NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS ALERT: Vol. 21, No. 32 08/15/2014 Bloomberg Defeated by Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke In recent weeks, Michael Bloomberg's campaign against gun rights have continued without abatement, as the New York City billionaire aimed his checkbook at Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, a strong supporter of the right of people to keep and bear arms for their defense. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Bloomberg, through his political action committee, Independence USA, spent >50,000 on advertisements to unseat Sheriff Clarke in this week's Democratic primary.  However, as many of you may already know, Bloomberg failed. Sheriff Clarke won on Tuesday by 52-48 percent and is expected to win re-election in November. READ MORE >> Sneak Peek at NRA All Access Episode 6 MORE VIDEOS >> Watch the Latest Grassroots News Minute MORE VIDEOS >> Clinton-Appointed Judge Upholds Maryland's "Assault Weapon" and "Large" Magazine Bans in Ultra-Biased Opinion This week's ruling by the judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland reminds us why it is important to elect U.S. senators who will reject an anti-gun president's anti-gun nominees to the federal courts, and to elect presidents who will not nominate anti-gunners in the first place.  On Tuesday, August 12, Judge Catherine C. Blake, appointed to the court by President Bill Clinton, upheld Maryland's "assault weapon" and "large" magazine ban in the case of Kolbe v. O'Malley. READ MORE >> Chuck Norris' Top 10 Reasons to Register to Vote In July, NRA's Freedom Action Foundation (NRA-FAF) announced its 2014 Trigger the Vote voter registration campaign by unveiling its new website and premiering its first ad, "Father & Son."  On Wednesday, Trigger the Vote released a new, exclusive video featuring the campaign's Honorary Chairman, Chuck Norris. Watch the video on Chuck's Top Ten Reasons to Register to Vote. Then, please share the video with your friends, family, and fellow gun owners and hunters. READ MORE >> Background Checks? Gun Turn-in Organizer Doesn't Want Guns Sold at All! Gun control advocate Niki Watson received an unwelcome surprise when she learned that firearms she collected at a gun turn-in in Augusta, Ga. would be resold to law-abiding gun owners. According to the Augusta Chronicle, Watson said that the plan to sell the guns is a "slap to the face" and that "My whole objective was to get them off the streets."  Watson didn't understand Georgia law. SB 350, signed into effect by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal on May 3, 2012, mandates that law enforcement agencies sell seized or forfeited firearms to a dealer or, in the case of firearms reported as stolen, return the guns to their rightful owners. Because the guns are sold only to licensed dealers, purchasers are subject to a background check, of course. READ MORE >> No Surprise Here: ABA Opposes Self-Defense and Stand Your Ground Laws The American Bar Association (ABA), which supports handgun registration and handgun owner licensing, supports a ban on general-purpose semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15, thinks the Consumer Products Safety Commission should dictate what kind of firearms are "safe" enough to manufacture, supports legislation to ban the manufacture of pistols that don't micro-stamp ammunition, thinks that anti-gun groups should be able to file frivolous lawsuits against the firearm industry, and opposes "shall issue" carry permit laws and federal "Right-to-Carry" reciprocity legislation has come out against Stand Your Ground laws.  Who, pray tell, could have predicted it? READ MORE >> Brady Campaign Loses Lawsuit Against Armslist. Again. The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled in favor of the firearms classified website Armslist on Tuesday when it held that, as a matter of law, Armslist could not be liable for the criminal acts of a person who illegally acquired a firearm using the Armslist website. Alex Vesely, with the support of the Brady Center's Legal Action Project, sued Armslist on behalf of his sister Jitka, who was killed by Demetry Smirnov using a handgun that had been advertised on Armslist. READ MORE >> BATFE Proposes New "Lost or Stolen" Reporting Requirement for Federal Firearm Licensees On August 12, 2014, the Department of Justice (DOJ) published a notice proposing an amendment to current Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) regulations requiring Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to report firearms that are lost or stolen in transit. Under current regulations, FFLs must report theft or loss of firearms within 48 hours of discovery. However, these new regulations would require that the transferor/sender of a firearm now bear the responsibility for reporting the theft or loss of that firearm within 48 hours. READ MORE >> Please Urge Your U.S. Representative to Cosponsor and Support Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act The "Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2013" (H.R. 2959)--introduced in the U.S. House by Reps. Richard Nugent (R-Fla.) and Jim Matheson (D-Utah)--would allow any person who is not prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm under federal law and who has a valid concealed firearm permit, to carry a concealed handgun in any state that issues its own residents permits to carry concealed firearms. Persons carrying a handgun in another state pursuant to H.R. 2959 would be subject to the laws of that state with respect to where concealed firearms may be carried. Similar legislation to H.R. 2959 passed the House in 2011 by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 272-154. READ MORE >> Please Take Action on Proposed Ban on the Sale and Trade of Ivory In past Grassroots Alerts, we addressed the Obama Administration's proposal to ban the trade and sale of legally owned ivory within the United States.  The NRA supports efforts to stop poaching and the illegal trade of ivory. However, banning lawfully-owned domestic ivory will have no impact on elephant poaching in Africa. On the contrary, such a ban would affect only honest, law-abiding Americans by making their possessions valueless. Please see this New York Times article highlighting the broad spectrum of people who will be harmed by the ban. READ MORE >> LOUISIANA: Gearing Up for 2014 Elections MAINE: Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Opposes Referendum Based on Forty Years of Research MICHIGAN: State Senate Acts on Pro-Gun Bills Today MONTANA: Gearing Up for 2014 Elections NEVADA: UPDATE on Concealed Handgun License Permit Recognition NEW JERSEY: Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Expanding Hunting in Great Swamp NWR NORTH CAROLINA: Gearing Up for 2014 Elections NORTH CAROLINA: 2014 NC Youth Education Summit Application Deadline is August 20! Apply today! TEXAS: Alcoholic Beverage Commission Proposes New Rules that Negatively Impact Friends of NRA Events, Shooting Clubs and Gun Shows WASHINGTON: Gearing Up for 2014 Elections WEST VIRGINIA: Nevada Drops Reciprocity for Concealed Handgun License Permit Holders