frontlines

Dear Friend, Suicide is a national public health issue that affects everyone, but especially our veterans and service members, who are 1.5 times more likely to die by suicide than non-veterans. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Locally, we are fortunate to have the leadership of the Canandaigua VA Medical Center, home to the Veterans Crisis Line, a free and confidential resource for veterans and service members who are in crisis. This support is available to all veterans, even if you’re not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care. If you are a veteran or service member in crisis, or are a family member or friend concerned about a loved one, there are trained and caring VA responders ready to help.  Call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. Or text 838255. Online chat is also available at VeteransCrisisLine.net. I am urging Governor Kathy Hochul to sign my bill that will improve the reporting of veteran deaths by suicide so we have better data that can help us assist more veterans in crisis. Senate bill S.2036B passed the Senate and Assembly this year. Thank you to Wayne Thompson and the Finger Lakes Veterans Advocacy Council for their instrumental work on this legislation.  Let’s continue to support and look out for one another. God bless our veterans and the men and women of our U.S. Armed Forces. Sincerely, Pam Helming Senator, 54th District P.S. Help is also available for non-veterans. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides support for everyone. Call 1-800-273-8255. Check with the county where you live to find local resources, too.   Albany Office: 517 Legislative Office Bldg Albany, NY 12247 518-455-2366 District Office: 425 Exchange St Geneva, NY 14456 315-568-9816

November’s Ballot  by George Phillips

Stolen elections are a path to nullifying the 2^nd Amendment.  

As Americans continued to question the authenticity and fairness of the last election, New York State politicians have placed before voters the following referendums on November 2nd in our election:

• First, to make permanent absentee ballot voting for any voter for any reason in every election.  Millions of New Yorkers voting absentee on a regular basis would surely increase fraud – especially when local boards of election are ill-equipped to verify signatures of absentee voters.
• Second, to allow same day voter registration up until election day – negating laws which require voters to register 30 days before an election. Illegal immigrants and non-New York residents could easily register to vote and vote before local boards of elections had time to check for fraud.  If you are not a citizen, you should not be able to vote in our state.
• Third, to amend the Independent Redistricting Commission allowing the liberal Democrat majority legislature to reject non-partisan district maps with a 60% vote and draw their own partisan maps for political gain.  Under current law, the Democrats need a two-thirds supermajority to reject two separate independent maps.

Critical to a free state are fair elections.  Lovers of liberty and rule of law principles should:

• Consider whether absentee voting for an any reason in New York will increase fraud.
• Consider whether same day voter registration in New York will lead to more illegal votes. 
• Consider whether amending the Independent Redistricting Commission will empower New York City Democrats and Pelosi allies from drawing Congressional districts here in New York.

Protect honest elections.  The future of our state depends on it.

George Phillips is an American History teacher from the Binghamton area, former Regional Director of Reclaim New York and a former candidate for Congress.

White House will withdraw David Chipman's nomination as head of ATF  By Manu Raju, Jeff Zeleny, John Harwood and Kate Sullivan, CNN  Updated 9:41 AM ET, Thu September 9, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 23: Former special agent at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) David Chipman testifies during a hearing before the Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force January 23, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The task force held a hearing on "the comprehensive steps that Congress can take to reduce gun violence while respecting the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans." (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

(CNN)The White House will withdraw the nomination of David Chipman to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, three sources familiar with the decision told CNN.

The move comes amid concerns among moderate Democrats and independent Maine Sen. Angus King -- along with GOP senators -- over Chipman's past record on gun control.

"We do not have the votes. We will land him in a non-confirmed job in the administration," one senior administration official told CNN.

Chipman, a former career official at ATF, came under scrutiny from pro-gun rights supporters and the National Rifle Association for his work as a senior adviser to Everytown for Gun Safety and Giffords -- the organization started by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot at an event in her Arizona district in 2011.

Top Democrats had been quietly moving to lock down support for Biden's nominee, but Chipman struggled to gain support because some senators questioned if his past record as an advocate for stricter gun laws would make him a less effective director.

The Washington Post was first to report on the withdrawn nomination.

The White House declined to comment when reached by CNN.

Biden nominated Chipman to head the ATF in April, seeking the first Senate-confirmed director of the agency since 2015 and just the second in its history.

CNN's KFile reported that Chipman failed to disclose some interviews and events dating back to 2012 on paperwork filed with the Senate for consideration of his nomination.

In one undisclosed 2019 talk given to a law firm titled "Can the Right to Bear Arms Coexist with Gun Control?," Chipman said his views and politics weren't typical of most at the ATF and in law enforcement because the groups were mostly "a very conservative bunch, primarily of white men."

The withdrawal of Chipman comes as Democrats have struggled to overcome GOP resistance to measures aimed at curbing the use of guns, and amid a rise in mass shootings in the United States. The House has approved two bills to expand background checks on firearm sales, including one to do so on private and commercial transactions, but that lacks the support of moderate Democrats like Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sen. Jon Tester of Montana.

