Editor Note: Readers, please share this article with your state, local and federal representatives, police departments and sheriffs as well local firearms retailers to make them aware of the new guidance so we can get our local business back to work and fellow Americans the products they need to remain safe.
USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Under the Trump Administration’s guidance, the Department of Homeland Security has declared firearms manufacturers and retailers “essential businesses,” possibly driving a spike through the heart of various state and local “emergency powers” declarations that had classified gun stores to be “non-essential” during the current Coronavirus panic, and had ordered them closed.
The reference to gun shops is found in a document released Saturday titled “Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce,” in the section dealing with “Law Enforcement, Public Safety, and Other First Responders.”
The document released by DHS simply says that “Workers supporting the operation of firearm or ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges” are considered essential.
The announcement came after several days of often conflicting and confusing arguments about which businesses are necessary for public safety and security, and which are not. The controversy reached a point of ridiculousness when Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s emergency order listed employees at marijuana shops, breweries and winemaking facilities as part of the essential workforce, but omitted firearm and ammunition retailers and distributors.
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy was sued in federal district court for ordering gun shops to close. One of those lawsuits, filed by the Second Amendment Foundation, is already in motion and was covered by AmmoLand News here.
Friday morning in North Carolina, a federal lawsuit was filed against Wake County Sheriff Gerald M. Baker for refusing to accept new applications for pistol purchase permits or concealed handgun permits until April 30, 2020, using the COVID-19 outbreak as justification. SAF, the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and Grass Roots North Carolina joined forces on that lawsuit on behalf of Wake County resident Kelly Stafford.
A few hours later, SAF and FPC joined forces with the National Rifle Association, California Gun Rights Foundation and several others in a federal lawsuit against Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. They are also alleged to be using the COVID-19 pandemic to close down gun stores.
“Every freedom loving American owes President Donald Trump and his administration a very big thank you for protecting our Second Amendment rights,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb in reaction to the DHS announcement. “This is another Trump promise made and promise kept.”
Gottlieb noted “a lot of people have done incredible work…to make it happen.”
He suggested that images of citizens rushing to gun stores “reminded government officials what the Second Amendment is really about.”
“Even people who never before owned a firearm rushed to buy one as the pandemic has spread,” Gottlieb stated. “Instinctively, people headed to those places where they could buy guns and ammunition, which underscores just how essential those businesses really are.”
In some states, local governments have tried to get in on the gun ban action. SAF had hinted strongly that it would be considering several lawsuits against states and political subdivisions that tried to close gun stores and even prohibit the carrying of firearms outside the home.
The announcement came on the heels of a decision in the State of Delaware to back away from a gun shop closure order. Faced with a federal lawsuit threat from SAF, the NRA, and FPC, Delaware revised the language of its emergency declaration, Gottlieb said in a telephone conversation. The order had come from Democrat Gov. John Carney earlier in the week.
That order now reads: “Firearms dealers may conduct sales of firearms, ammunition, and other goods directly related to responsible firearm storage and maintenance, by appointment only. No more than two appointments per half-hour shall occur, and sellers are limited to operating during normal working hours they operated on prior to the State of Emergency. Any seller who violates such directive may be subject to criminal prosecution or other civil enforcement remedies up to and including arrest or the involuntary closure of the business.”
“After we sued New Jersey, our threatened lawsuit against Delaware…played a key role in bringing about this change of heart,” SAF’s Gottlieb said. “We can think of no more essential endeavor outside of health care and emergency services during a time of crisis than a business that enables citizens to exercise their fundamental right protected by the Second Amendment.”
It is not known what, if any, immediate impact the DHS declaration will have on the recently-filed legal actions.
RELATED: SAF Adds Plaintiffs to N.J. Federal Court Action; Plans Other 2A Lawsuits
Also, review our gun deals page now that shops will be reopening for FFL transfers.
About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books #add on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
Will, a LOT of effort went into this, and I think everyone deserves an ‘Attaboy’ including faithful readers like you whose activism helps make things like this happen. Thanks so much for reading!
Could have ramifications beyond the current issue. The Pro 2A movement can now point to the firearms industry being declared an essential business.
