Gallup Poll: Women and Firearms Leading The Charge
Gregory Kielma • November 24, 2024
Gallup Poll: Gun Ownership By Demographics

Gallup Poll: Gun Ownership By Demographics
Are Women Leading The Charge?
A recent Gallup poll found more Republican women are becoming gun owners than before, while gun ownership among Democratic-leaning men declines.
According to the Gallup survey published Thursday, the percentage of Republican female gun owners has increased from 19% from 2007-2012 to 33% from 2019-2024.
Twenty-two percent of Republican women surveyed in 2013-2018 told Gallup they owned guns, meaning there has been a 50% increase in gun ownership among conservative women since.
Meanwhile, the rate has fallen seven percentage points among Democratic men, to 29%, and is down five points among independent men, to 39%," Gallup added. "Republican men remain the most likely gun owners among gender and party identification subgroups, at 60%."
The rate of gun ownership nationwide is still around 30%, Gallup noted, but the number "masks a sharp increase in ownership among Republican women offsetting declines among Democratic and independent men.
Meanwhile, ownership remains high among Republican men but is relatively scarce among Democratic and independent women."
Men are still generally more likely to own guns than women, and the study concluded that gun ownership "may be influenced by one’s political beliefs more than in the past, likely because of the salience of the gun issue in political campaigns and political culture today."
Vice President Kamala Harris recently announced she owns a gun, prompting surprise across the country, but Republican women were not necessarily wooed by the admission.
I have a Glock, and I’ve had it for quite some time," Harris said during a "60 Minutes" interview.
Earlier in November, Fox News Digital spoke with female gun owners who reacted to the statement, calling it "smokescreen campaign rhetoric."
"I do not believe that she is a gun owner that practices and supports our right to protect ourselves," Jane Milhans, a gun instructor, said.
When Kamala Harris started talking about owning a Glock, I felt nothing," Amara Barnes, founder of the Women Gun Owners Association of America, told Fox News Digital. "We all realize that it's pandering and virtue signaling to the right, and she's hoping that we're too dumb not to realize that she is completely anti-gun."
Fox News Digital's Hannah Ray Lambert contributed to this report.
Andrea Margolis is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can send story tips to andrea.margolis@fox.com.

The of a Family Killer, Remember It When Its Time: Jesus Huchin-Interian The young girl reportedly saved her mom's life from the vicious attack by her father. A heroic 10-year-old girl in Oregon thwarted a possible family massacre by her father after he had already slit the throat of the mother of his children, according to authorities. The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office said in a statement that police responded to multiple reports that there was a disturbance at a home in Gresham, Oregon, on June 7, 2021. 'The victim’s young daughter showed bravery and resilience that truly inspires us to work hard every day to interrupt the cycle of abuse and to keep families safe.' Police said Jesus Huchin-Interian began fighting with the mother of his children after accusing her of cheating on him. The daughter told police that her father threatened the mother that he was going to "finish her" and then "finish the kids." Huchin-Interian then physically attack his wife and slit her throat, according to police. The 10-year-old daughter jumped into action to protect herself and her younger siblings. "The 10-year-old reported that she grabbed a knife herself and tried to stab the defendant, but the knife was too dull, so she dropped it and ran to her room with her little siblings and locked the door," according to the press release from the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office. Once barricaded in the bedroom, the young girl called 911 for help. The father reportedly fled the crime scene after the daughter notified the police. Once the father left the home, the daughter allegedly emerged from her room and began giving life-saving aid to her mother, who survived her horrific injuries. "When police arrived, they found the victim 'lifeless,' face down in a pool of blood, with a deep 8-inch cut to her neck," according to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office. Meanwhile, Huchin-Interian was on the lam for years after the alleged attempted murder. Law enforcement did not track down and arrest Huchin-Interian until March 2024, when he was in located San Francisco, California. Huchin-Interian accepted a plea deal from prosecutors just days before his trial was set to begin. On April 18, Huchin-Interian pleaded guilty to a charge of assault in the second degree constituting domestic violence. The father will serve a prison sentence of at least 70 months, followed by three years of supervised release. Huchin-Interian will be sentenced on April 28. Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Robin Beck Skarstad — who prosecuted the case for the state — said, "This case underscores the devastating impact domestic violence has on children in the home. The victim’s young daughter showed bravery and resilience that truly inspires us to work hard every day to interrupt the cycle of abuse and to keep families safe." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up!

