GOA sounds alarm on anti-gun judge nominee while NRA stays silent

[See NRA update below]

An anti-gun nominee to the D.C. Court of Appeals may be confirmed for a lifetime appointment tomorrow with little gun owner awareness, let alone involvement.

“Using his power as Majority Leader, Senator [Harry] Reid made a procedural move last week to force a vote on Caitlin Halligan, formerly the solicitor general of New York and an avid leader in the effort to destroy firearms manufacturers using frivolous litigation,” Gun Owners of America warns in a release sent out today. 

“Click here to send your Senators a pre-written message,” the alert asks, further explaining why this is important and there is no time to waste:

Reid scheduled the Halligan vote for this Tuesday, December 6. Consider it an early Christmas present for his anti-gun pals.

That’s tomorrow.  By way of background, GOA reports:

As New York’s solicitor general, Halligan was one of the chief lawyers responsible for New York’s baseless and politically motivated efforts to bankrupt gun manufacturers using frivolous litigation. In so doing, Halligan proved that she places liberal political activism above fealty to the law.

Halligan’s public hatred for firearms was only matched by her zealotry inside the courtroom. In a speech on May 5, 2003, Halligan called for “handgun manufacturers [to be held] liable for criminal acts committed with handguns.”

Curiously, while the National Rifle Association expressed strong opposition to Halligan back in March, NRA has not alerted its members to this new move and the need to oppose it—despite being much better funded and staffed than GOA, and having many more members whose voices are needed. A search for Caitlan Halligan on the ILA website returns no results. Nor does this issue appear on their alerts page.

Whether NRA management’s longstanding affinity for Harry Reid plays a part in this—or whether this is simply another example of a lumbering bureaucracy (one that has the resources to be first responders) being too slow to react is secondary at this point. The clock is running out.

NRA must, this afternoon, alert its members to oppose Halligan, and, as they failed to do with Eric Holder, put senators on notice that a confirmation vote will be scored against them—especially the so-called “pro-gun Democrats” we’ve heard so much about. It would take NRA all of an hour and the cost of emailing their membership list to make this happen.

And gun owners must—right now—use the GOA link to contact their senators and spread the word.  It does no good to blame organizations for their failings if we don’t set the example as individuals.

UPDATE: NRA weighs in.

Given Ms. Halligan’s clear opposition to a major federal law that was essential to protecting law-abiding Americans’ right to keep and bear arms, as well as an important industry that equips our military and law enforcement personnel, we must respectfully oppose her confirmation, including the vote on cloture.  We greatly appreciate your attention to our concerns.

No "or else."

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Complete text of GOA email alert:

Gun Owners of America

 

Anti-gun Judicial Nominee is Back!

Harry Reid Attempting to Ram Through Another Judge

With the help of tons of emails from Gun Owners of America members that poured into the Senate earlier this year, a gun-hating Obama judicial nominee had been kept from coming to the floor for a vote.

But thanks to good old Harry Reid, who likes to pretend he supports gun rights, that nominee is coming up for a vote on Tuesday.

Using his power as Majority Leader, Senator Reid made a procedural move last week to force a vote on Caitlin Halligan, formerly the solicitor general of New York and an avid leader in the effort to destroy firearms manufacturers using frivolous litigation.

Click here to send your Senators a pre-written message.

Reid scheduled the on Halligan vote for this Tuesday, December 6. Consider it an early Christmas present for his anti-gun pals.

Gun Owners of America began in February briefing Senate members on the dangers of confirming Halligan to a seat on the D.C. Court of Appeals -- sometimes called the second highest court in the land.

As New York’s solicitor general, Halligan was one of the chief lawyers responsible for New York’s baseless and politically motivated efforts to bankrupt gun manufacturers using frivolous litigation. In so doing, Halligan proved that she places liberal political activism above fealty to the law.

Halligan’s public hatred for firearms was only matched by her zealotry inside the courtroom. In a speech on May 5, 2003, Halligan called for “handgun manufacturers [to be held] liable for criminal acts committed with handguns.”

Certainly, no other manufacturer of another item -- whether it be cars, baseball bats, or anything else -- would be held liable for the criminal misuse of its product. And, as Halligan well knows, the application of that principle to firearms would surely eliminate the manufacture of firearms in America.

After attempts of legal extortion of the firearms industry were repudiated by a bipartisan vote in Congress, Halligan’s office did not let up on attacking gun rights, signing a brief calling for New York courts to declare the federal Gun Makers’ Protection Act unconstitutional.

Finally, Halligan, in written testimony submitted to the Senate in connection with her nomination, attempted to conceal the extent of her anti-gun animus.

Halligan’s failure to provide information that would clarify her statements, thus keeping her testimony from being misleading, constitutes “fraud” against the Senate. As such, the only role she should play in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is the role of a defendant.

But, of course, none of this matter to Harry Reid. He already did his part getting two strident anti-gun Obama judges onto the Supreme Court, and now he’s doing what he can to pack the Appeals Courts with radical leftists as well.

We have to stop this Reid/Obama court-packing scheme. Please act now, as the vote is scheduled for this Tuesday.

Click here to send your Senators a prewritten email message.