One of outgoing Missouri Governor (D) Jay Nixon’s most visible action against Second Amendment rights was his recent veto of the gun reform bill SB 656. The bill contains a number of common sense reforms to restore Second Amendment rights and protections for people who legitimately engage in self defense.
From the NRA-ILA the bill would:
- Recognize Missourians’ right to Constitutional/Permitless Carry where open carry is not prohibited
- Expand Missouri’s current Stand your Ground laws
- Expand Castle Doctrine protections for anyone legally allowed into your home, vehicle, business and property
- Specify that except for credit card fees incurred, no additional fee beyond $100 may be charged to process concealed carry permits and allows military members extra time to renew their permits
- Implement 10, 20 and 50 year options for non-reciprocity issued permits
- Allow components of firearm training for RTC permits to be online
It’s not surprising then that former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg would oppose such reforms. He’s been adamantly opposed to an armed population his entire career and has invested tens of millions of dollars in anti rights organizations. Now some of his cash is being used in an attempt to prevent an ovverride of Nixon’s veto.
Only two years ago, the legislature overrode another veto of Nixon’s vetoes. That bill, also numbered SB 656. An override in the House seems highly likely, so the anti-gun activists are targeting the Senate.
But in order for the House to get the chance to override the veto, it must clear the Senate. That chamber voted 24-8 along party lines for the bill during session. Opponents must only flip two votes to sustain the veto.
That’s where the campaign comes in. Moms Demand Action, a grassroots-style group made up of mothers seeking action on gun control measures (and backed by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund), has launched a social media and phone calling campaign to try to convince senators to vote to sustain the veto.
They’ve been calling their senators and representatives asking them to sustain the veto. They’ve also been aggressively courting the legislators on Twitter, tweeting at them every poll or column or endorsement that shows support for stopping the bill.
Missouri’s Fraternal Order of Police and the Missouri Catholic Conference have joined with Bloomberg to stop the veto override. Both Republican and Democrat candidates for governor, one of whom will soon replace Nixon, have said that they would not have vetoed the bill.
The good news: if Bloomberg’s successful in stopping the override, a replacement bill is very likely to be passed and signed next session. An override now, though, would make sure that such effort would not be necessary.
Second Amendment supporters are likely contacting Senators as well. There are usually three to ten times as many Second Amendment proponents as anti-self defense activists. But the Second Amendment supporters don’t have the funding of billionaire elitists such as Michael Bloomberg.
The veto override will demonstrate whether votes or money wins this contest.
©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch
Nothing more dangerous to the American way than a carpetbagger & his money.