This week, we found out the man the NRA picked to lead it out of a half-decade-long scandal has serious baggage of his own. The kind of baggage that comes with a content warning: if you are sensitive to descriptions of animal cruelty, don’t read the first two stories in this newsletter.
Doug Hamlin, the NRA’s new CEO, was involved in the gruesome killing of his frat house’s cat. Hamlin says that involvement wasn’t direct. But contemporaneous reporting shows he pled no contest to animal cruelty charges and more. The wake of that story seems to have already had a negative impact on the gun-rights group’s standing since it canceled the Georgia event Donald Trump was slated to headline a short while after it broke.
It also comes as the gun-control groups are pressing their election fundraising advantage. Everytown and Giffords announced more than $15 million in new spending, while the NRA launched a new ad campaign in some big swing states going after Kamala Harris. I also explain who Harris’s recent gun messaging is aimed at and why it might be working.
The Supreme Court was back in the news this week as well. It took action in another gun case, and its Second Amendment test got even more popular.
Plus, The Bulwark‘s Tim Miller joins the podcast to give his take on Kamala’s Glock. And we have a ton of interesting stories down in the links at the end of the email, too–including a piece I wrote alongside other experts at The Dispatch. Speaking of The Dispatch, they’re still offering Reload readers a 30-day free trial of their paid membership.
NRA Head Says He Wasn’t ‘Directly Involved’ in Frat Cat Torture
By Stephen Gutowski
The CEO and Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Association (NRA) claims he didn’t directly participate in the mutilation and burning of a house cat, which served as the basis for a no-contest pleading he and four frat brothers entered in a 1980 case.
Doug Hamlin, who was elected by the NRA board earlier this year, acknowledged the act of animal cruelty happened. However, he said he wasn’t “directly involved” with it. He said he took responsibility for the act as the head of the fraternity’s chapter.
“I do not in any way condone the actions that took place more than 44 years ago,” Hamlin said in a statement. “I took responsibility for this regrettable incident as chapter president although I wasn’t directly involved.”
Click here to continue reading.
NRA, Trump Cancel Georgia Event in Wake of Cat Killing Story
By Stephen Gutowski
The National Rifle Association will not host Former President Donald Trump in Savannah, Georgia, next week.
The gun-rights group announced the cancelation of the rally on Thursday. The group said “campaign scheduling changes” forced them to abandon the event, but didn’t detail what created the scheduling conflict. Additionally, the decision to cancel the event came just days after the new NRA CEO’s involvement in a decades-old animal abuse scandal was brought back to light.
“The NRA is committed to ensuring Donald Trump wins in November and returns to the White House,” a statement sent to The Reload by spokesman Nick Perrine said.
Gun-Control Groups Announce Flood of New Election Spending, NRA Counters with PA Radio Campaign
By Stephen Gutowski
The nation’s leading gun-control groups have announced more than $15 million in election spending over the past week.
Everytown for Gun Safety and Giffords have released plans for a slew of new campaigns across multiple states and races during the past seven days. The former announced a combined $13 million in new spending, while the latter began $2.2 million worth of new efforts. In contrast, the National Rifle Association told The Reload it has begun a new “seven-figure ad buy” in Pennsylvania and Georgia as part of an ongoing multi-million dollar campaign to back Former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris.
The gun-control groups are instead focusing on down-ballot races across key battleground states. The Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund and Senate Majority PAC are partnering on a $4 million campaign against Republican Senate candidates in Michigan and Pennsylvania. The Giffords PAC said it will spend $1 million in ads against Nebraska Congressman Dan Bacon (R.) and $1.2 million against Arizona Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R.). The rest of the spending is targeted at state and local elections.
Everytown said it plans to pump $9 million into Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania state legislative elections.
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Analysis: The Bruen Decision Keeps Getting More Popular [Member Exclusive]
By Stephen Gutowski
The Supreme Court’s landmark decision codifying an individual right to carry a gun in self-defense has reached a new peak in popularity.
