What’s New—Politics: White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention; Hunter Biden Pardon; California: Newsom’s special year-end session; Michigan: Gun Bills moving fast in a year-end frenzy; Ohio: a bill that includes two pro-gun provisions moving in the House.
By Tanya K. Metaksa
White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
NSSF, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the Firearm Industry Trade Association published a press release urging President-Elect Trump to Disband the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
This office is a new creation of the Biden Administration with no basis in law. It was established in September 2023 with Vice President and failed Presidential candidate Kamala Harris as the “gun control czar.” Biden’s pen stroke created this office and can be disbanded with President Trump’s pen stroke on January 20, 2025.
“President-elect Trump has the ability to stand strong with law-abiding Second Amendment supporters and wipe away this unprecedented abuse of government authority that has been used as a blunt instrument against rights that are protected by the U.S. Constitution,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President & General Counsel. “Nowhere else, within the U.S. Government, are taxpayers forced to fund efforts to denigrate their rights protected by the law. This office was established to appease the special-interest gun control lobby and donors. The Biden-Harris administration has used this office to attempt to justify their unconstitutional and whole-of-government attacks on Second Amendment rights and the industry that makes those rights possible to exercise. This office must no longer exist after January 20, 2025.”
The Hunter Biden Pardon is still in the news…
The Hunter Biden pardon keeps reverberating in the media. Maria Bartiromo of Fox News described the pardon as a “wide-ranging and blanket pardon.” She has also tweeted about the pardon on December 1: “Pres. Biden signs pardon exonerating his son Hunter from everything from 2014 to today including any crimes he has yet to be charged with.”.
Then, on December 2, she again pushed the story: “Happy #Monday hope you had a great #Thanksgiving2024 join us now as Joe Biden pardons Hunter and my last guest Rep Warren Davidson just said his brother Jim is next to be pardoned @mirandadevine will join me @MorningsMaria @FoxBusiness.”
Kostas Moros, the 2nd Amendment attorney who practices at Michel & Associates in California, issued a sarcastic tweet pointing out the hypocrisy of the gun control movement: “I am pleasantly surprised to report that the big three antigun organizations have condemned the Hunter Biden pardon. Lying when buying a gun undermines the very core of common sense gun laws, so accountability is critical, even for the son of their greatest political ally.
“Haha JUST KIDDING! Two of them made posts asking for money, and Brady hasn’t posted anything.”
You can read the whole thread here.
Suppressors
Dr. Timothy Wheeler, a Second Amendment supporter for decades and an eye, ear, and throat specialist, has again instigated a push for their medical society, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), to support their new policy endorsing firearm suppressors for hearing protection. In early December, the AAO-HNS formally adopted their position.
“It was a fantastic decision,” Wheeler said. “We intend to be available to assist NRA and other interested parties in the effort to make firearm suppressors just another widely available, consumer-friendly firearm accessory.”
Congratulations to Wheeler’s seven co-authors and Dr. Wheeler. I have known Tim for a long time and value his contribution to Second Amendment policies. Here is the policy as adopted: “Sound suppressors are mechanical devices attached to the barrel of a firearm designed to reduce harmful impulse noise of firearms at its source. CDC research has shown that the only potentially effective noise control method to reduce [shooters’] noise exposure from gunfire is through the use of noise suppressors that can be attached to the end of the gun barrel. Suppressors reduce muzzle blast noise by up to 30 decibels. Their benefit is additive when used with ear-level hearing protection devices such as circumaural muffs or ear plugs. The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery endorses the use of firearm suppressors as an effective method of reducing the risk of hearing loss, especially when used in conjunction with conventional hearing protective measures.”
Why join your local gun club or Second Amendment group?
As a Second Amendment activist since the 1060s, I spent the first ten years building and working for a local, statewide group. I have always encouraged and supported local organizations. The VCDL, the Virginia Citizens Defense League, just published its December 13, 2024 alert. The first item on their list was: 1. Good news Powhatan County! Sheriff Nunnally just lowered your CHP fees to $15!
Here is the listing:
“VCDL has always had a good working relationship with Powhatan County Sheriff Brad Nunnally. I contacted him a few months ago when I noticed that Powhatan charged $50 for a CHP. Sheriff Nunnally basically inherited that fee when he was elected. I asked him to see if he could follow suit with many other sheriffs and not charge for the background check.
“True to his word, he checked into it and called me back. He said he was going to notify the Board of Supervisors that the charge for the background check was going to be waived!
“So, all of you lucky people in Powhatan now pay $15 for your paper CHPs or $20 if you want a nice plastic one. If you have a paper permit, you can upgrade to plastic for $5!”
That is what local grassroots groups do—work on problems at the local level. Congratulations VCDL!
State Legislation and local communities
States still in session: California (special session); the following states are in session: Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, North Carolina. In 2025, all legislatures will be in session.
California: Governor Gavin Newsom has called the California Legislature into a special session on December 2 to address several key issues in response to the incoming Trump administration. Be aware that gun control legislation may be on the agenda.
Michigan: It is the end of the session, and anti-Second Amendment legislators are pushing to get gun bills through. The following bills have passed out of committee and referred to the House for second reading: HB4198, gutting state preemption law; HB 6183-6185, broad-ranging bills against the firearms industry targeted at manufacturers; and HB6222 and HB6223, requiring anyone selling firearms to report to police within 24 hours anyone who is prohibited.
SB1149-1150, restrictions on home-built firearms, and SB942 banning bump stocks passed the Senate on December 12, 2024. Additionally, in the Senate, two bills have passed the Senate without ever having a hearing or other committee action—SB942, prohibiting the manufacture, sale, or possession of a bump stock, and SB1086, which has not been the subject of a public committee hearing and SB1086 that would create a “Do Not Sell” list of firearms, a complicated bill, which required a hearing to understand the necessity for such a list and its effect on Second Amendment rights.
Ohio: Two pro-gun bills are moving in the Ohio Senate. SB58, a bill to prohibit the state from requiring fees or firearms liability insurance for firearms ownership, and SB148, a Second Amendment Privacy Act added to SB58, may receive a vote in the House shortly.
