The Idaho Supreme Court is just days away from hearing a major 2nd Amendment case.
Idaho’s firearm preemption law is on the line, and that’s why the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance teamed up with the Second Amendment Foundation to defend Idaho’s gun owners.
You can get the details of the issue by watching the video below, and by reading the email I sent previously.
The oral arguments will be given on Monday, February 6th at 8:50 a.m., a change from 8:30 a.m. as previously mentioned.
Many of you have asked if you can attend the oral arguments. The short answer is yes, you can!
I would love to see the Idaho Supreme Court room PACKED with gun owners!
First, understand that firearms are not allowed in the Idaho Supreme Court.
Second, the seating capacity of the room is only 80 people. So, if you plan on attending, there is a chance it may be full by the time you arrive. The doors to the room open approximately 15 minutes before the arguments begin.
Finally, you can watch the arguments online if you are unable to attend in person.
You can do this by going to Idaho Public Television’s “Idaho in Session” page and clicking on “Judiciary” or use the link below!
<<< CLICK HERE TO WATCH ON FEB 6TH! >>>
We believe our case is solid and that the law is on our side, but we need to make sure the Idaho Supreme Court justices know this is a very important issue for gun owners.
Remember that if you are able to attend in person, there are no comments allowed from the public. We are only there to silently observe the arguments and questions from the justices.
I hope to see you there!
-Greg
We are one week away from one of our biggest efforts yet.
While the capitol is buzzing with Stand-Your-Ground legislation introduced recently by State Senator Scott Herndon (R), there is a major issue before the Idaho Supreme Court on February 6th.
Going to court is never the easiest or cheapest route to defending liberty, but sometimes it’s necessary.
That’s why the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance and Second Amendment Foundation have teamed up to take on the city of Sandpoint, and a non-profit group called “The Festival at Sandpoint.” Both entities have violated our firearm preemption statute, and more importantly, the 2nd Amendment.
The case is monumental and will be watched across the country by gun owners from East to West.
So, how did we end up here?
Several years ago, several members of the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance attempted to enter a public park in Sandpoint. The city controls the park but had temporarily let a private, non-profit organization use the park.
The non-profit group, “The Festival at Sandpoint” decided they were going to ban firearms from the event.
However, the Festival did something they and the city of Sandpoint are not allowed to do. Idaho’s state firearm preemption law (18-3302J) prohibits cities from regulating the possession of firearms and the 2nd Amendment says our right to keep and bear arms “shall not be infringed.”
How then can a city, who doesn’t have the authority to regulate the possession of firearms, give power to a private organization to ban firearms on public property?
It doesn’t make sense and because a northern Idaho judge didn’t want to hear our arguments about the case, it’s now up to the Idaho Supreme Court to do the right thing.
I recently visited the Idaho Supreme Court in preparation for our arrival on Feb. 6th. You can watch my short video below.
As I mentioned previously, this is a monumental case that will have a major impact on all Idahoans, and gun owners across the country will be paying attention as well since nearly every state in the country has a firearm preemption law.
What happens if the Idaho Supreme Court comes down on the wrong side of this issue?
Well, the biggest danger is that the court could determine that Idaho’s preemption law is useless.
If the ISC comes down on the wrong side of this case, it means that cities and counties across Idaho could let private organizations run public amenities which could result in the banning of firearms across the state.
What would stop the city of Boise, for instance, from letting a private non-profit run its public park system “permanently” and the non-profit putting up signs in public parks to ban firearms?
Nothing.
And that’s what we are trying to prevent. We believe the law is sufficient the way that it is, but clearly, the cities are taking a different approach to the law.
That’s why this case is so important, and why gun owners have to pay attention to what comes from it.
Of course, fighting this battle all the way through the Idaho Supreme Court isn’t easy, or cheap.
Gun owners have already stepped up in a major way to help us fund this effort, but we have to ensure we cover all our legal expenses until this battle is over!
That’s why I am asking gun owners to pitch into the ISAA’s legal fund by donating $100, $50, or even just $25 today. (HYPERLINK).
I know the Biden economy isn’t making it easy, so if a simple $10 or $5 donation (HYPERLINK) is what you can afford, we appreciate any and all amounts. The widow’s mite, as you might say.
You can donate today by clicking the donate button below.
<<< DONATE TODAY! >>>
Can you watch the oral arguments before the ISC? Yes, you can!
Click the link here on Feb. 6th, starting around 8:30 a.m., and you can watch the live stream from your home.
<<< CLICK HERE TO WATCH ON FEB. 6TH! >>>
Some gun owners have asked if they can attend “in person,” and the answer is that we are not quite sure yet.
I’ll be sending out another email prior to the oral arguments, and I’ll try to let everyone know if there is room for observers.
No matter what though, you can watch the oral arguments via the live stream link above.
I want to personally thank our attorney, Alexandria Kincaid, and Second Amendment Foundation attorney, Don Kilmer, for their hard work on this case. Mr. Kilmer will be doing the oral arguments on behalf of gun owners.
I also want to thank all of the gun owners who have made this case possible, as funding for a major case is not cheap, or easy.
You truly are the backbone of this organization.
No matter what happens, please know that the ISAA stands with you, ready to defend the 2nd Amendment no matter what!
For Idaho,
Greg Pruett
President
Idaho Second Amendment Alliance