Rachel Malone was a one-woman force advancing Second Amendment rights and the cause of constitutional carry in the Lone Star State when TTAG first met her last year. Through her Texas Firearms Freedom advocacy operation — the very definition of grassroots activism — she moved the gun rights ball forward.
She did that so effectively, in fact, that she was noticed by the Republican Party of Texas. They snapped her up and made her Operations Director to take advantage of her energy and commitment.
That’s where she was for the last year. Notice use of the past tense.
In her role as a party delegate, she addressed a subcommittee at the state party convention last month. In that meeting, Malone expressed reservations about some of the proposals in Governor Greg Abbott’s post-Santa Fe school safety plan. She opposes enacting a “red flag” law and making changes to the state’s current firearms storage law.
She was summarily fired the next day.
That experience hasn’t changed her commitment to constitutional carry and it doesn’t mean she can’t still be extremely effective in advancing the cause of gun rights. So kudos to Gun Owners of America for recognizing that fact and bringing Rachel on to continue doing just that.
Here’s their press release announcing the hire:
Gun Owners of America Hires Staffer in Austin
Springfield, VA – Gun Owners of America (GOA) announces today the hiring of Rachel Malone as Texas Director. This signifies a new focus on GOA’s advocacy within the Texas State Legislature.
Texas is a key state for GOA’s work to advance gun freedoms. Texas is known for its rich heritage of gun owners, and it deserves strong advocacy for gun rights. Knowing this, Gun Owners of America is delighted to establish a permanent presence within Texas to preserve and defend Texans’ right to keep and bear arms.
Erich Pratt, Executive Director for Gun Owners of America, stated: “Texas is facing a battle, and GOA intends to be on the forefront. As the no-compromise gun lobby, GOA looks forward to working with grassroots activists all across Texas for victories in their state.
“I’m thrilled that Rachel Malone is serving as Texas Director for GOA. She has a strong background of fighting for firearms freedom, connecting with grassroots, and advocating within the Texas Legislature. I am confident in her ability to represent Texas gun owners in protecting the essential freedom of the right to keep and bear arms.”
EXCELLENT!!!! There are times when even the Republicans in my beloved Texas live up to the “stupid party” label. This was one of them. IDIOTS!!!!
Yep, better than the evil party, but sometimes it doesn’t much feel like it!
From what I see happening in Texas, this can only be seen as a very good thing. Texas seems to be heading towards blue, which would be horrible for Texas and the rest of the country. Immigration from states like Kalifornia is the direct cause IMO. The idiots flee Kalifornia only to bring their rabid politics to Texas.
Why do you think Texas is becoming more blue? We have larger Republican majorities than ever.
The polls (yes, I know) show Beto running neck and neck with Ted Cruz. IF that were true, that would be an indiiof bluing.
We are either looking at different polls, or you and I have a different definition of neck-and-neck. The closest poll I’ve seen has Cruz up by five points. All the others are 8-10 points in Cruz’ favor. Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat senator in three decades, and I don’t think O’Rourke is going to break that streak.
Oh .. man if that BETO wins there will be no wall in Texas .. then we will be called Mex-Tex .
A California Republican is what we call a RINO and he’s right – such creatures are toxic to Texas because they will get elected based solely on the (R) behind their name.
In the long term, what we need are more constitutionalists, not more self-proclaimed Republicans.
🤠
I think we need to start a Constitutionalists Party to replace and expose the RINOS.
Not to mention any names, but his initials are Sen. John Cornyn. Let’s start there.
Texas will probably be fine. I’ve been listening to democrats claim they’re going to “turn Texas blue” for 20 years. Hasn’t happened yet and it’s not anywhere near close to happening.
That is outstanding to hear. I have a friend who was born in Southern Texas. His family is still there. He tells me that area has been taken over by the libs and he can’t even stand to go back to visit family. I see what’s been happening in Austin, Houston and such. It ain’t pretty. Keep up the great work.
Austin has been a liberal mecca for decades. Nothing new to see there.
The large urban areas tend to be stultifyingly librard. The surrounding areas and rural areas, not so much.
Last time I checked California was spelt with a “C” not a K. Must be like Jalapenos but with
a “H” instead of a “J” .. just saying.
She was summarily fired the next day.
Come & Take It.
Remember the Alamo.
How about Constitutional Carry Gov. Abbott?
Since he thinks it is fine to carry a Bowie knife on the hip now or a sword on someones back in down-town Austin.
How about Constitutional Carry?
Abbott would sign Constitutional Carry, if the legislature would send him a bill to sign. The former Speaker of the House (Joe Strauss) has perennially prevented any CC bills from even being brought up for a vote.