Puerto Rico Gang Members 25 Members of a Violent Gang in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses Tuesday, April 29, 2025 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Puerto Rico SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 9, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 25 violent gang members from the municipality of Mayagüez with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) Mayagüez Strike Force were in charge of the investigation of the case, with the collaboration of the United States Marshal Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Response Team (SRT), and the Guaynabo Municipal Police SRT collaborated during the arrests. “The prosecution of this drug trafficking gang demonstrates our determined efforts to protect our communities from the violent crime and gun violence they bring to our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “Our prosecutors will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to make our neighborhoods safe and bring criminals to justice.” “Today, we sent a clear message: violence, drugs, and organized crime will find no safe haven in Puerto Rico,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Thanks to the courage of our Special Agents and Police of Puerto Rico Task Force Officers, with the unwavering support of our federal partners, we disrupted a criminal network that terrorized our communities for years. The FBI remains fully committed to protecting our people, restoring peace to our neighborhoods, and holding violent offenders accountable.” The indictment alleges that from in or about April 2021 through the present, the drug trafficking organization distributed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), cocaine, and marihuana within 1,000 feet of Rafael Hernández (Kennedy) Public Housing Project (PHP), the Manuel Hernández Rosa (Candelaria PHP), the El Carmen (PHP), and other areas nearby the municipality of Mayagüez, all for significant financial gain and profit. The goal of the drug trafficking organization was to maintain control of all the drug trafficking activities within the controlled areas using force, threats, violence, and intimidation. In preserving power and protecting territory, the members of the organization incurred in violent acts including but not limited to murder in order to protect themselves and their organization. Members of the criminal organization also transported and distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants had meetings to discuss strategy and plan of their criminal activities, including but not limited to acts of violence. The co-conspirators held meetings to discuss drug trafficking business and issues between gang members. During said meetings, incarcerated defendants and co-conspirators would participate via phone call. The defendants and their co-conspirators used violence to take over other areas and sell their own narcotics at those areas to increase their power and profits. The defendants acted in different roles to further the goals of the drug trafficking conspiracy, to include leaders, drug point owners, enforcers, runners, sellers, drug processors, lookouts, and facilitators. The members of the gang used force, violence, and intimidation to intimidate rival drug trafficking organizations, and to discipline members of their own organization. The defendants charged in the drug trafficking conspiracy are: [1] Jonathan Martínez González, a.k.a. “J/El Brother” [2] Isaías Jaseph Molina Valle, a.k.a. “Simio/Simi” [3] Juan A. Ortiz Mendoza, a.k.a. “Abuelo/Abu/Ablo” [4] Fernando Manuel Torres Ruiz, a.k.a. “La M” [5] Jonathan Enrique Rodríguez Acosta, a.k.a. “John Pri/Pri” [6] Franschesca M. Rivera-Valle, a.k.a. “Cheska” [7] Joseph G. Ríos Vélez [8] Jomael Enrique Aponte Rivera, a.k.a. “Farru” [9] Abdiel Sánchez Negrón [10] Michael J. Marrero García, a.k.a. “Michael El Pato” [11] Héctor A. Rosado Matías, a.k.a. “Bebo/Bebito” [12] Christopher Santiago Rivera, a.k.a. “Gato” [13] Jesus D. Rodríguez Soto, a.k.a. “John” [14] Luis Joel Couret Clas, a.k.a. “Shaggy” [15] Julio E. Mangual Vargas, a.k.a. “Julio Maraña” [16] Fredwin Yomar Álvarez, a.k.a. “Bombilla” [17] Héctor M. Cotto Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Tello” [18] Ezequiel Soto Bonilla, a.k.a. “Bigote” [19] Carlos Mikel Rodríguez Núñez, a.k.a. “Mikel/Fosforito” [20] Carlos Obed La Llave Otero, a.k.a. “Security/El Gordo” [21] Michael Concepción Soto [22] Héctor Javier Surita Muñiz, a.k.a. “Coquito/Surita” [23] Merchisede Rivera Pérez, a.k.a. “Merquisedec Rivera Pérez/Melchicede Rivera Pérez/El Negro/Melqui” [24] José C. Colón-Félix, a.k.a. “Fresita” [25] Antonio M. López Olivencia, a.k.a. “Delivery” Fifteen defendants are charged in Count Seven with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and seven of those defendants are facing one count of possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The FBI thanks the PRPB Mayagüez Strike Force for their assistance in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares, and AUSAs Laura Díaz González, and Héctor Siaca Flores are prosecuting the case. If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. If convicted of both the drug and firearms charges in Count Seven, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 15 years, and up to life in prison. The defendants charged with possession of machineguns in furtherance of drug trafficking in Count Eight face a mandatory sentence of thirty years in prison to be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on drug trafficking charges. All defendants charged in the drug conspiracy are facing a narcotics forfeiture allegation of $19,710,000. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### Updated April 29, 2025

