From St. Louis:
Police say a woman shot at three people this morning when she suspected them of breaking into her apartment building. The woman was in her third-floor apartment about 10:30 a.m. at Miami Street and Missouri Avenue when she saw three men coming up the stairs, police said. She fired one shot at the trio, prompting them to run off. It wasn't clear if anyone was shot. She was not hurt. Police were looking for three males but did not immediately have descriptions of them Tuesday. . . .

Today, House Bill 1588, legislation that could criminalize private sales of firearms and lead to handgun registration, was amended and reported by the House Judiciary Committee by a 7-6 vote.  HB 1588 is now headed to the House Rules Committee before going to the floor of the state House of Representatives.

Wyoming Governor Matt Mead (R) signed into law Senate File 132, legislation introduced by Senator Ogden Driskill (R-01) that allows the use of suppressors for hunting all game in the Cowboy State starting on July 1, 2013.  Thanks to passionate input from gun owners and sportsmen, the Wyoming House of Representatives voted 44 to 14 in favor of this pro-hunting reform while the state Senate voted 23 to 7.

Wyoming Governor Matt Mead (R) signed into law Senate File 132, legislation introduced by Senator Ogden Driskill (R-01) that allows the use of suppressors for hunting all game in the Cowboy State starting on July 1, 2013.  Thanks to passionate input from gun owners and sportsmen, the Wyoming House of Representatives voted 44 to 14 in favor of this pro-hunting reform while the state Senate voted 23 to 7.

This Thursday, February 21 at noon, the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin hearings in Room 15 of the state Capitol on dangerous anti-gun measures that would infringe on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.  This committee will also meet from 6:00-9:00 p.m. on Thursday evening for public testimony on all firearm bills currently under consideration by this committee, and also on Friday, February 22 at noon where they will hear the majority of these anti-gun bills.  

Senate Bill 69 started off as a Gun "Buyback” bill, but has evolved into a “Gun Safety and Education” bill, and by further amendments has morphed into a gun owner harassment/mental interrogation bill.   SB 69 will be heard tomorrow, February 20, by the Senate Ways and Means Committee (WAM) at 9:45 AM.  This bill, in its current state,  will require fingerprinting and NICS checks in addition to the already existing registration requirement on ALL firearms brought into the state, and will allocate $200,000 to police departments to be used at their discretion for safety and training, gun "buybacks" or extensive background checks for mental health.  Please contact members of the Senate WAM Committee TODAY and respectfully express your opposition to SB 69.

Previously, we reported on approximately six NRA-backed issues filed so far in the 2013 Regular Session of the Texas Legislature.  A few more bear mentioning with several weeks left until the bill filing deadline the first week of March.  The NRA-ILA will keep you posted as to which committees these bills are referred and if and when a public hearing is scheduled on any of them.

Many people have been asking me when the Kindle edition of "At the Brink" would be out.  Well, it is available here.

The Alchian family said that Armen died in his sleep this morning 
at the age of 98. Alchian was one of the greatest 
and most influential economists ever. His free market views 
shaped generations of economists. Alchian had a huge impact 
on anyone who knew him and my life was no different.

Legislative Document 576, temporary emergency Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) confidentiality legislation, was enacted in Augusta today.  LD 576, sponsored by state Senator Troy Jackson (D-35), passed overwhelmingly by a 33-0 vote in the state Senate and by a 129-11 vote in the state House of Representatives.  Shortly thereafter, Governor Paul LePage (R) signed LD 576 into law, effectively granting immediate privacy protection for all CHP holders.  This measure is effective until April 30, 2013.

Tomorrow, the House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear House Bill 76, sponsored by state Representative John Mathis (R-55).  HB 76 would allow any person, 21 years of age or older who can lawfully own and possess a firearm, to carry it concealed without a permit. This hearing is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. in House Hearing Room 20.  

The link is available here.

Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
The video is available here.

This Thursday, the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee is set to vote on Senate Bill 281 (more information on this bill can be found here).  It is likely that this sweeping anti-gun legislation will be reported out by this Committee and voted on by the entire Maryland Senate at the end of this week.  SB 281 has drawn much criticism and protest from Maryland citizens.  Evident from the huge turnout at the February 6th rally of thousands of Second Amendment supporters in Annapolis, this legislation is strongly opposed by law-abiding Marylanders.  Now is your LAST CHANCE to express your opposition, and it is extremely important that you do so IMMEDIATELY.  DO NOT let them ban your guns and make YOU a criminal.

This Thursday, the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee is set to vote on Senate Bill 281 (more information on this bill can be found here).  It is likely that this sweeping anti-gun legislation will be reported out by this Committee and voted on by the entire Maryland Senate at the end of this week.  SB 281 has drawn much criticism and protest from Maryland citizens.  Evident from the huge turnout at the February 6th rally of thousands of Second Amendment supporters in Annapolis, this legislation is strongly opposed by law-abiding Marylanders.  Now is your LAST CHANCE to express your opposition, and it is extremely important that you do so IMMEDIATELY.  DO NOT let them ban your guns and make YOU a criminal.

Reporters do have a tough job and only a fraction of the resources that they used to have.  I can definitely see how that has caused the government to have much more power relative to them, that it is so much easier now to simply take and run with what the Obama administration gives them.  Still, I don't believe that is the entire story.  I don't think that a Republican would have this easy of a time dealing with the media.  From Politico:

With more technology, and fewer resources at many media companies, the balance of power between the White House and press has tipped unmistakably toward the government. This is an arguably dangerous development, and one that the Obama White House — fluent in digital media and no fan of the mainstream press — has exploited cleverly and ruthlessly. And future presidents from both parties will undoubtedly copy and expand on this approach.
“The balance of power used to be much more in favor of the mainstream press,” said Mike McCurry, who was press secretary to President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Nowadays, he said, “The White House gets away with stuff I would never have dreamed of doing. When I talk to White House reporters now, they say it’s really tough to do business with people who don’t see the need to be cooperative.” . . .

These shows should be fun.  I particularly enjoy the Dennis Miller and Dennis Prager shows whenever I have been on in the past.






The Pat Campbell Show 9:35 to 9:50 AM

Frank Beckmann Show10:09 AM – 10:29 AM
Mark Larson10:40 AM – 11:10 AM
Dennis Miller11:05 AM – 11:35 AM
Dennis Prager12:20 PM – 1:00 PM
Scott Hennen Show1:35 PM – 2:00 PM

The House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing on House Bill 402 this Thursday, February 21, at 1:30 pm (or upon adjournment of the House) in Room 315 of the State Capitol.  Please attend this hearing and voice your opposition to HB 402.  If this measure advances from this committee, it will go to the House Judiciary Committee.  Please also call AND e-mail committee members and urge them to oppose HB 402. (See listing below for committee member contact information.)

Yesterday, NRA-supported House Bill 2471, sponsored by House Speaker Rick Thompson (D-19), was reported with a substitute by the House Judiciary Committee by a unanimous voice vote. HB 2471 seeks to prohibit the restriction of the lawful possession, use, carrying, transfer, transportation, storage or display of a firearm or ammunition during a declared state of emergency. An amendment, offered by Delegate Eric Householder (R-64), strengthening HB 2471 was adopted in committee by a voice vote and would provide the same protection during a federal state of emergency.