A full 70 percent of Americans approve of the Court’s ruling in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, according to the latest Marquette Law School poll. Furthermore, a plurality strongly favors the holding, and only 12 percent strongly oppose it.
The numbers, released on Thursday, represent a small uptick in approval from the last time Marquette asked the question. But they also represent a six-point increase from the first time it asked. And they cement the ruling’s status as among the most popular the Court has handed down this decade.
If you’re a Reload Member, click here to read more. If not, buy a membership today for exclusive access!
Supreme Court Vacates, Remands Ruling Striking Down Young Adult Carry Ban
By Jake Fogleman
The extent to which young adults have gun-carry rights will not be the next big Second Amendment question considered by the Supreme Court.
The Court on Tuesday declined a request by Pennsylvania officials to review an appeals court decision striking down the state’s ban on gun carry for adults under 21 during declared states of emergency. Instead, the justices opted to grant, vacate, and remand (GVR) that decision back to the appeals court to be re-examined with the Supreme Court’s most recent Second Amendment decision in mind.
“The petition for a writ of certiorari is granted. The judgment is vacated, and the case is remanded to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for further consideration in light of United States v. Rahimi,” the Court wrote.
Podcast: Does Kamala’s Glock Matter? (Ft. The Bulwark’s Tim Miller)
By Stephen Gutowski
This week, we’re taking a closer look at Kamala Harris’s recent gun messaging.
That’s why we have Tim Miller of The Bulwark on the show. He’s a Republican strategist turned Never Trumper who wants Harris to win but isn’t afraid to be honest about whether her campaign is going in a direction that makes sense. On her recent turn to talking about owning a handgun, he argued it’s a “CYA” move designed to reassure moderate swing voters she won’t take their guns.
You can listen to the show on your favorite podcasting app or by clicking here. Video of the episode is available on our YouTube channel.
Plus, contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I recap how oral arguments over the ATF’s reclassification of unfinished firearms parts kits went this week before the Supreme Court. We also discuss the justices’ decision to take up the case over Mexico’s lawsuit against the American gun industry later this term. Then, we turn to the politics behind Kamala Harris’ decision to reveal that she owns a Glock handgun. Finally, we wrap up with a brief update on the grassroots movement to repeal Massachusetts’ new omnibus gun control law via the ballot and a discussion of The Reload’s reporting being cited in other national outlets.
Analysis: Who Harris’s Gun Messaging is Targeting and Why it Might be Working [Member Exclusive]
By Stephen Gutowski
“It’s the double-haters and the conflicted partisans.”
That’s what Marquette pollster Charles Franklin told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Thursday about who is left to decide the election in Wisconsin. It’s also the group Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are trying to hit with their latest closing argument on guns.
And there’s some evidence it might be working.
While the race has mostly stagnated on gun policy, with Trump and Harris sticking closely to the platforms each party has run on since the start. Harris, like Joe Biden before her, is pushing for universal background checks, a “red flag” law, and an “assault weapons” ban. Trump is a bit lighter on policy promises but has said he’ll undo all of Biden’s executive gun action and push for national concealed carry reciprocity.
But the lack of policy shakeups doesn’t mean nothing about guns in the 2024 race has changed.
If you’re a Reload Member, click here to read more. If not, buy a membership today for exclusive access to this piece and hundreds of others!
Outside The Reload
Social Policy Experts: Trump and Harris Will Offer a Mixed Bag | The Dispatch
Pennsylvania Senator Calls for End to Filibuster to Pass Gun Control | Bearing Arms | By Cam Edwards
NY Gov Hochul signs package of gun control measures into law | Spectrum News | By Luke Parsnow
Survivors of Maine Mass Shooting Take Step Toward Suing the Army | New York Times | By Jenna Russell
Highly Regulated Germany Considers New Weapons Laws To Deter Terrorists | Reason | By J.D. Tuccille
That’s it for this week in guns.
I’ll see you all next week.
Thanks,
Stephen Gutowski
Founder
The Reload