Atlanta Field Division: ATF Atlanta host press conference on combatting firearms trafficking to Mexico Contact: Sheree Sapp 404-831-7958 For Immediate Release Friday, May 2, 2025 ATF Atlanta host press conference on combatting firearms trafficking to Mexico ATLANTA – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Atlanta Field Division hosted a joint press conference with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to showcase recent efforts to combat the trafficking of firearms to Mexico. “Firearms trafficking and the illegal activity associated with it continues to threaten the safety of the general public throughout our communities,” said ATF Atlanta Field Division Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons. “We are working closely with our federal and local law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue those who attempt to illegally move firearms between the United States and Mexico. Extensive time in a federal prison awaits those who think they can endanger our communities and get away with it.” “Homeland Security Investigations is steadfast in our mission to combat international firearms trafficking and dismantle transnational criminal networks that threaten public safety on both sides of the border,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “By targeting those who illegally purchase and smuggle weapons into Mexico, we are cutting off a vital lifeline to cartel members and terrorist-designated organizations, while upholding our duty to protect communities at home and abroad. HSI will continue to work relentlessly to identify, apprehend, and bring to justice those fueling this dangerous trade.” In response to the growing threat posed by Transnational Criminal Organizations and the administration’s emphasis on combating them, ATF has been working swiftly and diligently with federal and local partners to effectively combat the flow of illegal firearms trafficked to Mexico. Cartels have infiltrated the United States through the southern border and are operating within many local communities. They have established and expanded their networks throughout the United States to carry out illicit activities including fentanyl trafficking and human smuggling. Cartels rely on specific firearms to facilitate, expand and protect their criminal enterprise, including large caliber and/or belt fed rifles such as, the Ohio Ordinance M2 .50 caliber, FN M240 7.6mm, FN M249 5.56, and the Barrett M82 .50 semi-automatic rifle. Under President Trump’s and Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, ATF has prevented nearly 9,700 firearms from falling into the hands of dangerous criminals or terrorist. From January 20 to May 1, 2025, ATF agents nationwide initiated 8,501 violent crime cases, arrested 1,912 criminals, seized a total of 10,592 firearms, 655,388 rounds of ammunition, 8,722 firearm parts, and 6,335 assorted explosives. ATF is the only federal law enforcement agency whose mission is to reduce violent crime. While our mission is clear and concise, it is also immense and dangerous. And, as a small agency with just about 5,000 employees, we can only succeed with our local, state, and federal partners. These partnerships, including the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), other government agencies, state and local law enforcement, help to stem the flow of illegal firearms being trafficked to Mexico. ATF is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating firearms, fires and crimes of arson. More information on ATF can be found at www.atf.gov ### Atlanta Field Division

Parkersburg Man Sentenced for Straw Purchase Crime Friday, May 2, 2025 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of West Virginia Says, FFL, Gunsmith and Firearms Instructor Gregg Kielma, friends, you can’t purchase a firearm for another person. It’s considered a “straw deal”. You can and most likely will become a convicted felon doing so. When filling out the ATF (Alcohol-Tabacco-Firearms 4473 Form) It specifically ask if the firearm is for you. This form must be answered honestly. Says Kielma, this is a legal document, like your IRS Tax form. It must be answered truthfully, or the consequences can be dire for you and your family. Please be truthful and save yourself the legal issues you can and will create for you and your family. If I believe this is a straw deal, I'll inform the ATF and you will never transfer or purchase a firearm from me. Please read below. CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Laikin Williams, 25, of Parkersburg, was sentenced on Thursday, May 1, 2025, to three years of federal probation for making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 5, 2022, Williams purchased a Taurus model PT111 G2A 9mm pistol at a Parkersburg business. Williams admitted that he bought the firearm for another individual, and falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that he was the purchaser of the firearm when he knew he was buying it for the other individual. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the assistance provided by the Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and D. Keith Randolph and former Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-133. ### Updated May 2, 2025