While at the ATF, Chipman "disrupted firearms trafficking operations in Virginia that were supplying illegal guns to New York City, served as a member of ATF's version of SWAT, and was named the Special Agent in Charge of ATF's Firearms Programs," according to his bio on the website for Giffords.

In recent years, the ATF has become most visible in the aftermath of mass shootings around the US and at other crimes involving firearms.

According to its website, ATF "protects our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products."

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN's Paul LeBlanc contributed to this report.

SCOTUS to Hear Challenge to New York Gun Control November 3

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will hear a challenge to New York gun control that will highlight the extent of constitutional protections for carrying a gun outside the home.

The case centers on New York’s requirement that concealed carry applicants show “proper cause” before being issued a carry permit.

The case was brought by the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association and private citizens Brandon Nash and Robert Koch. Nash and Koch were denied a concealed permit based on the “proper cause” requirement.

The defendants are Keith M. Corlett, in his official capacity as superintendent of New York State Police, Richard J. McNally Jr., in his official capacity as Justice of the New York Supreme Court, Third Judicial District, and Licensing Officer for Rensselaer County.

The petitioners contend:

New York prohibits its ordinary law-abiding citizens from carrying a handgun outside the home without a license, and it denies licenses to every citizen who fails to convince the state that he or she has “proper cause” to carry a firearm. In District of Columbia v. Heller, this Court held that the Second Amendment protects “the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation.”

And the petitioners seek a ruling as to “whether the Second Amendment allows the government to prohibit ordinary law-abiding citizens from carrying handguns outside the home for self-defense.”

A federal judge ruled against Nash and Koch in 2018, and his ruling was upheld by a federal appeals court.

Attorney Paul Clement petitioned the SCOTUS to hear the case, writing:

[“Proper Cause’ laws] deny to ordinary law-abiding citizens like petitioners Nash and Koch the rights that the Second Amendment protects. By requiring a permit applicant to submit evidence differentiating him or herself from the body of “the people” guaranteed rights under the Second Amendment, the New York regime is not merely an infringement; the regime is antithetical to the constitutional freedom itself.

The case is New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. New York, Case Number 19-156 in the Supreme Court of the United States.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.

The new and important edition of the Firing Lines, SCOPE's newsletter, is available for downloading at:

https://www.scopeny2a.org/resources/Documents/FL%20July%20August%202021.pdf

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign from office in 14 days

BY SPECTRUM NEWS STAFF NEW YORK STATE,  UPDATED 12:20 PM ET AUG. 10, 2021 PUBLISHED 12:08 PM ET AUG. 10, 2021

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he would resign office in 14 days in the wake of the attorney general's report that concluded he harassed multiple women.

"New York tough means New York loving, and I love New York, and I love you, and I would never want to be unhelpful in any way," Cuomo said.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul will assume office.

A New Case Gives the Supreme Court a Chance To Defend Gun Rights  John Stossel 6.30.2021

It's likely that soon, almost all Americans will be legally able to carry guns.

Would carrying a gun make you feel safer?

Robert Nash and Brandon Koch thought so. But the state of New York denied them gun permits, saying they hadn't demonstrated a "special need."

Why did they have to prove such a "need"? The Supreme Court ruled more than 10 years ago that all Americans have a right to keep and bear arms, no matter where they live.

"Many other courts have thumbed their nose at that Supreme Court ruling," Alan Gottlieb of the Second Amendment Foundation tells me. He's excited that the Supreme Court will soon rule on Nash and Koch's lawsuit over New York's law.

I understand Nash and Koch's frustration. I once tried to get a carry permit in New York.

First, I had to read 60 pages of instructions about irrelevant things like "metal knuckle knives" and "kung fu stars," fill out a confusing 17-page form, get it notarized, and then go in person to police headquarters.

There they fingerprinted me, demanded reasons why I should be allowed to have a gun, and charged me $430.

I heard nothing from them for half a year. Then they wrote me saying that my application was "denied."

I called to ask if I could appeal. They said I could try again if I could prove that "special need" to carry a gun. After years of confronting crooks on TV, I actually do have a special need for self-protection. I showed the cops threats on my life.

Not good enough, said the NYC permit department. They turned me down again.

Apparently, my mistake was not bribing the cops. Later it was revealed that the police in the permit department were giving out permits for money.

Scams like that thrive whenever politicians impose too many restrictions on people's freedom. In parts of California, people got gun permits if they donated to a sheriff's campaign.

It's one more reason why Gottlieb is excited about this new Supreme Court case. Court watchers predict his side will win, especially because there are now more originalist judges on the court.

That means it's likely that soon, almost all Americans will be legally able to carry guns.

Some people say that will be terrible.

"Women are less safe!" says professor Lisa Moore of the University of Texas on TV. "Every vulnerable population—LGBT people, students of color—has more to fear!"

But then why are 58 percent of new gun owners Blacks, and 40 percent women?

