Nevada District 1 Congressional candidates answer gun rights questionnaire

Two Republican candidates for Nevada's Congessional District 1 have answered the Gun Rights Political Questionnaire.  Michele Fiore and Craig Lake  have given gun owners specific and unequivocal answers on where they stand on the right to keep and bear arms.

Regular readers  will recall we've presented responses from several Nevada Senate candidates, focusing particularly on that race because the seat currently held by Harry Reid appears vulnerable. And while I haven't focused much on Congressional candidates, nor can I feature every race out there, a candidate for national office making a special effort to reach out to gun owners is noteworthy and merits attention.

Besides, the incumbent, Shelley Berkley, has earned an "F" rating from Gun Owners of America, and that alone should motivate gun-owning constituents to pink slip her. "On the Issues" tells us NRA gave her an "F" in 2003, and that she backs nonsense like "smart guns" and waiting periods--although it does look like she changed positions on suing gun manufacturers.

Here are two challengers to consider for unseating Berkley:

Michele Fiore

I just received the following email from the Fiore for Congress Campaign--answers to my questionnaire:

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

Yes. Our natural rights as a free people pre-date the Constitution. The Constitution is a social contract, drafted to protect those rights.

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

Yes. All government officials take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, as well, with state offices, the state constitution. Government officials should be careful to protect our gun rights.

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

The requirement that guns be marked to identify the maker of the firearm, the location of the maker, the model, the caliber and gauge, and a serial number. 27 CFR §§ 478.92, 479.102. These requirements, although they could be used in an unconstitutional registration scheme, protect consumers, especially with purchases of used guns. The safety enhancement gained by marking a firearm with caliber should be obvious. The numerous recalls of firearms in recent years show that marking firearms with manufacturer, model, and serial number is an important consumer safety protection.

Another example would be export controls which outlaw sending arms to terrorists groups.

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

Some specific federal examples:

The “sporting purposes” test of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). The term “sporting” is used throughout the GCA.

The ban on possession and transfer of machine guns made after May 18, 1986. 18 U.S.C. § 922(o); 27 CFR § 479.105.

The NFA restrictions on traveling across state lines with a Class 3 weapon without prior ATF approval. 18 U.S.C. 922(a)(4); 27 CFR 478.28.

Additionally, “may issue” licensing schemes are unconstitutional. Examples would be California’s and New York’s may issue CCWs laws.

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

Yes.

6. Do you believe that Americans have a right to own, use and carry weapons of military pattern, and will you use the prestige of elected office to publicly promote that right?

Yes. I will seek to repeal the “sporting purposes test of the GCA, which would allow the importation of such weapons. Additionally, I will seek to repeal 18 U.S.C. § 922(o), which would allow Americans to buy machine guns made after May 18, 1986.

7. Do you support or oppose registration of weapons? Why?

Oppose. Registration has been used to disarm citizens not only in totalitarian countries, such as Germany, but also in democracies such as England and Australia.

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

Oppose, for the same reason that prior restraint of speech is unconstitutional.

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

Long term, the National Firearms Act (NFA) must be repealed. In the short term, I will work to repeal the laws I gave as examples in answer 4 (GCA “sporting purposes,” machine gun ban, NFA travel restrictions). I will also seek to remove silencers from the NFA, as well as eliminate the law enforcement officer certification requirement. Additionally, I would seek to strengthen legal protections for traveling interstate with firearms.

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

I am a life member of the NRA and Front Sight Firearms Training Institute. I am holder of three CCWs—Nevada, Utah, and Florida—which allows me to carry concealed in over 30 states.

In addition to working to repeal the “sporting purposes” test of the GCA, 922(o), and the NFA, as a member of Congress, I will call for an audit of National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record which is the database of NFA weapons.

I will vote to restore funding for restoration of federal firearms rights, funding which has been consistently denied by Congress. See 18 U.S.C. § 925(c) and 27 C.F.R. § 478.144.

I will vote and sponsor legislation to move BATFE’s law enforcement functions to the FBI and end the BATFE’s role in enforcing gun laws.

