A new year, the same old tactics.
Chairman Tom Loertscher (R-32), of the House State Affairs Committee, is once again blocking pro-gun bills.
Chairman Loertscher, who appears to do whatever the Secret Gun Committee tells him to do, is up to his old tricks.
You can help fight back against the suppression of the people’s voice — and we’ll tell you how in just a few minutes.
For those who don’t know, Idaho has a Secret Gun Committee.
This Committee does not exist — technically. Its members do not publish their meeting times. Nor do these members stand accountable before the citizens of Idaho.
They do their work behind closed doors. No votes. No thought for the will of the people. No thought for the will of Idaho’s gun owners.
What is the purpose of the Secret Gun Committee?
The truth is, this committee exists to control all gun bills introduced in the Idaho legislature. They alone determine what will be introduced and what will not.
If you don’t have their blessing for a gun bill, it dies in their backroom gun bill death chamber.
The Secret Gun Committee exists to protect anti-gun legislators, Republican and Democrat, from having to vote on gun bills which are “too extreme.”
When Representatives in the House or Senate bring pro-gun bills forward, they are given the run around.
They are stalled and given a plethora of excuses on why a pro-gun bill can’t be heard.
“You need to talk to…” or “You need to get permission from…” are just a few of the diversionary tactics the Secret Gun Committee and Chairman Loertscher use.
Good Representatives, like Rep. Hanks (R-35) and Rep. Zito (R-23), are tossed aside while the Secret Gun Committee comes out with their own watered down versions of a “pro-gun” bill.
Who is on this committee?
To our knowledge, Rep. Judy Boyle (R-9), House Speaker Scott Bedke (R-27), Sen. Marv Hagedorn (R-14), and Sen. Bart Davis (S-31) are members of the Secret Gun Committee.
These are the individuals, along with Chairman Loertscher, who continue to block pro-gun bills in Idaho from being heard unless they give them permission to.
What do we need from you?
1. First, immediately call and contact both Chairman Loertscher, and Speaker Bedke and demand that the residency bill, sponsored by Rep. Karey Hanks, be given a hearing!
>>> Chairman Tom Loertscher: 208-332-1183; [email protected]
>>> Speaker Scott Bedke: 208-332-1123; [email protected]
2. Then, sign the petition to remove the residency requirement from Constitutional Carry sponsored by Rep. Karey Hanks (R-35).
3. Time is of the essence. We need to act right now to pressure Speaker Bedke and Chairman Loertscher to give this bill a hearing.
If you can donate $50 or $25 right now, we can immediately use that money to boost videos and drop mail in their Districts — informing their constituents that they are blocking gun bills.
Your action is what can make this bill move.
Rep. Hanks has been fighting for weeks to get a bill heard that would end the discrimination of non-residents in Idaho who simply want to defend themsleves.
Removing the residency requirement for Constitutional Carry, for all law-abiding citizens, is the right thing to do.
We may only have one shot to make this happen, and your immediate calls and emails are crucial to our success.
In Freedom,
Zach Brooks
Chairman of the Board
Idaho Second Amendment Alliance