, where it will be read for the first time and then referred to committee by the Speakers as per legislative procedure.

Stay tuned...

SB 1164 passes Senate hurdle, may face final vote tomorrow

2009-05-19T14:25:00.003-05:00

SB 1164, the Senate version of the campus concealed-carry bill, has passed to engrossment as amended by a reported vote of 20-10. Look for a final Senate vote on the bill as early as tomorrow, after which it's the House's turn.

TX House places bill for campus concealed-carry on calendar

2009-05-11T14:13:00.003-05:00

HB 1893, "Relating to the carrying of concealed handguns on the campuses of institutions of higher education," has been placed on the General State Calendar by the Texas House today. Click here to see the calendar.

The Senate version, SB 1164, is still pending in the Senate Committee on State Affairs as of today.

Does HB 1863 = unregulated full-auto in Texas?

2009-05-07T16:59:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I started discussing Texas House Bill 1863, introduced by Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler). Since then, an important question has surfaced on some online pro-RKBA forums: if passed, would HB 1863 make it legal to possess an unregistered machine gun that was manufactured on Texas soil? Would the National Firearms Act of 1934 be rendered inoperative for any Texas-made firearm that would otherwise be restricted under NFA?

To answer this question, we need to consult Chapter 46 of the Texas Penal Code.

Sec. 46.05(a) explicitly states that an individual has broken Texas law "if he intentionally or knowingly possesses, manufactures, transports, repairs, or sells" any weapon designated as a "prohibited weapon" by the Texas penal Code. Sec. 46.05(a)(2) further states that a machine gun, which is defined in Sec. 46.01(9) as "any firearm that is capable of shooting more than two shots automatically, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger," is designated as a "prohibited weapon" under Texas law. However, Sec. 46.05(c) states that compliance with the provisions of NFA "is a defense to prosecution," meaning that any Texas civilian who obtains the proper NFA clearance may legally own a machine gun in the State.

The problem with claiming legal private ownership of an unregistered machine gun under Berman's proposed legislation is that while Sec. 2003.004 of HB 1863 does not exempt machine guns from the provisions of the bill, HB 1863 does not revise or invalidate Sec. 46.05, which is part of the Texas Penal Code and not a Federal statue. This means that any unregistered machine gun in civilian hands, whether or not it was manufactured in the State of Texas, is still subject to the provisions of Sec 46.05, which makes no allowances for civilian ownership in Texas unless predicated by compliance with Sec. 46.05(c).

Contrast the Texas Penal Code with state law in Illinois and Utah to comprehend the significance of the wording of Sec. 46.05. Subsection 24-1(a)(7) and Subsection 24-2(c)(5) of Illinois 720 ILCS 5/Art. 24 make no provision for civilian ownership of machine guns in the State of Illinois under the National Firearms Act, while Title 76, Chapter 10 of the Utah Code does not appear to contain any state laws forbidding civilian ownership of machine guns except for restrictions on possession by anyone younger than 18 years of age as defined in Section 409.4(b). In light of the context of the state laws of Illinois and Utah, and in consideration of the fact that Texas House Bill 1863 does not invalidate any portion of Sec. 46.05 of the Texas Penal Code, any Texan who tries to assert civilian ownership of an unregistered machine gun manufactured in Texas may possibly still face an arrest warrant and felony prosecution under state law.

The context of Sec. 46.05 therefore becomes a matter for legal historians to consider. If one can successfully argue that the provisions of Sec. 46.05 were inserted into Texas state law only after the National Firearms Act of 1934 was signed into law, a case could possibly be made for extensive revision of Sec. 46.05 in order to comply with HB 1863 and defend civilian possession of unregistered Texas-made automatic weapons from prosecution. On the other hand, if one can demonstrate that Texas legislators enacted their own state prohibition on civilian possession of machine guns before NFA was enacted, arguments in favor of unregulated civilian ownership of machine guns manufactured in Texas will be severely undermined, even in light of the provisions of HB 1863.

Any insight into the timeline of firearms prohibitions in the context of Texas state law will therefore be greatly appreciated. Of course, general discussion over the scope and authority of HB 1863 is always welcome.

Texas House Bill 1863: So crazy that it might just become law?

2009-05-06T16:44:00.000-05:00

Okay, folks, brace yourselves for this one.

Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) filed a bill on February 26 of this year that apparently went unnoticed by many Texans until this month, when it was reported favorably by the House Committee on Public Safety on Friday, May 1 with 5 Ayes and not a single Nay. The Committee report was sent to Calendars yesterday, and the bill could possibly be heading for a House vote.

The bill in question is HB 1863. Put simply, if passed and signed into law, this bill would make any firearms, firearm parts, or ammunition made and sold in Texas exempt from all Federal firearms regulation. If you legally own a pistol that was made in Texas, as long as you keep it within Texas, you would not have to undergo an NICS background check or adhere to any Federal laws regarding that particular pistol.

Text of HB 1863 (PDF format):
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/HB01863H.pdf

History of HB 1863 in the Texas Legislature:
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=HB1863

The reason for this bill? Rep. Berman explained in a Fort Worth Star-Telegram article that HB 1863 "tests our sovereignty in relationship to the federal government, and it would attract new small gun manufacturers to the state to manufacture certain types of weapons and ammunition that are only used in intrastate commerce." This may be yet another push for state soveriegnty, echoing Gov. Rick Perry's April 15 speech in which he hinted at Texas secession from the Union. Me, I'm not too keen on this whole secession business. Texas already tried being an independent nation, and we gave it the old college try, but we fare much better as a state than as a republic.

Every part of a particular firearm would have to be made in Texas in order for HB 1863 to exempt the gun from Federal law, and the gun could never leave Texas soil.

I'll try to follow this in greater detail over the next day or so.

The times, they are a-changin'

2009-05-06T08:24:00.002-05:00

Imagine my surprise when I saw this article in today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

http://www.star-telegram.com/238/story/1359894.html

I found the following excerpt to be the most significant:

Even an assault-weapons ban is not the political "sure thing" it once was. An April 23-26 poll by NBC News and The Wall Street Journal found that support for curbing the sale of assault weapons and semiautomatic rifles has dropped from 75 percent in 1991 to 53 percent today.

I would like to get a better look at the poll and the methodology used, of course, but let that number sink in for just a moment. 53 percent. Possibly the lowest number on record.

How on Earth is the Brady Campaign going to spin this?

Welcome, fellow Texas Democrats!

2009-05-04T16:34:00.000-05:00

Please join me in launching the official blog for the Gun Owners Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party. The mission of our Caucus is to represent the political interests and views of Democratic gun owners in the State of Texas.

We affirm that civilian ownership of firearms is essential to the preservation of civil rights and civil liberties for all Americans, including our fellow Texans. If you are a Democrat who feels the same way about gun ownership, welcome aboard.

If you have suggestions for what you'd like to see on this blog, don't be shy. Thank you for stopping by!

Daniel Barnett
Chair, Gun Owners Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party