MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

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MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby bstrawse on Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:10 am

MINNESOTA GUN OWNERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES ENDORSEMENT OF LORI SWANSON FOR MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL

SAINT PAUL, MINN. August 5, 2014 – The Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee today announced their endorsement of Lori Swanson for re-election as Attorney General of Minnesota.

“We’re excited to endorse Lori Swanson’s campaign for re-election as Attorney General of Minnesota,” said Mark Okern, Chairman, Minnesota Gun Owners PAC. “Lori has been a steadfast supporter of the constitutional rights of Minnesota’s gun owners as Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, and Solicitor General of Minnesota.”

As Attorney General, Swanson signed an amicus brief arguing before the United States Supreme Court that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms in the District of Columbia v. Heller case.

“We are confident that Attorney General Swanson will continue to be a strong supporter of the Second Amendment over the next four years as Minnesota’s Attorney General, “ said Bryan Strawser, Executive Director.
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby Chunkychuck on Tue Aug 05, 2014 1:27 pm

If she has been our friend as is stated by the endorsement, why hasn't she(and maybe she has and I am not aware of it) been used as a resource to ask the Director of Public Safety as to how the process of determining reciprocity between other states and MN has been going as it would relate to a PTC? Sometimes a question asked by the right person gets action where other actions may not.
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby JustinPo on Tue Aug 05, 2014 2:08 pm

Chunkychuck wrote:If she has been our friend as is stated by the endorsement, why hasn't she(and maybe she has and I am not aware of it) been used as a resource to ask the Director of Public Safety as to how the process of determining reciprocity between other states and MN has been going as it would relate to a PTC? Sometimes a question asked by the right person gets action where other actions may not.


I thought the roadblock there was the sec of state of MN?
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby Chunkychuck on Tue Aug 05, 2014 2:18 pm

JustinPo wrote:
Chunkychuck wrote:If she has been our friend as is stated by the endorsement, why hasn't she(and maybe she has and I am not aware of it) been used as a resource to ask the Director of Public Safety as to how the process of determining reciprocity between other states and MN has been going as it would relate to a PTC? Sometimes a question asked by the right person gets action where other actions may not.


I thought the roadblock there was the sec of state of MN?


Whoever it is, why couldn't she be asked to ask?
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby bstrawse on Tue Aug 05, 2014 7:48 pm

Chunkychuck wrote:If she has been our friend as is stated by the endorsement, why hasn't she(and maybe she has and I am not aware of it) been used as a resource to ask the Director of Public Safety as to how the process of determining reciprocity between other states and MN has been going as it would relate to a PTC? Sometimes a question asked by the right person gets action where other actions may not.


In Minnesota, the AG has no power or authority to do what you're asking. If they did, GOCRA, I believe, would have asked her to do so a long time ago.

In the GOCRA/MNGOPAC surveys for Governor - we asked if they would fix this issue OR immediately order their new Commissioner of Public safety to resolve the issue without legislation. We also asked house candidates if they would vote for legislation to fix this issue as well.

Great question, unfortunately the AG can't fix the issue. She can, if asked by the Commissioner or Governor, offer a legal opinion - but that's it.
B
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby bstrawse on Tue Aug 05, 2014 7:50 pm

JustinPo wrote:
Chunkychuck wrote:If she has been our friend as is stated by the endorsement, why hasn't she(and maybe she has and I am not aware of it) been used as a resource to ask the Director of Public Safety as to how the process of determining reciprocity between other states and MN has been going as it would relate to a PTC? Sometimes a question asked by the right person gets action where other actions may not.


I thought the roadblock there was the sec of state of MN?


The Secretary of State has nothing to do with this. MN 624.714 gives the authority to determine reciprocity to the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby Chunkychuck on Tue Aug 05, 2014 8:18 pm

bstrawse wrote:
Chunkychuck wrote:If she has been our friend as is stated by the endorsement, why hasn't she(and maybe she has and I am not aware of it) been used as a resource to ask the Director of Public Safety as to how the process of determining reciprocity between other states and MN has been going as it would relate to a PTC? Sometimes a question asked by the right person gets action where other actions may not.


