Sessions Embracing ‘Project Exile’ a Result of Exclusive NRA Influence with Trump on Guns

So expect AG Sessions to go forward with a renewed “gun control” enforcement emphasis, and attribute that to NRA having near exclusive access to President Trump’s ear on the gun issue. That’s due not only to its early and continued political support of his candidacy, but also because the other national gun group with a dog in the Exile fight, Gun Owners of America, sat on its hands, declining to endorse Trump after its preferred candidate, Ted Cruz, had been sidelined. Agree with that stance on principle or not, the political reality – and that’s the field lobbyists play on – is that NRA has a seat at the table. [More]

So Project Exile not only doesn't work and isn't Constitutionally authorized, but I never did hear back from the "enforce existing gun laws" crowd on how that's any different from saying "enforce existing Intolerable Acts."

2006 NRA Board Candidate Questionnaire

NRA Board of Director elections are upon us again. If you're a voting member and have complete faith in "The Winning Team," there's no need to read further--just mark your ballots with any of up to 26 of the 29 Nominating Committee recommendations.

If you have concerns about the direction current management has taken the organization, if their method of assigning political ratings seems less than straightforward, if you believe we should repeal, rather than enforce existing gun laws, if you are troubled by perceived compromises, and if you share the concerns of many in the gun community over "Project Exile" and its spin-offs, perhaps you'll want to see how candidates would answer the following questions before giving them your support.

Ballots are due back no later than April 30, so there's not a lot of time to elicit responses, nor can I find a centralized resource to communicate with these candidates so we can learn more about them than the brief bios printed in the magazine.

It probably doesn't matter--I do this as an exercise to demonstrate what I think an involved and activist membership should be demanding--I don't really expect this to be more than a curiosity among a handful of ornery dissenters like me.

And the world keeps on spinnin'.

Let me know if you can get any to respond.

1. Do you believe that the Constitution is the "supreme law of the land" and that the Bill of Rights acknowledges the birthrights of all Americans?

2. If so, should these rights be proactively protected from infringement by all levels of government, including city, county and state?

3. Please give some examples of gun laws you consider constitutional.

4. Please give some examples of gun laws you consider unconstitutional.

5. Does the right to bear arms include the right for any peaceable citizen to carry them concealed without a permit, as in Vermont?

6. Do you believe that Americans have a right to own, use and carry weapons of military pattern?

7. Do you support or oppose Project Exile, and do you agree with current NRA management’s call to “enforce existing gun laws”?

8. Do you support or oppose licensing requirements to own or carry firearms? Why?

9. What specific gun laws will you work to get repealed?

10. If elected to the NRA Board, will you back your words of support for firearms rights up with consistent actions? How?

11. Do you agree with the way NRA assigns political ratings? If not, what would you change and why? Who would you have given a different rating to, what would it been and why?

12. Do you disagree with any policies being promulgated by NRA management? What is you biggest area of dissent? Have you offered superior alternatives and worked with others to implement them?

13. Have you ever publicly spoken out against an NRA position because you thought it was wrong? When, where, and what were the results?

14. What reforms do you think are needed at NRA and why?

15. If elected, how will you inform members of your performance and voting record? Will you let us know when you dissent and why?

"Maybe They Should Try 'Project Exile'"

Maybe they should try “Project Exile,” the program developed by a federal prosecutor and endorsed by the National Rifle Association that put the fear of God in felons in Richmond, Va., and drastically reduced violent crime and illegal gun possession in that city.

Floyd Hancock

Klamath Falls

Keep drinkin' that Kool-Aid, Floyd.

Enforce Existing Intolerable Acts, Mr. Cox? Really?

CWC: You came out early in the primaries with a position paper on the Second Amendment, including your support for Project Exile—enforcing current gun laws against criminals with mandatory jail time. Is that something you’ll push for if elected president? [More]

Where do you think Trump gets his talking points from? 

Heck, if being a "gun criminal" qualifies, guilty.  So are lots of "I will not comply" activists.

In terms of Project Exile, not everyone agrees.

And in terms of being a great success, I guess it depends upon the what meaning of the word "success" is.

That's why I haven't been overly hard on the guy for thinking he's getting instructions from a grand master.

Cheek to Cheek With Senator Rick Santorum

I finally had time to go through the September issue of American Rifleman, which features a Wayne LaPierre/Chris Cox tag team suck-up session masked as an interview titled "Face to Face With Senator Rick Santorum."

The subhead tells us the senator "receives an 'A+' grade from the NRA Political Victory Fund."