Let me just say I am pretty proud to be a GOA member today.
Awesome job! Please keep up the great work!!!
One request though, can y’all include Connecticut in some of these lawsuits. As of 3/28/2020 our FFLs are by appointment only. Every year it’s more and more restrictions. It’s nearly as bad as California here. I’d love to move to a free state, but all of my family is here.
So have your family move along with you. Are your collective feet nailed to the floor?
Right, Clark, ignore the economic reality that moving one’s entire extended family would be a massive undertaking that the vast majority of Americans JUST CAN’T AFFORD. This is why people downvote your asinine comments.
@WF, Clark does not move much.
We supporters of the Second Amendment have known all along about gun infringements, but a surprisingly many are just starting to open their eyes. Liberal-left state and local governments are now being exposed maybe for the first time of their tyranny to a once sleeping public. The hipocracy of releasing criminals, refusing to arrest criminals and then denying it’s citizens the right to bear arms is ludicrous. When this pandemic is over and the dust settles, I hope these vipers disguised as representatives are run out of office permanently. Unfortunately it takes a real disaster to reveal the flaws and… Read more »
@USA
The only way to restore it is a full blown return to the Constitution as written.
And people, this is why. 🙂 Idiots have no other tools to use, so they fall back on what they have. Insults, attempts at provoking a fight against those they could never win an argument against in their life, and for what? PatriotUnitDeath just screamed about how we weren’t worth his time, how he wanted to be removed… Yet here he is! 🙂 Wow, it’s like a Christmas miracle! Suddenly, we are so important in his life that he must reply automatically! lol And the reason? He’s not a patriot… Never will be. Those of us who are stronger, smarter,… Read more »
For those interested, “PUD” screamed about wanting to be removed from ammoland on this article
https://www.ammoland.com/2020/03/bidens-odious-remarks-on-curtailing-2nd-amendment-rights/#axzz6I03XidqS
@PatriotUnitDeath
And yet you prove what I just said about you. 🙂 Gotta love it.
You were offered the chance at a debate on your last user name. You cut and run as fast as you could to avoid having to do so with me. (Ironically feigning offense at all the “Ad Hominem” attacks going on at the same time you were the initiator)
I expect more of the same from you. 🙂
@Rev, That PUD sure must like to type. Lots of key strokes to convey no logical meaning.
WB) That symptom is very common amongst those that suffer from foot in mouth disease. 🙂
How much any of you wanna bet this is a sockpuppet account for someone like moe or Clark Kent?
Or maybe it’s all the same d-wad.
@wjd Flatt
Not quite but close. If you look at the way the wheels are “Turning on his machine” you might be closer. His last name was made based off the idea of “Can’t hate number 8”, which did not prove true…
And that’s all the clues I feel like for right now. You are right in that it is a troll who has been here before and going after Dave In Fairfax. Writing style is the same, everything… Its got his fingerprints all over it.
@Wild Bill
Because I already posed a question to him on a different article, which he managed to wet himself before running away over.
He is desperately doing everything he can to avoid answering that question and hope to scream me into silence… But he don’t know me very well, do he? lol 🙂
What does “Unit” mean so far as your user name is concerned?
So now I’m really confused…You are a Fascio adherent that blames other for your short comings?
@Greg K
Hit the nail on the head.
@PUD
Hmmm, little dog syndrome. Sounds like the most PUD’s “Bang” produces comes from those little boxes of “Pop Its” you give to children around the 4th of July.
Looks like @wjd might be joining the Trolls now, upvoting them. lol
Pud, again, you are just proving what I pointed out about you. Chances are your Comments will be pulled down for violating Ammoland’s comment policy, but if not I don’t really mind. It shows people what you are, and how small your mind is. 🙂 It would also leave up the fact that you ran from a challenge like a little skank previously, that this is not your first time here, and that this is routine for you.