In Minnesota, the AG has no power or authority to do what you're asking. If they did, GOCRA, I believe, would have asked her to do so a long time ago.

In the GOCRA/MNGOPAC surveys for Governor - we asked if they would fix this issue OR immediately order their new Commissioner of Public safety to resolve the issue without legislation. We also asked house candidates if they would vote for legislation to fix this issue as well.

Great question, unfortunately the AG can't fix the issue. She can, if asked by the Commissioner or Governor, offer a legal opinion - but that's it.
B


I understand she has no authority and if she was too forceful it could be seen as an attempt to influence unduly. I was thinking along the lines of "I had a resident of the state email me about reciprocity and I told them it was under your purview and that I would forward their email to you." I would be glad to provide the email.
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby bstrawse on Tue Aug 05, 2014 8:26 pm

Chunkychuck wrote:
bstrawse wrote:
Chunkychuck wrote:If she has been our friend as is stated by the endorsement, why hasn't she(and maybe she has and I am not aware of it) been used as a resource to ask the Director of Public Safety as to how the process of determining reciprocity between other states and MN has been going as it would relate to a PTC? Sometimes a question asked by the right person gets action where other actions may not.


In Minnesota, the AG has no power or authority to do what you're asking. If they did, GOCRA, I believe, would have asked her to do so a long time ago.

In the GOCRA/MNGOPAC surveys for Governor - we asked if they would fix this issue OR immediately order their new Commissioner of Public safety to resolve the issue without legislation. We also asked house candidates if they would vote for legislation to fix this issue as well.

Great question, unfortunately the AG can't fix the issue. She can, if asked by the Commissioner or Governor, offer a legal opinion - but that's it.
B


I understand she has no authority and if she was too forceful it could be seen as an attempt to influence unduly. I was thinking along the lines of "I had a resident of the state email me about reciprocity and I told them it was under your purview and that I would forward their email to you." I would be glad to provide the email.


I'm not sure how that would be much different than emailing or writing to the Commissioner of Public Safety or the Governor and asking the same question... if they choose to answer your email ;)

In any event, this was not a factor in our endorsement decision for Attorney General because it's not at all under her area of responsibility.

Hope that helps -
Thanks!
B
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby Chunkychuck on Tue Aug 05, 2014 8:38 pm

bstrawse wrote:
I'm not sure how that would be much different than emailing or writing to the Commissioner of Public Safety or the Governor and asking the same question... if they choose to answer your email ;)

In any event, this was not a factor in our endorsement decision for Attorney General because it's not at all under her area of responsibility.

Hope that helps -
Thanks!
B


Thanks for patiently indulging me. :D
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby bstrawse on Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:07 pm

In the long run, the reciprocity issue probably needs to be solved through legislation - so that any individual administration can't just refuse to negotiate new agreements, etc.

If you've been following what has been happening in Pennsylvania - their fairly anti-gun Attorney General, who owns their reciprocity process in that state, has been canceling or changing their agreements with other states one by one - eliminating many states that honor the PA permit. We do not want that situation here - so in the long term, a legislative fix is probably needed.

Yet another reason why we need a pro-gun rights legislature in both houses - and a pro-gun rights Governor.
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby Chunkychuck on Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:41 pm

bstrawse wrote:If you've been following what has been happening in Pennsylvania - their fairly anti-gun Attorney General, who owns their reciprocity process in that state, has been canceling or changing their agreements with other states one by one - eliminating many states that honor the PA permit. We do not want that situation here - so in the long term, a legislative fix is probably needed.
b


My PA permit expires in about 4 weeks and due to changes there cannot be renewed unless I show up in person. From an earlier topic FL will accept my test if I send them $117.50 even though the MN permit in my pocket uses the same test. 99% of my travel is in the MN, IA, MO, OK, AR, TX, And LA corridor. When my PA permit expires I lose TX and it frustrates me that it will happen because someone in our state government refuses to perform one of their duties within their job description. Visiting with a friend at his home in TX earlier this week, he was surprised to learn that TX did not accept the MN permit even though we accept theirs. I really do appreciate the work that GOCRA has done on our behalf and definitely will only support candidates that GOCRA has endorsed.
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby RobD on Wed Aug 06, 2014 9:07 am

Chunkychuck wrote: will only support candidates that GOCRA MNGOPAC has endorsed.

