GOCRA/MNGOPAC/MN GUN OWNERS CAUCUS

[MJY65]

I receive emails from all 3 and still don't understand who's who and what relationship exists between the three organizations.

Can someone help sort this out for me?

[JJ]

MNGOPAC and MNGOC are in essence the same entity. Both organizations share a common advisory panel, executive director etc. There has to be some separation of entities as PAC's and 501c4 (Caucus) activities are limited by law in how they can support/grade candidates, and how they can lobby. The Caucus has also very recently developed a 501c3 that can accept (tax deductible) donations to support the gun safety program that is in development.

GOCRA is its own entity

[2in2out]

I think the point was, there are three different organizations who do a lot of work and deserve a lot of credit for gun rights in this state, but it's extremely difficult to determine where the lines are drawn, as far as what they do.

[hammAR]

.......or where to invest/donate....................

[bstrawse]

Hi -

I'm happy to speak on behalf of the MN Gun Owners Caucus & the MN Gun Owners Political Action Committee.

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus is a Minnesota non-profit, recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(4) social advocacy organization, dedicated to the full restoration of our firearms freedoms in Minnesota. Here's the Caucus's mission statement from our website at http://gunowners.mn.

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to the full restoration of our firearms freedoms in Minnesota.

ADVOCACY

We aggressively advance and defend our firearms freedoms in Minnesota through grassroots advocacy at all levels in Minnesota, from local government to Saint Paul.

EDUCATION

We work to improve gun safety across Minnesota through seminars, conferences, educational materials, and a statewide gun safety campaign.

ELECTIONS

Through our connected political fund, the Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee, we work to elect and support Pro-Second Amendment candidates across the state.

LEGISLATION

We work to restore our freedoms, step by step, through strong pro-gun legislation, while blocking anti-gun legislation that threatens our liberties.

LEGAL ACTION

We work to identify areas where government entities and agencies are violating the constitutional rights of Minnesota's law-abiding gun owners and work to defend and expand those rights, including litigation if needed.

MEMBER ORIENTED

We are a member oriented organization. We exist to advance the interests of our members through advocacy, education, elections, legislation, and legal action. We regularly engage our members through frequent communication, events throughout the state, and an open door for feedback and diverse points of view.

The Caucus is a membership based organization with a membership program at multiple tiers.

• Learn more about the membership program here: http://gunowners.mn/join
• Learn more about discounts and other benefits available to members here: http://www.gunowners.mn/membership_benefits

Let me highlight a couple products and results to give you an idea of what the Caucus has done:

• We publish a weekly podcast called the Minnesota Gun Report -- learn more here: http://www.gunowners.mn/podcast
• We're engaged in the use of public records to expose gun controllers - this is a newer effort and we've much more to report in the near future, but learn more here: http://www.gunowners.mn/exposing_the_gun_controllers
• We take legal action against government entities that infringe on your 2nd Amendment Rights. Earlier this year, we took on Ramsey County over a ban on firearms at polling places (and won). We'll be announcing new efforts shortly, learn more here: http://www.gunowners.mn/legal_action
• We grade candidates running for state and county office, learn more here: http://www.gunowners.mn/elections
• We publish an in-depth legislative scorecard with commentary on the last legislative session and complete voting records on 2A issues for all legislators (we use these details for grading). See the 2015 edition here (the 2016 edition will be out soon): http://www.gunowners.mn/legislative_scorecard
• We work on Pro-2A legislation and stopping anti-gun legislation in Saint Paul: http://www.gunowners.mn/legislation

Now that session is over, we'll be focused on training activists for the November elections, launching a gun safety education program to counter the same from the anti-gun groups, holding candidate forums across the state, and getting out the vote for Pro-2A candidates... and we'll have some fun news on the legal action front.

As a non-profit, the Caucus's financials, tax filings, are completely public. No one at the Caucus draws any sort of salary or contractor payment.

The Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee, or MNGOPAC, is a "connected political fund" under Minnesota law, i.e. a political action committee that is connected to a supporting organization. In this case, MNGOPAC is connected to the MN Gun Owners Caucus. The Caucus provides all administrative support to the PAC, including the same board of directors, etc.

The PAC does what the Caucus cannot under Minnesota Law. The PAC can endorse candidates, it can say "don't vote for X", it can give money to candidates as a PAC donation, more importantly it can spend money independently (similar to a SuperPAC) to influence a race.

The PAC issues endorsements of candidates and then spends money in targeted races. In 2014, we donated in about 12 races, but we spend heavily in four. Of course, we won 3 of the 4, which is a pretty good record.

When we're involved in a race, we run radio, online, and print ads, purchase billboards (digital and print), send target direct mail, phone bank to get out the vote and conduct voter id, doorknock, and lit drop.

Here are some example ads:

• 2015, tell Dayton to Sign the Bill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWi1NT1gegI
• 2014: "Trust", in support of Mary Franson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NghHLVmvCB0
• 2014: "Minnesota Values", against Shannon Savick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybWi3sbvaQo
• 2014: "Gun Control", against Shannon Savick, for Peggy Bennett: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCjwQZsuc5w
• 2014: "Enough is Enough" - basic endorsement ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uElXTVVT3tY

In 2016, we expect to be heavily involved in 8-12 races and will donate to even more.

