Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

NRA Letter To The Editor Of The <i>Los Angeles Times</i>

Thursday, August 9, 2001

Below is a letter by James J. Baker to the Los Angeles Times responding to commentary by flack-for-hire Scott Reed. The LA Times chose not to provide the NRA an opportunity to respond to Reed`s anti-NRA views by refusing to print Mr. Baker`s brief but succint response.

LOS ANGELES TIMES Gun Shows and Politics by James Jay Baker August 2, 2001 Dear Editor: Scott Reed’s packaged rhetoric offering the Republican Party advice on “how to win back women” [commentary, August 2], by supporting new gun control measures merits response if only to disclose one salient fact: Scott Reed is a hired gun (pardon the pun) of billionaire Andrew McKelvey’s gun-control group, Americans for Gun Safety (AGS). This fact helps divulge why an ex-GOP campaign operative, who once unabashedly solicited money and support from the National Rifle Association (NRA) would suddenly have a new viewpoint on this issue. But his willingness to flack-for-cash on this issue also fulfills a belief that is widely held in Washington ever since campaign manager Reed coaxed a reluctant Bob Dole into bungling the gun issue in Dole’s ill-fated 1996 presidential campaign - that Reed simply doesn’t “get” the politics of Second Amendment freedoms Basic review will reveal that there is no gun show “loophole.” All federal and state laws governing who can buy and sell firearms apply at gun shows. With little regard to this fact, Mr. Reed’s bankroller and some in Congress are proposing a waiting period for gun show transfers of up to five days nationwide. Rudimentary math can show that imposing a five-day waiting period on a two-day event will abrogate transactions and put gun shows permanently out-of-business. The NRA supported a bill in Congress that would have provided for an instant background check of no longer than 24 hours through the National Instant Check System on every gun sold at a gun show. Nonetheless, the Democratic leadership in the House killed that proposal. Some pundits, at that time, speculated Democrats did this to make gun control the centerpiece of the 2000 presidential election. Even more pundits today say that this tactic cost Al Gore the presidency. Mr. Reed would also lead one to believe that most criminals obtain their weapons at gun shows. A National Institute of Justice survey found that less than 2% of criminals’ firearms came from gun shows. The core of Mr. Reed’s assertion is that backing his billionaire boss’s pet legislation will help the GOP woo women voters. But, women are the fastest growing segment of gun owners and NRA members. And, what motivates these daughters, mothers and grandmothers to purchase firearms? The answer is elementary; keeping themselves and their loved ones safe. In closing, here’s one final point. AGS, with a billionaire backer and poll-tested moniker, has zero Americans for members and nothing to do with gun safety. In contrast, the NRA has 4.4 million law-abiding Americans living in every congressional district of this nation and a 130 year old legacy of teaching and investing in gun safety. James Jay Baker Executive Director NRA Institute for Legislative Action Fairfax, VA
Read Scott Reed`s article here For more information see: The Gun Show "Loophole:" More Gun Control Disguised as Crime Control Lieberman-McCain Gun Show Bill Sen. Jack Reed`s S. 767 The 1999 Lautenberg "Gun Show" Bill With a New Sponsor The Truth about Gun Shows Gun Shows Under Attack!
TRENDING NOW
Congress Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Now Headed to President Trump

News  

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Congress Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Now Headed to President Trump

Earlier today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill contained a provision that would, among other things, eliminate the burdensome $200 excise tax imposed by federal law on suppressors, short-barreled firearms, ...

One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, and Heads Back to House

News  

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, and Heads Back to House

Earlier today the U.S. Senate passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill contained a provision that would, among other things, eliminate the burdensome $200 excise tax imposed by federal law on suppressors, short-barreled firearms, and “any ...

U.S. House Sends Reconciliation Bill to President Trump

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, July 3, 2025

U.S. House Sends Reconciliation Bill to President Trump

NFA Tax on Suppressors, Short-Barreled Firearms, and Other Arms Reduced to $0

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, May 22, 2025

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act, completely removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

U.S. Senate Adds Pro-Gun Tax Relief Language Back into Reconciliation Bill

News  

Saturday, June 28, 2025

U.S. Senate Adds Pro-Gun Tax Relief Language Back into Reconciliation Bill

Overnight, the U.S. Senate added pro-gun tax relief language back into the Reconciliation bill after the Senate Parliamentarian struck out an earlier provision.  While this new provision is not as expansive as the language we advocated for which ...

President Trump Signs the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into Law

News  

Friday, July 4, 2025

President Trump Signs the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into Law

Earlier today, on the 4th of July, a day on which our Founding Fathers declared their intent for a free nation, the President of the United State of America, Donald Trump, signed the “One Big ...

Armed Churchgoers Prevent Mass Attack as State Lawmakers Plot More Gun Control

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Armed Churchgoers Prevent Mass Attack as State Lawmakers Plot More Gun Control

Just over an hour away from the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan – even as lawmakers worked feverishly to pass various gun control measures, including expansion of “gun free” zones – a chilling reminder unfolded of the ...

North Carolina: Update on Gun Bills Moving through the General Assembly

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Gun Bills Moving through the General Assembly

Recently, House Bill 193 (H193) was reported favorably out of both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Rules Committee, with amendments.

Canada’s Big Ugly Gun Grab: An Update

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Canada’s Big Ugly Gun Grab: An Update

Canada’s Liberal government is pressing on with its harebrained gun ban and confiscation program for “assault style weapons,” but, true to form and precedents, it has been far from smooth sailing.

Washington Post Admits that Anti-gun Lawfare “Cannot be the Solution” to Crime

News  

Monday, March 17, 2025

Washington Post Admits that Anti-gun Lawfare “Cannot be the Solution” to Crime

In a turnabout worthy of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Washington Post (WAPO) published an editorial last Tuesday criticizing the gun control movement for ignoring the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) and pursuing its agenda in ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.