Florida’s Semi-Auto Rifle Ban Amendment Gaining Ground
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:01 pm
As I reported earlier, there is a push to pass an "assault weapons" ban via a ballot initiative to amend the State Constitution. This is being spearheaded by Ban Assault Weapons NOWÂ (BAWN). A bipartisan group of gun grabbers made up of Republican and Democrat authoritarians that want to see Floridians disarmed. Well, as I predicted; they are gaining political ground and financial support.
Republican Party Big Whig Donor Al Hoffman has joined the fray. After Parkland, he stated that he wouldn't support any Republican candidate unless they back gun control and Republican officials like Rep. Brian Mast folded like a cheap suit. Well, it appears that Mr. Hoffman is throwing his money behind BAWN now.
As reported in the Atlantic;
Here is a screen capture straight from Americans for Gun Safety Now! list of Republican Elected Officials and major party supporters.BAWN has partnered with prominent Republican donor Al Hoffman and his gun control advocacy organization, Americans for Gun Safety Now!, which is made up almost entirely of Republicans who support an assault weapons ban. They have now formed a coalition, Do Something Florida! Under their division of labor, BAWN will handle the gathering of petition signatures needed to get on the ballot, and Americans for Gun Safety Now! will direct an education and advocacy campaign arguing the need for an assault weapons ban.
If you click here, you can see their press release stating they're joining BAWN in going after semi-automatic firearms in Florida. Furthermore, they are getting the required signatures needed to get this on the 2020 ballot.
Gail Schwartz collecting signatures on January 19th, 2019. (Gail Schwartz Twitter Account)
Today, they just ceremoniously handed signed petitions to the Broward County Board of Elections and launched a press conference to push their efforts. David Hogg and March for our Lives was there too.
Supporters of an amendment to ban possession of assault weapons turned in petitions Monday to the Broward County supervisor of elections. Gail Schwartz, whose nephew Alex Schachter was killed Feb. 14, 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, and shooting survivor David Hogg spoke. Courtesy – Sun Sentinel
“As Americans and Floridians we can come together to say that gun violence is not going to happen in the Sunshine State,†Hogg said. “Gun violence is a preventable issue. … The fact of the matter is, if you are using an assault weapon … you are hunting someone. You are not defending yourself.â€
David Hogg - Twitter
BAWN isn't alone in their quest. Moms Demand Action visited Tallahassee last week where close to five hundred of the red t-shirt wearing gun grabbers scoured the halls of the Capitol and peddled their anti-constitutional authoritarian views.
Moms Demand Action January 2019
They sure are throwing their weight behind BAWN's goal too. And don't forget that BAWN has members in Florida's government too. Fred Guttenburg was hired by Agriculture & Consumer Services Commissioner, Nikkie Fried to be part of her transitional team as she takes over the agency that handles Florida's concealed weapons permits.Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, said roughly twice as many members of the organization showed up in Tallahassee for the advocacy day today than came to Florida’s capitol for the event in 2018.
It appears that 2020 is going to be a hard fight for Florida Gun Owners. Why?
Because the Gun Grabbers have bipartisan support. Senate President Bill Galvano (R) wrote the gun control bill that was signed into law by Governor Rick Scott last year and he even took $200k from Bloomberg's Everytown Gun Control Group. As Senate President, he isn't clamping down on fellow Republicans that support gun control because he's a gun control supporter himself. The House isn't any better since House Speaker Jose Oliva gave Galvano's SB 7026 a standing ovation when it passed last year and he's doing much the same.
2020 is Trump's election and you can bet that the Democrats will put every effort to get their voters to the polls and the 2018 election had every ballot initiative pass the 60% threshold except for the one that would actually benefit home owners with an expansion in property tax breaks.