GOCRA grades, PAC endorses. Important distinction thanks to campaign finance laws.
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby Chunkychuck on Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:37 am

RobD wrote:
Chunkychuck wrote: will only support candidates that GOCRA MNGOPAC has endorsed.

GOCRA grades, PAC endorses. Important distinction thanks to campaign finance laws.


Thanks for info. If I had more closely read title of thread I would have seen that.
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby Spartan on Wed Aug 06, 2014 7:24 pm

I disagree ........ Scott Newman from Hutchinson, mn has been a president of Gopher Campfire gun club ......

http://www.minnpost.com/political-agend ... ndorsement
his campaign is being run by none other than State Senator Dave Thompson......

I am sorry but Swanson has never lifted a finger for us ..... Thompson is highly rated by liberty and mn tax payers league and NRA ... as is Newman.

I think Newman is the guy... he is GOP and so far has a much better record than AG Swanson .......
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Re: MNGOPAC endorses Lori Swanson for Minnesota Attorney General

Postby bstrawse on Wed Aug 06, 2014 7:35 pm

Spartan wrote:I disagree ........ Scott Newman from Hutchinson, mn has been a president of Gopher Campfire gun club ......

http://www.minnpost.com/political-agend ... ndorsement
his campaign is being run by none other than State Senator Dave Thompson......

I am sorry but Swanson has never lifted a finger for us ..... Thompson is highly rated by liberty and mn tax payers league and NRA ... as is Newman.

I think Newman is the guy... he is GOP and so far has a much better record than AG Swanson .......


Newman has a great record on the 2nd amendment - no one disputes that. But you can't say that Swanson has never done anything to support us - she's consistently argued for the 2nd amendment within the scope of her elected role as attorney general - and in her previous roles as Deputy AG and Solicitor General.

Here's what the NRA said about her in 2010 when they endorsed her for Attorney General:

"Lori Swanson's commitment to preserving our Second Amendment freedoms has earned her the NRA-PVF endorsement," said Chris W. Cox, chairman of NRA-PVF. "Gun owners and hunters in Minnesota can trust Lori Swanson to fight for their Second Amendment rights.

Lori Swanson returned positive responses to the NRA-PVF candidate questionnaire and has been a strong and vocal supporter of our right to keep and bear arms while serving as Minnesota Attorney General. She also signed the important amicus brief in the McDonald case, arguing that the Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental right that applies to all Americans.

"Lori Swanson's support for individual gun ownership rights has earned her an 'A+' rating -- the NRA-PVF's highest -- and endorsement from the NRA-PVF," Cox continued. "We ask all Minnesota gun owners, hunters and NRA members to vote Lori Swanson for Attorney General on November 2."


She backed the pro-gun rights point of view as AG in the Heller case and the McDonald case - and wrote a letter arguing against an expanded assault weapons ban / renewal in 2009. She's done alot to protect the civil rights of law abiding gun owners in Minnesota.

I should also point out that the MN Gun Owners PAC is non-partisan - we are not an extension of the Republican party, and we're not going to automatically endorse a Republican over a DFL'er, a Libertarian, or an Independence Party candidate. If we choose to endorse, we're going to endorse the person that we see - based on their track record, viability as a candidate, public statements, survey responses, and term(s) in office - being best possible candidate that lines up with our values in the election.

None of this takes anything away from Senator Newman, whom we like and respect a lot - but, in our view, she remains the best candidate for the role in this year's race - and that's why we endorsed her.

Bryan
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