Now that Strauss is gone and can no longer block it, we have a chance. It all depends on if the new Speaker will bring the bill up for a vote. You can bet that one will be introduced.
Abbott would sign Constitutional Carry, if the legislature would send him a bill to sign.
I used to want to believe that. I don’t anymore, he had the chance to bring it up and push it forward. He didn’t.
https://empowertexans.com/under-the-dome/gun-owners-frustrated-abbott/
It isn’t just the people in Austin who opinionate from upon high blocking things left and right it is also the people that are “there to protect us” and losing their Licensing Fees.
*Second to last paragraph.
~While costs for the state’s one million handgun licensees were lowered and knife reforms signed into law already this year, movement on permitless carry withered on the vine in the face of opposition from the Texas Police Chiefs Association and gun control groups.~
https://www.guns.com/2017/07/25/texas-lawmaker-proposes-constitutional-carry-for-special-session/
It’s called “rent-seeking”. Licensing fees create vested interest groups who’s well-being becomes linked to the licenses. To preserve their vested interests, the groups—cops and gun-controllers—begin lobbying politicians to maintain the status quo.
I’m dense, forgive me, but why exactly was she fire? What was the “Red Flag” thing that Abbott loved that she opposed?
She was fired for being too intelligent…you know, literate enough to know what “shall” and “not” and “infringe” literally mean. She was fired for not being a RINO.
“She was fired for not being a RINO.” More accurately, she was fired for not toeing the party line–meaning the Boss’ agenda. But it amounts to the same thing, since Abbot has become a RINO.
She was fired because Abbott did a stupid thing, and she failed to roll with his screw-up and instead called him out on it. Why Abbott thought it would be smart to make the noises he did, so soon after the debacle in Florida, so soon after the damn-near-self-sabotaged open carry debacle…it’s incomprehensibly dumb to me that he opened his trap. He’s not anti-gun, but clearly he or someone advising him was convinced had to say ‘something’ or face consequences.
People like her in GOA leadership positions should help keep that org honest, so it won’t turn into another NRA chasing donation connections & influence with political parties that could give a rat’s ass about the activism cause.
Red Flag law – see also “Gun Violence Restraining Order” – a method to, based only on an accusaton that you *might* become violent with a firearm, strip you of your rights and your property “temporarily” with no due process and no notification until you are ordered to surrender your firearms. Afterward you might be able to regain your property, if you spend thousands of dollars on legal representation and are able to prove your innocence, because the burden of proof is shifted to you rather than your accuser.
Except that’s not what was proposed at all.
Texas (like everywhere, I suppose) has massive good-ol-boy issues in its politics. I doubt she was canned for opposing gun control, she was canned for questioning Abbott as a Republican Party official. Embarrassing the boss is usually unwise, but frankly, Abbott needed to reap a lil whirlwind for even paying lip service to gun control like he did so soon after the Floridian Betrayal by Scott.
I’m glad to see a principled stance did not ruin a promising political career, or rather, an activism career. Whether it’s the RNC, the TSRA, or especially the NRA these days, we see that politics and activism have very different goals in practice.
I sent Abbott and our attorney general in Austin a note instead of the contribution that they requested. I informed them that when Constitutional Carry was passed and the red flag law issue was dropped that I would contribute. my rights are not for sale.
She hold’s no Law Degree, so what she suppose to do, other than PR!
No law degree is required to be a lobbyist. The job is basically to be a pest. Get on the phone to lawmakers, show up at their offices, get meetings with them, be in their faces all the time reminding them about how they should be voting. There are particular skills required, but no specific degrees.
Put into those constraints, I can see where that job has it’s perks…
Hopefully she’ll get an incoming Texas congressman to introduce a bill to repeal the NFA.
Hopefully her next stop will be N.Y to put an end to all the Tyranical , leftwing , corruption that plagues this dump of a state. It would be so great to go buy a couple 30 rd magazines for my AR-15. & not have to buy meanarms 10 rd loaders at $40 a piece.
If she went there , she would have mobs of socialists following her around screaming and hollering like a bunch of Adolph’s brown shirts.
Not to suggest that you do anything “unlawful” but I suspect 30 round mags are available in other states.
I am a member of Gun Owners of America
I am glad to see we have hired Miss Malone
Welcome aboard and keep up the good work!
I am a HUGE Malone fan ! She’s smart , insightful , a great lobbyists and a nice looking woman.
This is great news !
I miss her on the polite Society podcast. I hope she has time to do it in the future.