HR1041

H.R. 1041, the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act, would reverse a policy by which veterans are stripped of their constitutional right to possess a firearm.  This occurred when veterans were assigned a fiduciary to help manage their Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.  It was done without the same level of due process afforded to all other law-abiding Americans.

The veterans earned these benefits through suffering a service-connected disability but in doing so they lost their 2nd Amendment rights.

On May 6, 2025, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs voted to favorably report this legislation, by a vote of 13-11, so the bill can now be considered by the full U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill says: “The Secretary (of Veterans Affairs) may not transmit to any entity in the Department of Justice, for use by the national instant criminal background check system…personally identifiable information of a beneficiary, solely on the basis of a determination by the Secretary to pay benefits to a fiduciary for the use and benefit of the beneficiary…without the order or finding of a judge, magistrate, or other judicial authority of competent jurisdiction that such beneficiary is a danger to themselves or others.’’.

The bill has 68 sponsors, all Republicans, including NY Congresspersons Stefanik, Tenney, and Langworthy.  Don’t see your Congressperson’s name?  You might want to ask them why. 

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Sunday was Mother’s Day and they were the focus.  But shouldn’t Dads have at least gotten a participation trophy?

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Deputy State Senate Majority Leader Michael Gianaris (Democrat-Queens) recently said that “we are currently in an environment politically where the legal system, the prosecutorial system, investigative bodies of government are being used to target political enemies.”

Ya think!

Was he referring to Letitia James’ politically motivated lawsuits against Donald Trump?  No!

On April 16th, SCOPE wrote about some potential cases of real estate fraud by NY Attorney General Letitia James.  A criminal referral was made to the Department of Justice on this matter.

Gianaris was defending the NY State budget which passed last week.  In it was a provision that could leave state taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars of legal fees for Attorney General Letitia James as she battles the charges of real estate fraud.  Charges related to her personal activities and having nothing to do with her duties as Attorney General.

The $10 million criminal defense slush fund would seemingly cover any state employee facing any federal “legally compulsive process” as of Jan. 1, 2025, who can claim the federal probe is “a result of the employee’s New York State employment or duties.”  James has already claimed these charges were a part of a Donald Trump revenge tour because of her actions as NY’s Attorney General.

The NY Post reports: “The bill is so broad that it would cover just about any federal investigation of anyone who cashes a state paycheck…Which is remarkable, since most New York political corruption convictions come from federal charges, and have for decades…The Legislature here isn’t just helping out James, it’s succoring future lawmakers and other state officials caught with their hands in the cookie jar.”

Letitia James used taxpayers’ dollars to pursue Donald Trump on a dubious real estate fraud charge and now will be able to use taxpayers’ dollars to defend herself on real estate fraud charges.

Congressperson Elisa Stefanik said, “This disgraceful slush fund epitomizes the cesspool of corruption in Albany, where Democrat elites prioritize protecting their own over the needs of New York families…state Democrats are "doubling down on shielding their corrupt allies."