Daniel Driscoll New ATF Acting Director Daniel Driscoll Daniel P. Driscoll is the Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), following his appointment by President Donald J. Trump. Mr. Driscoll is responsible for the oversight of the agency’s mission to protect communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, and the illegal trafficking of firearms, explosives, and contraband. Under his leadership, the ATF works to enforce federal laws, ensure public safety, and provide critical support in the investigation of firearms-related crimes and domestic and international criminal enterprises. A former Army officer and seasoned business leader, Mr. Driscoll brings extensive experience across military service, law, and the private sector. He was commissioned in 2007 as an Armor Officer through the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School. While on active duty, Mr. Driscoll led a cavalry platoon in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, and deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009. His military awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Ranger Tab, and Combat Action Badge. Following his military service, Mr. Driscoll attended Yale Law School and worked in Yale’s Veterans Legal Services Clinic. He has worked in investment banking, private equity, and business operations, including as Chief Operating Officer of a $200 million venture capital fund. His legal and business expertise complements his commitment to upholding the rule of law and enhancing public safety. Mr. Driscoll is also serving as the 26th Secretary of the Army, sworn in on February 25, 2025, following his nomination and confirmation by President Donald J. Trump and confirmation by the United States Senate. As Secretary of the Army, he oversees operations, modernization, and resource allocation for nearly one million Active, Guard, and Reserve Soldiers and more than 265,000 Army Civilians. Mr. Driscoll holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. He is a member of the North Carolina State Bar, the Rotary Club, VFW Post 1134, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. A native of Boone, North Carolina, Mr. Driscoll comes from a family with a strong legacy of military service. His grandfather served in the Army during World War II as a decoder, and his father served during the Vietnam War as an infantryman. He is married to his high school sweetheart, and they have two children. Last Updated: April 14, 2025

Should gun owners be subject to surprise home inspections by law enforcement to ensure they're storing their firearms 'safely' and not posing a threat to the community? Thoughts from an avid reader. By all means! Show up at my home without a warrant and demand I let you in so you can inspect my firearms and their storage. You know that “not posing a threat to the community” you were blathering on about? So long as no one tries to violate my Fourth Amendment protections from unlawful search and seizure, there will be no threat! Better yet, since the law CANNOT do what your sick imagination comes up with, why don’t YOU come do it? LEO’s can’t just show up to inspect guns, but you sure can. Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is? If you’re so concerned about your safety regarding my gun possession, frisk me when you see me and relieve me of my firearm. Or break into my home when I am not on the premises…I strongly advise you NOT attempt to break in while I am at home, because it will become very loud and an acrid scent will fill the air, and if you’re still able to inhale and expel oxygen, you’ll smell it, too! Lastly, by virtue of your hateful question/suggestion, you show you have zero actual concerns over my ability to safely possess firearms, cause if you were truly scared you would not come near any of my firearms. So, you’re paying a little game with old Jimmy Boy. That’s a losing proposition, Sparky. I do not play games. My rights are non-negotiable. For your sake, commit that last part to memory. We’ll all be happier if you do, especially you! Enjoy your day.

I'm reading a book where the protagonist specifically requests 20 round magazines for an AR-15. If money is no object, is there any benefit to getting 20 round magazines over 30 round magazines? Thoughts from an avid readier. What are your thoughts? My unit had an old senior master sergeant that loved the 20 round magazines. He also coached our shooting team and oversaw the squad designated marksman program. He had a lot of experience with pretty much every small arm in the military inventory. In addition, he shot most weekends with a civilian shooting team. He also served in the Marine Corps earlier in his military career, where he was in combat in the Gulf War in 1991. So, he was probably the most experienced shooter in my Air Force unit and he preferred them. But I think it was mostly his ego in believing that if he ever got into a shootout, he was an excellent shot and he wouldn’t need as much ammo. Yes, they help a little when firing from the prone position, but not so much that you’d prefer them over 30 round magazines. Also, I thought he set a bad example since no junior airman would ever be allowed to have 20 round magazines for their weapon. Only he could get away with something like that.