Gun Owners of America gives him a "C" rating. Why the disparity?

For one thing, the senator's own words show him in lock-step with NRA management.

"I support strict enforcement of current federal gun laws...My overarching position on gun legislation, and I also believe, the Republican Party's position, is that before we pass new laws to restrict Second Amendment rights, we must enforce the laws currently on the books to determine whether they are truly effective, rather than pass more redundant, ineffective laws."

Note the concern is wholly whether or not an edict will be "effective," not whether it is Constitutional. Perhaps Sen. Santorum and Messrs. LaPierre and Cox would explain where the Constitution provides for any federal gun laws, and how that squares with "shall not be infringed." Perhaps they could explain to us why their focus isn't on repealing, rather than enforcing existing infringements.

"In addition," Santorum continues, "I support programs such as Project Exile that have been successful in dramatically reducing violent gun crime."

Oh, for God's sake. Go read this.

I guess if you repeat something long enough, you might get some Kool-Aid drinkers who take things at face value without fact-checking to buy into it.

NRA's Project Exile showcase cities are experiencing murder rates at "crisis" levels. In Philadelphia, police are reduced to begging the public for help in identifying killers, and Richmond actually saw a murder increase in 2004 while national numbers declined.

NRA management needs to be told by its membership--in no uncertain terms--that they can't have it both ways. They can't tell the antis that gun control doesn't work, and then turn around and recommend gun control.

NRA members need to understand that "enforcing existing gun laws" is exactly what the feds were doing at Waco and Ruby Ridge.

NRA Leader Advocates Guns for Teachers

"All options should be considered to prevent rampages like the Minnesota school shooting that took 10 lives -- including making guns available to teachers, a top National Rifle Association leader said Friday.

"'I'm not saying that that means every teacher should have a gun or not, but what I am saying is we need to look at all the options at what will truly protect the students,' the NRA's first vice president, Sandra S. Froman, told The Associated Press.'"

Why not every teacher? And why limit keeping and bearing arms based on profession? Why not acknowledge Patrick Henry's "great object"?

But there's one obstacle Sandra faces, even with her modest goal: Wayne LaPierre.

"First, we believe in absolutely gun-free, zero-tolerance, totally safe schools. That means no guns in America's schools, period," he told NRA Annual Meeting attendees in 1999, "with the rare exception of law enforcement officers or trained security personnel.

"We believe America's schools should be as safe as America's airports. You can't talk about, much less take, bombs and guns onto airplanes.Such behavior in our schools should be prosecuted just as certainly as such behavior in our airports is prosecuted."

Right, Wayne, make 'em as safe as pre-911 airports.

I've heard some laud Ms. Froman's selection as NRA's president-elect because she likes to shoot machineguns. If being a good shooter was the sole criterion, I'd be hard pressed not to vote for Lon Horiuchi.

Call me irresponsible, but I prefer to look at things like past support for gun control.

"To curb gun violence, Froman says that it is important to enforce old laws instead of passing new ones. 'If the Brady law stopped 600,000 illegal gun purchases, where were the 600,000 prosecutions?'

"One measure she [supports] is Project Exile. 'It works...it doesn’t victimize peaceable gun owners.'"

How about REPEALING instead of ENFORCING "old laws," Sandra? Not only are most a violation of the 2nd Amendment, but the recent exhaustive National Academy of Sciences report couldn't find a single instance of these laws reducing violent crime--even the ones suppported by NRA. Besides, wasn't "enforcing existing gun laws" the reason Mr. Horiuchi was deployed in the first place?

As for Exile, no, it does not "work." Look at the results in Richmond and Philadelphia. Besides which, maybe someone from NRA leadership would be kind enought to point us to the clause in the Constitution where We the People delegated gun law prosecutions to the feds.

What, there isn't one?

The World of Yesterday and Today

08/16/17 UPDATE: Since this post is over 12 years old, many of the internal links no longer work. I have replaced what I could with Internet Archive and other links which may load very slowly.

In today's earlier post, I acknowledged the danger of predicting what tomorrow will bring. Here are some prime examples:

Mayor Declares City Violence A Crisis

"PHILADELPHIA (KYW) Police and prosecutors concerned with a spate of killings in the city begged the public Monday for more help identifying murderers...Within the past eight days there have been 21 homicides in Philadelphia, including three in the late-night and early morning hours after the prosecutor made her appeal Monday."

This wasn't supposed to happen. NRA promised us a different scenario.