"An awful lot of women bought a firearm to protect themselves and feel a whole lot safer!" says Gottlieb. "Eight hundred thousand times a year, a person uses a firearm to protect themselves. If you call 911, the police usually get there after the crime is over.

Over the last decades, most states liberalized their gun laws. More allow concealed carry. Gun control advocates predicted that would lead to an epidemic of shootings.

The opposite happened. As concealed carry was legalized, violent crime went down. Especially telling, crime dropped in each state right after the law was changed.

Gottlieb says that's because "an armed society is a polite society."

As a reporter who attended only liberal schools and worked in liberal newsrooms, I'd been taught that more guns means more violence. Even after interviewing violent criminals in prison and hearing many say that what they feared most was "not the police" but that the person being robbed "might be armed," I still believed that more guns meant more crime.

Only when I started researching gun crime and studying the data did it become clear that most of my anti-gun assumptions were wrong.

More guns really does mean less crime.

Rep. Claudia Tenney leads 168 House Republicans in bid to overturn NY gun law

Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-New Hartford, wants the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn New York's law that bans firearm owners from carrying concealed guns outside of the home. Mark Weiner | mweiner@syracuse.com

By Mark Weiner | mweiner@syracuse.com

Washington – Rep. Claudia Tenney is leading a group of 168 House Republicans who are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a 110-year-old New York state gun law.

Tenney and her GOP colleagues said today they plan to file a legal brief supporting the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association’s challenge to New York’s law that strictly limits who can carry a gun outside of the home.

The Supreme Court agreed in April to hear an appeal to a lower court ruling that upheld New York’s law. It marks the first time in more than a decade that the nation’s top court will decide a major Second Amendment case.

Banning America's Rifle: An Assault on the Second Amendment?

This is a very long but very informative article on the AR-15 rifle.  If you are not an accomplished user of the AR-15 rifle we highly recommend this article for you~

"The AR-15 rifle has aptly been called “America’s Rifle.” It is the most popular rifle in the United States, owned and used by millions of law-abiding citizens. Does prohibiting it infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment?

This article begins with an examination of the meanings of term “assault weapon,” features that some lawmakers and activists have claimed define such weapons, and the rarity of their use in crime. It then analyzes how the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence on the Second Amendment, which protects firearms in common use for lawful purposes, precludes bans on such firearms. After that, it examines the text, history, and tradition of the Second and Fourteenth Amendments to show that the right keeps pace with and continues to exist as technological improvements are made to firearms. It demonstrates how judicial decisions upholding laws that ban these commonly possessed firearms conflict with and undermine the right. It ends with a challenge to judges and litigants to take the Second Amendment seriously."

Read the complete article here:  https://fedsoc.org/commentary/publications/banning-america-s-rifle-an-assault-on-the-second-amendment?fbclid=IwAR1yhe9dFaviXmZCbT7KN78M0jmJ-vd2BnjrmEhZkTqXtM4JyaYdB5TP70A

Schuyler Co. Govt Opposes New NYS Gun Control Bill

SCHUYLER COUNTY, N.Y. (WENY)- A new gun law may be in the works for New York State and one local government is calling on Governor Cuomo to veto it.

The legislation if approved by the Governor would allow anyone that's a victim of gun violence to sue the company that made the gun.

The Schuyler County attorney Steve Getman helped write a letter on behalf of the County Legislature in hopes of persuading Governor Cuomo to *not* sign it into law.

"To our knowledge, he has not yet signed the bill which is why Schuyler County and I believe and a number of other counties are asking him to veto it,” Getman said.

Lawmakers in Albany recently passed a bill intended to allow civil lawsuits can be brought against gun manufacturers and dealers. Supporters say it will help cut down on gun violence by holding companies legally accountable.

In response to the bill advancing in Albany, the Schuyler County Legislature voted unanimously to send the letter to Governor Cuomo urging him to veto the law.  Getman says the County Legislature opposes the proposal because a criminal who uses a gun has no connection to the business that made or sold that gun.

"It would be like declaring drunk driving a public nuisance and then allowing people to sue the local car dealer whenever anybody misuses a motor vehicle in a drunk driving accident,” Getman said.

Getman explains this new bill doesn't only apply to big gun businesses. It also will affect small businesses.

"It can apply to anybody who sells any kind of firearm. Including a mom-and-pop shop in your local neighborhood or anybody that sells magazines or accessories,” Getman said.

The bill requires gun manufacturers to prevent their guns from falling into the hands of criminals. However, the process to do exactly that remains vague and unclear. Instead, Getman believes we should focus on other issues to combat gun violence like the state's current bail reform.

"Accused criminals are being arrested and being returned to the streets in hours and sometimes turning around and committing new crimes,” Getman said.

A large gun manufacturer with connections to Upstate New York is also speaking out about the proposal. Remington Arms has a plant in Herkimer County. The company says in part if this bill becomes law any business dealing with firearms will abandon the Empire State to avoid a tidal wave of lawsuits and new regulation.

Moving forward, the bill is awaiting a vote in the assembly before it heads to Governor Cuomo's desk.