The New York Times’ Latest Anti-Gun News Story by Lee Williams Print journalism is simple, really. At least it used to be. For decades there were basically two types of stories, news and opinions. Reporters wrote news stories. Columnists and a few others wrote opinion pieces. But in recent years we’ve seen another type of journalism rise in prominence, the anti-gun story, which masquerades as a regular news piece but is chock-full of opinion and false claims. When reporters fill their anti-gun stories with their opinions their editors do nothing, because they often share their staffer’s opinions. During my 20 years as a newspaperman, I would call out the authors of anti-gun stories whenever I saw them, but my criticisms were usually never addressed, even though we have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Nowadays, journalists talk constantly about the accuracy of their reporting. However, when they write anti-gun stories, normal journalism standards are gone, and the editing is a complete joke. The size of the newspaper also makes a difference. Smaller newspapers are generally more accurate when writing about guns than the big ones. Case in point: The New York Times. On Monday, the Times published what is perhaps the most anti-gun news story seen in quite a while. It was written by reporter Glenn Thrush, who started at the newspaper in 2017 and claimed in his bio that his most “fulfilling assignment” was writing obituaries, which is odd. Writing about the recently departed is far from fulfilling. Thrush’s story was titled “Trump Administration to Roll Back Array of Gun Control Measures.” The array was described as a reversal of the strict gun control rules Joe Biden ordered “to stem the flood of unregulated semiautomatic handguns and rifles.” If you look closely at Thrush’s story, you will find factual errors and anti-gun hyperbole in nearly every paragraph. For example, Thrush wrote that gun dealers stripped of the Federal Firearm Licenses by Biden’s crazy zero-tolerance policy were “found to have repeatedly violated federal laws and regulations.” This is far from the truth. Biden’s insane policy stripped hundreds of gun dealers of their FFL’s solely because of extremely minor clerical errors. It is estimated to have increased the FFL revocation rate by 700 percent. Thrush never mentioned that, or that the ATF occasionally sent its poorly trained SWAT team to the gun dealers’ homes, or that the dealers were handcuffed and laying on their stomachs during their conversations with the ATF. In one case, the alleged suspect never got the chance to respond to any of the federal allegations, because ATF’s SWAT team shot and killed him in his own home before they had a chance to talk. Thrush was not kind to Attorney General Pam Bondi or her plan to use the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to investigate the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department to determine whether it is “engaging in a pattern or practice of depriving ordinary, law-abiding Californians of their Second Amendment rights.” Even though this task is clearly covered by federal law, Thrush claimed that Bondi was “repurposing an investigative unit that had been used to expose racial discrimination and police violence by local enforcement agencies.” Bondi’s decision didn’t involve any repurposing. The federal laws that govern the Civil Rights Division are very clear, unlike Biden’s ATF rules. The author spoke to the executive director of Giffords, who falsely claimed Trump gave his seal of approval to “reckless dealers who are willing to sell guns to traffickers and criminals.” Over the years I have met more than a few gun dealers, but no one is willing to sell arms to anyone with a criminal record. That this made it into a New York Times story is incredibly damning. Thrush also claimed that the ATF took “an abrupt U-turn” from the schemes of Biden and ATF’s former director to “stem the flood of unregulated semiautomatic handguns and rifles that have contributed to mass shootings and exacerbated the violent crime wave that peaked after the coronavirus pandemic.” A flood of unregulated handguns and rifles? Remember that the next time you fill out an ATF Form 4473. The Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project wouldn’t be possible without you. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support pro-gun stories like this.