NRA PRESS RELEASE: HESTON DARES CRIMINALS TO "MAKE MY DAY"

"NRA joins Mayor Rendell, Senators Specter and Santorum, in launching Project Exile to fully enforce existing federal gun laws and remove armed felons from Philadelphia streets...

"'If you're a felon out on the streets of Philadelphia today, I dare you to carry a gun,' Heston warned...

"'I promise you,' Heston told Mayor Rendell, 'If you and your prosecutors stick to the simple, proven model of Richmond, the murder rate in Philadelphia will decline and your citizens will be safer."

And how has following "the simple, proven model" worked out for Richmond, the template for Philadelphia crime-fighting?

Richmond's murder rate climbs again-- national numbers decline

"In the final hours of 2004, Richmond topped its 2003 murder rate by one, securing its distinction as one of the nation's most dangerous cities.

"The city's final homicide of the year _ called in to police around 8 p.m. New Year's Eve was number 95, surpassing the previous year's 94. In 2002, there were 83 and in 2001, 69.

"Murders in the United States dropped by nearly 6 percent in the first half of 2004 after rising for four straight years, the FBI reported. Numbers from the second half of 2004 have not been compiled.

"Richmond had the country's fourth highest murder rate in 2003 and was ranked the nation's ninth most dangerous city overall in 2004 _ beating out Miami and Compton, Calif. Richmond is the sixth most dangerous when compared to other cities with populations of 100,000 to 499,999."

Note to NRA Management:

We tried to tell you that "Exile" was a bad idea. It's time to follow your own professed beliefs and admit that gun control does not reduce violent crime--even those edicts that you endorse.

I'm still waiting for someone at NRA-HQ to cite the Constitutional authority for the feds to be involved in gun control at all. It's past time for the suits at Fairfax to adopt the motto "Repeal existing gun laws," and stop calling for their enforcement.

After all, wasn't enforcing existing gun laws what precipitated Waco and Ruby Ridge?

The Usual NRA Board Candidate Questionnaire- 2007

Voting members have until March 25 to get their ballots for NRA Board of Directors mailed in and received. As usual, the Nominating Committee has selected a group of candidates to perpetuate "The Winning Team." As usual, another faction is urging us to vote for outsiders. And as usual, some opinion makers are urging us to vote based on their personal experience with or devotion to particular candidates.

So what to do?

As usual, The War on Guns has prepared a questionnaire, designed to separate the Freedom Fighters from the Fuddites. And as usual, I don't expect any candidate to put their stance in the public record for scrutiny, so as usual, I don't expect I'll be voting (again) this year.

Here it is. If you're a candidate who wants my vote and endorsement, fill in the answers, send it back to me, and if you get them right, I'll do what I can to support you.

To those of you who are voting members and would like to see candidates answer these questions: Use them yourselves. One of the reasons these are ignored is because I'm the only one asking them. If each candidate received numerous demands, do you think they'd be so quick to discount any need to respond? If you get a reply, let me know about it.

---------------------------------------------------------------

1. Do you believe that the Constitution is the "supreme law of the land" and that the Bill of Rights acknowledges the birthrights of all Americans?

2. If so, should these rights be proactively protected from infringement by all levels of government, including city, county and state?

3. Please give some examples of gun laws you consider constitutional.

4. Please give some examples of gun laws you consider unconstitutional.

5. Does the right to bear arms include the right for any peaceable citizen to carry them concealed without a permit, as in Vermont?

6. Do you believe that Americans have a right to own, use and carry weapons of military pattern?

7. Do you support or oppose Project Exile, and do you agree with current NRA management’s call to “enforce existing gun laws”?

8. Do you support or oppose licensing requirements to own or carry firearms? Why?

9. What specific gun laws will you work to get repealed?

10. If elected to the NRA Board, will you back your words of support for firearms rights up with consistent actions? How?

11. Do you agree with the way NRA assigns political ratings? If not, what would you change and why? Who would you have given a different rating to, what would it been and why?

12. Do you disagree with any policies being promulgated by NRA management? What is you biggest area of dissent? Have you offered superior alternatives and worked with others to implement them?

13. Have you ever publicly spoken out against an NRA position because you thought it was wrong? When, where, and what were the results?

14. What reforms do you think are needed at NRA and why?

15. If elected, how will you inform members of your performance and voting record? Will you let us know when you dissent and why?

16. Do you agree with Executive VP Wayne LaPierre, who stated: "[W]e believe in absolutely gun-free, zero-tolerance, totally safe schools. That means no guns in America's schools, period ... with the rare exception of law enforcement officers or trained security personnel"? If not, what do you plan to do about it?

