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After action report on my sit down with DeSantis' staff.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:36 am
by Miami_JBT
I just sat down yesterday with Gov. DeSantis's and told them that he's a great governor. But if he wants to run in 2024, he needs to crack the whip and use the bully pulpit. FL has a GOP supermajority and we don't even have open carry and it is Republicans that are killing pro-gun bills and them pushing anti-gun bills. I said that if he wants a good shot at beating other candidates in the 2024 primary. He's going to stop playing the game of "lesser of two evils" and instead become hard core on the 2A and push for Constitutional Carry and 2A Sanctuary Laws since others will wipe the floor with him.

TX Gov. Abbott is eying a 2024 race and he's burning the midnight oil and spending political capital on supporting Constitutional Carry and 2A Sanctuary Laws.

Here's what I handed him in letter form.
Dear Governor:

The 2022 gubernatorial and 2024 presidential elections will be here very soon; Gun Owners of America believes
that now is the perfect time for Florida to demonstrate by example of what pro-gun Conservative leadership is.
Throughout the pandemic you demonstrated leadership, but at the same time, Florida is not leading on Second
Amendment rights.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), reports that nationally, the firearms industry represents $52.2
billion of sales and employs 300,000 individuals. Several states which are openly hostile to Second Amendment
rights have firearms manufacturers operating within their borders – these businesses are looking to relocate to a
more friendly state.

Beretta moved from Maryland to Tennessee, Kahr Arms moved from New York to Pennsylvania, Remington moved
the majority of their manufacturing from New York to North Carolina, PTR Industries moved from Connecticut to
South Carolina, Magpul moved from Colorado to Texas, Weatherby moved from California to Wyoming, and
Kimber is currently moving from New York to Alabama. These are but a few examples.

Florida should be working to attract these businesses, but the opposite happened -- had two major firearms
manufacturers left Florida. SCCY is currently relocating from Daytona Beach to Tennessee and Taurus International
Manufacturing recently moved from Miami to Bainbridge in Georgia. How many more will we lose?

Several states have just passed or are currently actively advancing Constitutional Carry and Second Amendment
sanctuary legislation. Constitutional Carry just became the law in Utah and Montana. Alabama, Tennessee, Indiana,
and Texas are currently working on their own Constitutional Carry bills. These bills aren’t just sitting in committee
– they are being actively pushed – by legislative and executive leadership.

In Texas, House Bill 112 is an example of what Florida should be striving for. It is a Constitutional Carry and Second
Amendment sanctuary bill all in one. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has publicly stated at the Texas Public Policy
Foundation’s 2021 Policy Orientation conference the following; “I want to make sure that Texas becomes a Second
Amendment sanctuary state so that no government official at any level can come and take your gun away from
you, despite those people who said, ‘Heck yes, we’re going to take your gun.”

Gov. DeSantis, you stated during the 2018 Sunshine Summit that if you were Governor at the time, you would have
vetoed SB 7026. Currently, Gov. Abbott is openly supporting extremely progressive pro-gun legislation. GOA had
an excellent relationship with you when you were in Congress and we wish to continue such a relationship.

If Florida continues to treat the Second Amendment as a second class right, we will fall further behind as a national
leader on the protection and expansion of Constitutional liberties. In addition to enacting Constitutional Carry and
Second Amendment sanctuary bills, these states also allow “open carry”. Florida is stuck in the past and we don’t
even allow open carry even though we are referred to as the “gunshine state”. We are expecting you to use the
powers of your office to advance true pro-Second Amendment bills in Florida. Florida is a Republican
supermajority state but that super majority appears ignorant of the party’s principles. Gun owners are frustrated,
angry and disappointed. I’m sure that you don’t gun owners to start looking for third party alternative candidates.
I also had a number of articles printed showing what's going on and even a copy of TX HB 112.

Re: After action report on my sit down with DeSantis' staff.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 12:52 pm
by Miami_JBT
They were positive. They took down notes, agreed, said that they understood where we stand in regards to not kowtowing to the RPOF's anti-gun attitudes.

I said that we don't want to burn down the entire party, but if the RPOF continues to go against the Second Amendment, it will not look good amongst gun owners and they'll sit out the elections or vote third party.

I made sure to say that we had a great relationship with him when he was in Congress and we wish to continue that relationship.

We also discussed why there aren't any companion bills in the Senate for Constitutional Carry and that we want votes on bills no matter what. That was want a record. Also discussed that we understand the give and take game with the legislature. But that if he wants to look good with gun owners. He really needs to crack the whip.

The biggest thing is they were surprised that we're now active in FL. They were used to the kowtowing by other organizations.

Re: After action report on my sit down with DeSantis' staff.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 4:48 pm
by Captain Steinbrenner
Thank you for fighting for us.


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Re: After action report on my sit down with DeSantis' staff.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 5:28 pm
by MiamiOffshore
Sincere appreciation for the post and the hard work [mention]Miami_JBT[/mention] Keep up the good work! And please let me(us) know how we can help in any way!

Re: After action report on my sit down with DeSantis' staff.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 6:30 pm
by TACC
Great job again

Thanks for the hard work and the update

Keep us posted on any changes.

Is it possible or has it already happened that GOA can contact specific pro 2a candidates to coax them along into writing a Constitutional carry bill?

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Re: After action report on my sit down with DeSantis' staff.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 9:31 pm
by Miami_JBT
TACC wrote: Fri Mar 12, 2021 6:30 pm Great job again

Thanks for the hard work and the update

Keep us posted on any changes.

Is it possible or has it already happened that GOA can contact specific pro 2a candidates to coax them along into writing a Constitutional carry bill?

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Sabatini already wrote it. This session is already too late to have another lawmaker introduce another bill.

I'm working on something else right now to put pressure on DeSantis. I'm going to reach out to the Counties that passed 2A Sanctuary resolutions and see if those county officials are willing to send DeSantis a series of resolutions demanding for Constitutional Carry.

Re: After action report on my sit down with DeSantis' staff.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 9:33 pm
by TACC
Ok, great idea, thanks for enlightening me.

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Re: After action report on my sit down with DeSantis' staff.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 10:07 pm
by Miami_JBT
TACC wrote: Fri Mar 12, 2021 9:33 pm Ok, great idea, thanks for enlightening me.

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No problem.

Re: After action report on my sit down with DeSantis' staff.

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 8:59 am
by osprey21
Good job, Miami. Good job.

Re: After action report on my sit down with DeSantis' staff.

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 4:35 pm
by Clyde621
Good job in keeping their feet to the fire.