Learn more about the PAC at http://mngopac.org.

There's also the Minnesota Gun Owners Support Fund, which is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that we recently launched. The support fund is how we'll fund our educational programs and a few other things that fall under public service/charity work. This fund has the same Board of Directors as the Caucus/PAC, but is a legally separate organization. You can make tax deductible donations at http://gunowners.mn/support_fund_donation

Hopefully this helps explain the Caucus & PAC -- I wrote more than probably most folks expected, but I thought it was important to lay out some history.

We'll be holding several events over the summer, come and chat with us and you can get an idea of who we are. We share events on our website at http://gunowners.mn/events or via our FB page at http://facebook.com/gunonwersmn -- and you can join our mailing list at http://gunowners.mn

Thanks!
Bryan

[Uffdaphil]

Great response Brian. I too get so many gun group emails I can keep them straight in the decaying noodle. Now that the primary is all but over I think 2A donations will increase.

I would like to see the name of that out-of-state wanker's group purporting to represent Minnesotans posted frequently so I don't inadvertantly support him. IIRC the name sounded like a perfectly legitimate organization. I probably already sent them money and recieve their emails.

[JJ]

I would like to see the name of that out-of-state wanker's group purporting to represent Minnesotans posted frequently so I don't inadvertantly support him. IIRC the name sounded like a perfectly legitimate organization. I probably already sent them money and recieve their emails.

http://www.citypages.com/news/pro-gun-l ... rs-6548484

http://www.bluestemprairie.com/bluestem ... ights.html

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=52526

[bstrawse]

Great response Brian. I too get so many gun group emails I can keep them straight in the decaying noodle. Now that the primary is all but over I think 2A donations will increase.

I would like to see the name of that out-of-state wanker's group purporting to represent Minnesotans posted frequently so I don't inadvertantly support him. IIRC the name sounded like a perfectly legitimate organization. I probably already sent them money and recieve their emails.

You're thinking of Minnesota Gun Rights. Christopher and Ben Dorr.

[xd ED]

I don't presently recall any details, but emails from/ about somebody with the the name 'Dudley Brown' of the National Association of Gun Rights keep showing up in the junk folder...
apparently the boat is always on the verge of sinking and the holes need to be plugged with my money.
also frequent 'contests', petitions to sign...

[Andrew Rothman]

Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance (GOCRA), founded by Professor Joseph E, Olson and David M. Gross, has been around for 27 years, since 1989, and has been largely responsible for most of the gun rights in Minnesota many take for granted today, including our shall-issue carry law -- the Minnesota Citizens Personal Protection Act -- as well as the range protection act.

In 2013, GOCRA organized the massive turnout of maroon shirts at the Capitol, and helped defeat more than a dozen separate gun control bills.

In 2015, GOCRA worked directly with legislators (and the NRA) to write, introduce, and help pass suppressor legalization, capitol carry, emergency powers, and interstate purchase of long guns.

In between, we've worked behind the scenes at the Capitol, quietly fixing or killing bad bills before they get to committee, and advising pro-2A legislators.

[2in2out]

I'm not sure all of that makes it any clearer for me, and I apologize for not understanding.

So, as an exercise to try to understand, I'd like to summarize:

MNGOC is the parent organization for the PAC. They advocate for gun rights through political activities and education.

MNGOPAC can donate to political campaigns, endorse candidates and basically tries to improve gun rights in Minnesota through elections of people who are supportive.

GOCRA advocates for gun rights, mainly through their presence at hearings, promoting gun rights bills, and negotiating with members of the state legislature.

How close am I? What did I miss?

It seems that the three organizations can be - should be - complementary to each other. They all have a part to play, and it's a testament to the efforts of a relatively small percentage of people that we all benefit from favorable gun laws in this state. That's not wishful thinking as much as it is an expectation.

[photogpat]

I'm not sure all of that makes it any clearer for me, and I apologize for not understanding.

So, as an exercise to try to understand, I'd like to summarize:

MNGOC is the parent organization for the PAC. They advocate for gun rights through political activities and education.

MNGOPAC can donate to political campaigns, endorse candidates and basically tries to improve gun rights in Minnesota through elections of people who are supportive.

GOCRA advocates for gun rights, mainly through their presence at hearings, promoting gun rights bills, and negotiating with members of the state legislature.

How close am I? What did I miss?

It seems that the three organizations can be - should be - complementary to each other. They all have a part to play, and it's a testament to the efforts of a relatively small percentage of people that we all benefit from favorable gun laws in this state. That's not wishful thinking as much as it is an expectation.

A thousand candles lights the darkness better....sure is nice to have such a groundswell of popular grassroots support for 2A advocacy in MN.

p.s. Don't look for drama where there is none....justa sayin'

[rtk]

p.s. Don't look for drama where there is none....justa sayin'

Perfect!