AR-15 bans aren’t getting any more popular. Quite the opposite in fact.
A new Quinnipiac poll from this week shows more voters oppose a nationwide ban on so-called “assault weapons” than support one. It’s bad news for President Biden, who has made a ban his marque gun policy proposal. But it’s actually just the latest major poll to show a downward trend in support for a ban.
This week also saw a new wrinkle in the fight over state preemption laws and the “Second Amendment Sanctuary” movement. An Oregon court ruled the two are incompatible, at least as they’re implemented in the state. Contributing Writer Jake Fogleman looks into the implications of that ruling.
There was an update on the Florida gun dealer who was dropped by Wells Fargo. Brandon Wexler of Wex Gunworks was invited to speak alongside Florida Governor Ron Desantis (R.) as he unveiled a new set of policy initiatives designed to prevent banks from dropping customers over their political beliefs or the legal industry they work in.
Jake provides some additional perspective on the NRA’s recent financial struggles. As bad as things have gotten for the gun-rights giant, it still stands far above its rivals in many ways. And those who’ve left the group haven’t all moved their giving to other pro-gun groups.
Plus, Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons joins the podcast to talk about YouTube’s crackdown on silencers.
Poll: More Voters Oppose an ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban Than Support One
By Stephen Gutowski
Bans on AR-15s, AK-47s, and similar firearms continue to lose support.
48 percent of registered voters said they oppose a nationwide ban on the sale of “assault weapons,” while 47 percent said they support one, according to a Quinnipiac University poll. The poll, released on Thursday, found Republicans and independents opposed a ban while Democrats supported one. Similarly, it found women wanted to see a sales ban while men did not.
Americans between 18 and 34 years old were most likely to oppose a ban, with 53 percent saying they don’t want one, and respondents over 65 years old were the only age group to see majority support for a ban, with 54 percent in favor.
Oregon Appeals Court Strikes Down Local ‘Second Amendment Sanctuary’ Ordinance
By Jake Fogleman
Oregon gun-rights advocates found themselves on the losing end of a legal battle Wednesday after a state court ruled two of their favored policies are legally incompatible.
A three-judge panel for the Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that a Columbia County ordinance attempting to nullify all state and federal gun laws violated the state’s firearm preemption law. The judges found the county’s broad Second Amendment Sanctuary law could not stand in light of state law that prevents localities from enacting their own gun regulations.
“The Ordinance, with limited exception, purports to nullify all firearm regulations enacted by the Legislative Assembly,” Judge Douglas Tookey wrote on behalf of the court. “If allowed to stand, it would, effectively, create a ‘patchwork quilt’ of firearms laws in Oregon, where firearms regulations that applied in some counties would not apply in Columbia County, which is what ORS 166.170 was enacted to avoid.”
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Analysis: Oregon Ruling Adds a New Wrinkle to the Preemption Debate [Member Exclusive]
By Jake Fogleman
Traditionally whenever a local gun law has been struck down in court under a state preemption statute, it’s usually the result of a left-leaning locality attempting to pass gun restrictions that the state government would not otherwise be willing to pass. A new ruling out of Oregon this week demonstrates that’s not always the case.
A three-judge panel for the Oregon Court of Appeals ruled against a Columbia County ordinance on Wednesday. The county’s “Second Amendment Sanctuary” ordinance attempted to prevent local enforcement of all state and federal gun laws. The panel ruled it violated Oregon’s firearm preemption statute, which generally prevents localities from enacting their own gun regulations.
“The Ordinance, with limited exception, purports to nullify all firearm regulations enacted by the Legislative Assembly,” Judge Douglas Tookey wrote on behalf of the court. “If allowed to stand, it would, effectively, create a ‘patchwork quilt’ of firearms laws in Oregon, where firearms regulations that applied in some counties would not apply in Columbia County, which is what ORS 166.170 was enacted to avoid.”
The ruling adds a new level of complexity to the ongoing debate over gun regulation and local control. It demonstrates that gun-rights advocates can no longer count on preemption to just be a bulwark against gun-control laws. Sometimes, it can actively cut against their own interests too.
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Florida Governor DeSantis Announces Plan to Stop Banks from Dropping Gun Companies
By Stephen Gutowski
Banks in Florida may soon have to deal with new state oversight of how they treat gun businesses if Governor Ron DeSantis (R.) gets his way.
On Tuesday, DeSantis announced plans to pass new regulations for banks with the goal of preventing them from incorporating social concerns into how they decide which companies to work with. He singled out how major banks have shut out gun businesses in recent years. He even invited Brandon Wexler, owner of Wex Gunworks, on stage to share his story about being dropped by Wells Fargo last month.
“If your bank account is being closed down, your life just got turned upside down,” Wexler told the crowd. “If you can’t transact with a business, you don’t have a business.”
“We are also going to enact protections for Floridians against discrimination by big banks and large financial institutions for their religious, political, or social beliefs,” DeSantis said.
Podcast: Forgotten Weapons’ Ian McCollum on YouTube’s Silencer Video Takedowns
By Stephen Gutowski
This week we’re focused on YouTube’s erratic moderation of silencers.
The social media giant began deleting videos and even whole channels that featured silencers, often called suppressors, from their site a few weeks back. Then, after public outcry and an inquiry from The Reload, the company reversed course. But the damage to trust many gun creators had in the platform was already done by then.
Ian McCollum, who had one of his suppressor videos from Forgotten Weapons deleted, joins the podcast to talk about the ordeal. He explains how this is not the first time YouTube has targeted gun channels with unclear policies. In fact, he said he’s been dealing with these problems nearly the entire time he’s been on the platform.
You can listen to the show on your favorite podcasting site or by clicking here. Video of the episode is available on our YouTube channel.
Analysis: NRA Rivals Still Lag Behind Despite Group’s Continued Downturn [Member Exclusive]
By Jake Fogleman
The National Rifle Association is deeply troubled, but it still dominates American gun politics.
According to the latest round of internal documents obtained by The Reload, the NRA lost more than one million members over the last four years. That precipitous drop in membership has spearheaded a substantial decline in revenue over the same period. NRA revenues peaked in 2016 when the group brought in more than $366 million. Through November 2022, the group brought in just $186 million. As a result, it has been forced to operate on a greatly diminished budget and is now smaller than it has been since 2012 when internal documents show the group had 4 million members.
The reaction to this news has been mixed. Among gun-rights supporters, it has ranged from a sense of lamentation for what the group has become to outright indifference to its misfortune under the assumption that other groups are in a position to replace the NRA. Among gun-control advocates, there has been a mix of schadenfreude and a similar sense of confidence that their preferred groups stand to replace the NRA.
In this regard, both sides are seriously mistaken.
If you’re a Reload Member, click here to read more. If not, join today to read the whole piece!
Outside The Reload
North Carolina House passes gun carry bill with bipartisan support | AP News | By Hannah Schoenbaum
South Carolina lawmakers revive effort to pass permitless carry | AP News | By James Pollard
Indiana House Passes Bill to Provide Teachers With Firearms Training | Newsweek | By James Bickerton
Gun control proposals moving at the Minnesota Capitol | Sahan Journal | By Mark Zdechlik
That’s it for this week in guns.
I’ll see you all next week.
Thanks,
Stephen Gutowski
Founder
The Reload