I will also seek to repeal tax (10% on handguns, 11% on other firearms) imposed on the manufacturers of firearms. 26 U.S.C. § 4181.

You can learn more about Michele Fiore's views on the right to keep and bear arms from her website page "Your 2nd Amendment Rights." You can learn more about candidate Fiore in general from her campaign website.

[Photo courtesy Fiore for Congress]

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Craig Lake

My friends at Gun Owners of Nevada received candidate Lake's response to the questionnaire and they posted it on their website. I'm copying it here:

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

Yes. My desire to run for office is rooted in a necessity for our country to return to our founding documents. I believe we are continuing to see government at all levels infringe on our freedoms and birthrights, and that must stop. We must return to our founding documents.

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

Yes. As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and Tenth Amendment of the Constitution, I firmly believe we must fight to protect our Constitutional rights from infringement by any government body.

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

Our Second Amendment rights are clearly defined in the U.S. Constitution and thus any law that restricts that right should be examined. The Nevada Constitution offers two example of good gun laws. Section 11 states: "Every citizen has the right to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful purposes." In addition, The NRS states that no person may be ciminally prosecuted for a reasonable act of self-defense.

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

The Clark County "blue card" registration is a violation of our federal and state constitutions. Government should not take a count on firearms that citizens acquire. This gives the government too much control and information, and violates the spirit of our founding fathers intentions with the Second Amendment. Various "Duty to Retreat" laws or laws that require owners to keep their fire arms under lock and key are also laws I would consider to be 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?

I believe this is a Tenth Amendment issue. As a member of Congress, I will not support any legislation that mandates concealed carry restrictions.

6. Do you believe that Americans have a right to own, use and carry weapons of military pattern, and will you use the prestige of elected office to publicly promote that right?

Law abiding citizens should have the right to purchase and use military style weapons. However, local government entities and property owners should have the right to reasonably restrict the areas which these weapons can be used.

7. Do you support or oppose registration of weapons? Why?

Oppose. See question four. Government does not have the authority to keep records of who owns or does not own firearms . This gives the government too much control and information, and violates the spirit of our founding fathers intentions with the Second Amendment.

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

See question seven and four.

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

I will work to reduce the waiting time needed to purchase a gun, making instant background checks more readily available.

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

Yes. Organizations like Gun Owners of Nevada will always be welcome in my office. I will also ensure that a member of my staff is consistently monitoring legislation to ensure our Second Amendment rights are protected.

You can learn more about Craig Lake from his campaign website.

[Photo courtesy Craig Lake for Congress]

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I could'a been a contender...

What about the other challengers in this race? Here are all of them from the FEC website:

Gun Owners of Nevada has sent out the questionnaire to candidates, and I'll make a special point of calling their responses to the attention of readers here should GONV receive their answers.

It's wonderful that two of the leading contenders have demonstrated such a strong commitment to the right to keep and bear arms, especially considering the record of disrespect from the incumbent. But it's now up to Nevada gun owners to involve themselves in the process, determine which candidate best represents their interests, and then offer their support via money and labor.

If you don't, guess who you're going to get?

Shelley Berkley.

You in, or are you folding?

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Question for Nevada gun owners

Are you a member of GONV?

If not, why not?

Go here right now and fix that. That is, if you believe it's not fair to expect others to entirely carry a load that also benefits you.

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Toy Trigger Sports LIVE?

That's what host James B. Towle and I talked about yesterday on American Trigger Sports Network, and we both agree we're pretty sick and tired of the ATF toying with our rights on something as ridiculous as "easily convertible" Airsoft guns. Thing is, it's not about toys, it's about an out-of-control agency that thinks it can get away with pretty much whatever it wants because no one is stepping forward to yank on their leash, and that's something we can't ignore.

Also watch Rachel Parsons-NRA, Barbara Crown-The Hunting Report, and "Coffee with Kim Rhode".

Click here to view yesterday's program. It will be up until it gets replaced by next week's. You can also watch past shows from the Trigger Sports LIVE! archive, via the ATSN YouTube channel, and I even found a bunch of my segments here, starting with my first appearance back in January...