Quiet Launch - Minnesota Gun Owners PAC

View · by **bstrawse** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:43 pm

Earlier this week, we quiet launched the new Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee. You can read our launch post here.

What is is?
We’re thrilled to share the quiet launch of the Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee – a new non-partisan single-issue political action committee created to support Pro-Second Amendment candidates and lawmakers in Minnesota.

What will the PAC do?

Simply put, a political action committee is a political fund that can raise and donate money to campaign committees (run by the candidates) and other political action committees. In addition, a PAC can spend money independently, without coordinating with a candidate, on behalf of a cause or candidate.

In Minnesota, this means we can raise and then donate money to pro-Second Amendment lawmakers running for re-elections and to candidates that are challenging anti-gun lawmakers.

And we’re going to do just that.

Our relationship w/ GOCRA and the NRA
The Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee is an independent unconnected political action committee.

That said, the NRA, GOCRA, and the Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee are all strong supporters of second amendment civil rights and each organization shares many common viewpoints. We’ll each have our roles to play in the upcoming legislative session and 2014 elections.

How can I help?
The success of Pro-Second Amendment candidates depends on your donations. You can signup right now, online, via our donation page. If you can, signup as a monthly donor.

Are you interested in volunteering with the PAC? You’ll be involved with grassroots efforts to help candidates as we get closer to the 2014 elections along with other efforts. Drop us a note at volunteer@mngopac.org.

Do you know of any Pro-Second Amendment candidates in your area that are worth supporting in 2014? Drop us a note via our contact form.

Unable to donate right now - we understand, times can be tough. Subscribe to get updates through our newsletter on our homepage and follow us on twitter and Facebook.

Who are you people anyways?
You know us - Mark Okern is the PAC Chair (mrokern on this forum), and I'm the PAC Treasurer. Neither Mark or I receive any compensation - we're volunteers and will remain so.

You can read more about us here.

Required Disclosures
The Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee is an unconnected and independent Minnesota Registered Political Action Committee (#41109). Federal & state law require political committees to report the name, mailing address, occupation, and employer name for each individual whose contribution exceeds $200 in an election cycle. Donations are not tax-deductible and will be used for political purposes.

Questions?
We're happy to answer any questions here in this thread as well - or you can contact us at contact@mngopac.org.

View · by **shooter115** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 1:07 pm

Donation sent. Thanks for doing so much to cover our backs Bryan.

View · by **photogpat** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 2:01 pm

Sent donation. Setting up for an ongoing $$ every month.

Nice work!

View · by **bstrawse** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 3:47 pm

Thanks folks! One of our goals is to take the fight to them! And we intend to do so...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

View · by **MJY65** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:52 pm

Sounds like a great idea. Any particular seats you plan to target?

View · by **2in2out** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 8:46 pm

Awesome! I'll be donating.

View · by **bstrawse** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:00 pm

Thank you!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

View · by **bstrawse** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:01 pm

Not that we are going to share yet - however Bloomberg's PAC has made noise about going after Cornish... So there's a potential starting point...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

View · by **gunsmith** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:05 pm

No room to nit pick in this regard but...I came to 'guns' from 'self-defense' and 'anti-crime'

Guns are a part of how I stay safe.

GOCRA is an institution. The only refinement I could think of is in the actual name (too late now of course) something closer to the constitution, freedom and civil rights.

2nd ammendment PAC,

Right to Keep and Bear Arms PAC,

Defense of Home and Family PAC,

What I'm trying to get at here is that I've recently heard the phrase 'Constitutional Government'....Constitutional Government...that gets the light bulb to go off...
Left or Right or Center we respect the constitution, men of all political persuasions cross oceans to defend the Constitution.

It's the broadest possible appeal and there's no 'sharp edges' many reasonable people have Gun Phobia and Gun Owners means Guys, Blue Collar Guys with Guns.... that could be 'scarey' ... to 'middle of the roaders'

Rant over. This is good.

One of my catch phrases is that 'we do a lot of things right in Minnesota' and this looks like it will be one of them.

View · by **gunsmith** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:11 pm

bstrawse wrote:Not that we are going to share yet - however Bloomberg's PAC has made noise about going after Cornish... So there's a potential starting point...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

If Bloomberg goes after Cornish....his staffers will be googling 'Pearl Harbor' There were lines around the block at recruitment offices the week after Pearl Harbor.