CDC Staff Cuts Alarm Anti-Gun Advocates Mark Chesnut The Trump Administration has announced plans to cut 10,000 federal employees under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the parent organization for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has pursued an anti-gun agenda for the past decade or so. The move will make it harder for the CDC to fund anti-gun research intended to show results favorable to gun-ban advocates, and that is drawing the ire of gun control groups who have relied on slanted CDC research to bolster their outrageous claims. The gun-ban organization Brady, formerly called Handgun Control Inc., immediately attacked the Trump Administration’s “guns everywhere” agenda. “The dismantling of CDC’s injury data collection team is nothing short of a public health catastrophe, and the latest strategic move to consolidate information control under President Trump,” Brady President Kris Brown said in a news release. “CDC’s WISQARS is a crucial tool that informs our understanding of America’s gun violence epidemic. Without it, we’re cast into the dark as to the scope of the number one killer of kids in this country. But this latest assault doesn’t come as a surprise; it tracks completely with the administration’s autocratic tendencies. Stemming the flow of knowledge is a tactic that has been deployed throughout history to control the public, and today’s news is a prime example of history repeating itself.” Whoo boy! Not to be outdone, the group Giffords called the cuts a “reckless move (that) puts us all at risk.” Of course, the reaction to the Trump Administration’s move by those on the pro-Second Amendment side of the argument was quite different. The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) said that, hopefully, the cuts would take the CDC out of the gun control arena. “With these reductions, the government is no longer treating gun ownership as a communicable disease,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “Ever since the CDC inserted itself into the gun rights debate, the agency has spent millions of dollars to promote the notion that gun-related violence is a public health issue, and they’ve mostly gotten away with it, thanks largely to their allies in the media treating everything they say as gospel. But it’s not a ‘health crisis,’ it’s a crime problem, and the antidote is not restricting the rights of law-abiding gun owners, which CDC research invariably seems to suggest, but instead restricting the freedom of violent repeat offenders.” Gottlieb added that anti-gun groups wailing over the CDC cuts are making a big deal over something that has never effectively curtailed violent crime. “One complaint we’ve heard is that these cuts have ‘decimated’ staff responsible for so-called ‘gun violence research and prevention,’ but so far all of this research does not appear to have prevented a single violent crime,” he said. “Instead, we see declarations that more research is needed, while anti-gunners use CDC data to erode Second Amendment rights. That sounds like a perpetual ‘make work’ effort to keep the public funding flowing while gun owners are essentially treated like plague carriers or lepers.”

Pam Bondi AG Pam Bondi Creates 2A Task Force Mark Chesnut April 11, 2025 U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Wednesday the creation of a Second Amendment Enforcement Task Force to protect the fundamental right to keep and bear arms. The task force is part of Bondi’s response to President Donald Trump’s executive order of February 7 to root out unconstitutional Biden Administration rules on firearms and roll them back to protect the Second Amendment rights of all Americans. “For too long, the Second Amendment, which establishes the fundamental individual right of Americans to keep and bear arms, has been treated as a second-class right,” Bondi wrote in a memo to Department of Justice employees. “No more. It is the policy of this Department of Justice to use its full might to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.” Bondi said that the new Second Amendment Task Force is one element of a comprehensive plan of action that she is proposing to President Trump. “This task force will continue the Department’s ongoing work to implement Executive Order 14206 and protect the fundamental right secured by the Second Amendment,” she wrote. “The Task Force is principally charged with developing and executing strategies to use litigation and policy to advance, protect, and promote compliance with the Second Amendment.” Bondi will chair the task force and the associate attorney general will serve as the vice chair. Other members of the task force will include representatives from Bondi’s personal staff, the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the Office of the Associate Attorney General, the Office of the Solicitor General, the Civil Division, the Civil Rights Division, the Criminal Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The prior administration placed an undue burden on gun owners and vendors by targeting law-abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights,” Bondi said in a press release announcing the action. “The Department of Justice’s new Second Amendment Task Force will combine department-wide policy and litigation resources to advance President Trump’s pro-gun agenda and protect gun owners from overreach.” Of course, pro-gun organizations, including the Citizens Committee On The Right To Keep And Bear Arms (CCRKBA), reacted very positively to AG Bondi’s announcement. “This is the news we’ve been waiting for,” said Alan Gottlieb, CCRKBA chairman. “From the wording of Attorney General Bondi’s memo, it looks like ‘gloves off’ time may have finally arrived. It marks a significant, and welcome change at the Department of Justice, because it is clear we now have leadership in place which treats gun owners as allies instead of antagonists.” Gottlieb added that his organization is hopeful the task force will have a long-term effect on the freedom of all American gun owners. “We’re hoping this bold step by Attorney General Bondi brings an end to years of harassment and penalization of gun owners and begins the process of dismantling unconstitutional laws and regulations at the federal, state and local levels of government,” Gottlieb said. “The Second Amendment protects a first-class right, and it feels great that after years of fighting this battle, gun owners now have support, rather than resistance, from the Department of Justice, and an administration that is definitely in our corner.”