@USA
It was 2 when I spoke to him.. Personally, it doesn’t matter. The butt hurt little snowflakes whining and screaming about how i’m “Wrong” have run away from every chance I’ve offered them to bring evidence to the table. 100 could downvote me, and it wouldn’t make me wrong. 🙂 That is the beauty of using evidence when you argue, along with the fact that it absolutely infuriates Trolls like PUD. lol
True…fact is, they wouldn’t be going this hard on the 2nd, if they hadn’t weakened all the other Constitutional Constraints.
@Greg K
Yes, as I discussed last week about what was being done in congress under the “Corona Relief” effort.
The time is fast approaching.
New tinfoil, quick!
@USA I have sited Cruikshank here on ammoland before, particularly when discussing and explaining to others that it is a pre-existing right. Though I would disagree with you here….. “The Second Amendment means no more than that it shall not be infringed by Congress, and has no other effect than to restrict the powers of the National Government.” The reason I disagree is because of Article 6 Section 2, and its reaffirmation amendment (The 14th) which state that as signatories to the US Constitution any State which is part of the Union is bound by the same restrictions and limitations… Read more »
Would add that Article 1 Sec. 10 gives the restrictions to State Legislatures, long before the BOR. Would also add the “Immunities Clause,” Article 4, Sec 2, Clause 1, which is being violated for Gun Rights regularly, and is currently being violated by Governors right now against travelers from various locals.
@Greg K
A valid point, but I rarely see the need to go there as it follows under the Supremacy Clause.
Much of the Constitution does back up the rest of itself, and it was written to be that way.
@Greg K
By the way, say hello to @Will…. He’s stalking my comments again. Got his diaper in a wad again because he wants to see some people’s first amendment rights violated.
@Pud More than one vote there bud. 🙂 (PS, you cant UpV your own comments, kind of a dead giveaway) Also, love the fact that you would threaten violence…. Anytime you want. Toledo Ohio. See, I figure you for a back shooter… We now have a comment from you threatening violence. You think youre the first one who has done so? lol Then again, youre also not the first to try and claim that I get followers… I don’t. Heck, Will used to like me just fine until I called him on an unconstitutional stance he took. Im just here… Read more »
@PUD
More downvotes, no replies…. 🙂 As expected..
@USA Yes excellent comment. As CO is my birthstate (Routt), I do have some semblance of the problems going on out there and it does aggravate me to see it. What we are dealing with now are State constitutions which in many cases have been revised and amended, changed from their original language. The US Constitution on the other hand has not had as much of its language amended or changed. New amendments have been added, but not as much of the original language has been altered by comparison. And as long as a State remains within the Union, its… Read more »
@USA
You have some good Sheriffs backing you up out there too. 🙂 Keep your powder dry, and shoot straight.
Hello Dave. Can you elaborate further on the statement within the DHS CISA memo that states: “This list is advisory in nature. It is not, nor should it be considered, a federal directive or standard. Additionally, this advisory list is not intended to be the exclusive list of critical infrastructure sectors, workers, and functions that should continue during the COVID-19 response across all jurisdictions. Individual jurisdictions should add or subtract essential workforce categories based on their own requirements and discretion.” While it gives us hope – it does not seem to be as strong as some might think. What is… Read more »
WVS: Yes it’s a guide, and it underscores valid arguments that gun shops, ranges, manufacturers are “essential.” That could become more important than any of us might imagine right now as these lawsuits advance.
Thanks so much for reading!
Loosen that tinfoil hat pronto, amigo!
STFU, Clark. You don’t know what you don’t know.
Democrat politicians like NM Governor Michelle “Puta” Grisham, will continue to issue their own edicts as to what is essential for their state, regardless of anything, especially that pesky ol’ Constitution.
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act on September 30, 2006 and it became Public Law 109-295.[4]
https://www.congress.gov/109/plaws/publ295/PLAW-109publ295.pdf
SEC. 706. FIREARMS POLICIES
120 STAT. 139
42 USC 5207
Unfortunately this only an Advisory. It holds No Force of Action. It can be followed or Ignored. By the Governor of any State wishing to do so. In other words. It Means Nothing. Just another Government White Elephant Statement. Keep Your Powder Dry… The Time May Be Nigh To Use It.
You are looking a gift horse in the mouth. Just stop.