2006 Questionnaire
2005 Questionnaire

The Ghost of Christmas Past

RPD chief considers bringing 'Project Exile' back to combat gun violence [More]

Here's why, for all you "Enforce Existing Intolerable Acts" types...

[Via Mack H]

Project Exile's Miracle in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A bloody, bullet-filled weekend left 11 people dead across the city, where drugs and disrespect have trumped brotherly love and the murder rate is on pace to be the highest in a decade.

C'mon, criminals. NRA dares you to carry a gun.

This business of teaming up with anti-gun politicians to promote gun control sure works wonders, doesn't it?

A Victimless Crime

The Supreme Judicial Court ruled today that illegal gun possession is a “passive and victimless crime’’ and those charged with having illicit firearms cannot be held without bail as dangers to society. [More]

I wonder if it will be considered divisive if I point this out:

Project Exile meant zero tolerance for criminal gun use. No deals. No plea-bargains. No bail. No exceptions. Commit a crime with a gun and you’re done.

It worked like this: A police officer arrests a suspect carrying a gun. He asks the suspect the questions on the card. If the suspect answers “yes”--bang--he’s nailed on a federal gun crime. Conviction meant a mandatory five years in federal prison. No questions asked.

Hell of a thing when the MA judiciary is more lenient on guns than the NRA. Not that I want to incur the wrath of the pragosphere for making that observation...

[Via Ed M]

I'm Surprised They Never Thought of this Before: Part Two

Convicted felons caught carrying firearms would face the prospect of federal prosecutions and long sentences in distant federal prisons.

Because if there's one thing the feds and locals haven't tried, it's "Project Exile."

You Wouldn't Say 'Enforce Existing Intolerable Acts'

ATF Lets Straw-Purchasing Violent Criminal Walk In WV [More]

Sorry, but "Enforce existing gun laws" can be used against every "I will not comply" civil disobedience activist out there. Cheering this on is part of the problem, and it will come back to bite you.

That's why, years ago, some of us signed on to the Project Exile Condemnation Coalition.

Anyone who can't be trusted with a gun can't be trusted without a custodian. That's true and there's no getting around it.  Everything else is self-defeating.

[Via Florida Guy]   

Fairfax-Approved Intolerable Acts

This is as offensive and unconstitutional as the NRA’s Project Exile which promotes the enforcement of unconstitutional federal gun laws when state and local authorities make an arrest over which involves a firearm. [More]

Agreed. Some of us were saying that 15 years ago. And warning against accepting "success stories" as gospel ever since.

You Mean Project Exile Didn't Work?

Visibly moved by the funeral Wednesday for slain Philadelphia Police Officer Chuck Cassidy, Gov. Rendell yesterday called for tougher penalties for shooting at a police officers and pledged to renew his fight for three gun-control laws stalled in the Legislature...

The proposed laws would require gun owners to report lost or stolen weapons, limit handgun sales to one per person per month, and enable municipalities to enact their own gun laws.

I don't get it. I thought Philly was a done deal...?

Thank You, Captain Oblivious

The benefits of supporting a revived Project Exile are obvious... [More]

No, they're not.

But the dangers sure are.

I'll say one thing for the guy -- he sure knows how to attract comments.

UPDATE: I should have included this link.

A 'Law and Order' Republican

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares slams "far-left prosecutors" Descano and Biberaj [More]

But he thinks the answer is Project Exile and federalism-challenged "conservatives" are cheering him on?

[Via Mack H]

Nothing Succeeds Like Success

Project Exile, a program that has been successful elsewhere... [More]

I guess if the media (and the NRA) keeps repeating that, it must be true.

Just don't ask "Where?"...

[Via retrotruckman]

Speaking of Cognitive Dissonance...

 Now, as gun-control supporters increasingly set their sights on gun owners, gun-rights supporters must marshal that same passion to combat the more complex anti-gun campaign to expand prohibited-persons categories. [More]

What, like the kind that could be caught up in NRA-endorsed "Project Exile"?

Enforce Existing Intolerable Acts?

At Second Amendment rally outside Capitol, a wide variety of causes emerge [More]

For instance, this bit of Fairfax-planted self-destruction from 2A "champion" Sen. Amanda Chase:

The focus on gun measures, Chase said, should surround Project Exile, a measure that punishes those in illegal possession of a firearm to a minimum of five years in prison.

More KoolAid, please!

How much more refutation is needed?

[Via Mack H]