Cornish is not my rep...but he's what makes Minnesota 'not New York' and Bloomberg is going to get a fight that money can't win for him.

View · by **bstrawse** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 11:11 pm

gunsmith wrote:
bstrawse wrote:Not that we are going to share yet - however Bloomberg's PAC has made noise about going after Cornish... So there's a potential starting point...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

If Bloomberg goes after Cornish....his staffers will be googling 'Pearl Harbor' There were lines around the block at recruitment offices the week after Pearl Harbor.

Cornish is not my rep...but he's what makes Minnesota 'not New York' and Bloomberg is going to get a fight that money can't win for him.

Amen, brother. Amen.
b

View · by **bstrawse** on Wed Oct 23, 2013 11:13 pm

gunsmith wrote:No room to nit pick in this regard but...I came to 'guns' from 'self-defense' and 'anti-crime'

Guns are a part of how I stay safe.

GOCRA is an institution. The only refinement I could think of is in the actual name (too late now of course) something closer to the constitution, freedom and civil rights.

2nd ammendment PAC,

Right to Keep and Bear Arms PAC,

Defense of Home and Family PAC,

What I'm trying to get at here is that I've recently heard the phrase 'Constitutional Government'....Constitutional Government...that gets the light bulb to go off...
Left or Right or Center we respect the constitution, men of all political persuasions cross oceans to defend the Constitution.

It's the broadest possible appeal and there's no 'sharp edges' many reasonable people have Gun Phobia and Gun Owners means Guys, Blue Collar Guys with Guns.... that could be 'scarey' ... to 'middle of the roaders'

Rant over. This is good.

One of my catch phrases is that 'we do a lot of things right in Minnesota' and this looks like it will be one of them.

All good points. But we wanted something crystal clear on who we represent... though we did play around with some other names -- we just came back to what was simple.

MINNESOTA GUN OWNERS... PAC.

And of course, Mark and I both live here -- unlike some other carpetbaggers that are going to try to play themselves off as as Minnesota organization this year. More on that later.
b

View · by **photogpat** on Thu Oct 24, 2013 7:51 am

bstrawse wrote:MINNESOTA GUN OWNERS... PAC.

And of course, Mark and I both live here -- unlike some other carpetbaggers that are going to try to play themselves off as as Minnesota organization this year. More on that later.
b

AND HOW!!! The number of "gun rights" .org's asking me for money seems to have tripled...yet aside from a choice few, I've never seen hide nor hair of them in MN...EVER.

Just be aware folks - someone asking for your money, and professing to support "gun rights" in MN may only be interested in lining their own pockets. Do you homework on these orgs. When in doubt, put a local face/name to the org before you send them your money.

View · by **Thunder71** on Thu Oct 24, 2013 8:01 am

Thanks, that was one concern I had as I don't have a lot of extra cash to donate to all these gun rights groups - I'd like to, but I need to be selective as I have a family of 5 to keep dry and fed, and bills to pay.

GOCRA and NRA have been the two I have donated to in the past, but now I feel as though I'll have to add a 3rd as I did see NRA representation in Minnesota. Unfortunately, the more that get added, the thinner the donations may become.

GOA dropped off my list after year one, their tactics are much like the NRA's but at least the NRA shows up to the fight.

View · by **photogpat** on Thu Oct 24, 2013 8:05 am

Thunder71 wrote:Thanks, that was one concern I had as I don't have a lot of extra cash to donate to all these gun rights groups - I'd like to, but I need to be selective as I have a family of 5 to keep dry and fed, and bills to pay.

GOCRA and NRA have been the two I have donated to in the past, but now I feel as though I'll have to add a 3rd as I did see NRA representation in Minnesota. Unfortunately, the more that get added, the thinner the donations may become.

GOA dropped off my list after year one, their tactics are much like the NRA's but at least the NRA shows up to the fight.

The only ones that were here last year was GOCRA and the NRA...none of the others had a presence in MN and were merely interested in our money.

My understanding is that the MN Gun Owners PAC was formed since they can do things with their collected monies that GOCRA cannot based on the way its collected.