WTP urges overturn of Firearms Freedom veto
National property rights advocate slams Henry veto as attack on property rights

WASHINGTON – A national property rights advocate Thursday urged Oklahoma legislators to overturn Gov. Brady Henry’s Tuesday veto of the Oklahoma Firearms Freedom Act, Senate Bill 1685, exempting guns manufactured in-state from federal anti-gun laws.

“The Constitution absolutely prohibits any form of government gun control.  No question.  No doubt.  No compromise,” said Donny Ferguson, Western Tradition Partnership’s National Director of Media and Public Relations, and a former Oklahoma City resident.  “The federal government has no business regulating guns that never cross state lines.  Federal gun grabbers violate your property rights and right to freely access public lands for hunting and shooting.”

WTP will begin contacting Oklahoma legislators urging them to overturn Henry’s veto and determining which legislative districts to target with citizen education campaigns.  The group filed an amicus brief Monday in Montana federal court backing that state’s Firearms Freedom Act, sponsored by state Rep. Joel Boniek (R-Livingston) which started the “firearms freedom” legislative movement.

While WTP does not advocate the election or defeat of candidates, candidates who oppose WTP’s agenda of affordable energy, property rights and free markets find it difficult to win election.  In 2009, the mayor and mayor pro tem of Longmont, Colorado lost by wide margins, along with an environmentalist-supported city council candidate, after opposing WTP’s efforts to protect property rights in the city.  Two “green” ballot initiatives predicted to easily pass were also defeated by the same Boulder County voters. 

In 2008, two Garfield County Commission candidates who attacked WTP’s advocacy of responsible energy development in their Colorado county were defeated by voters.  That year Montana voters the defeated environmentalist-backed candidate in fourteen of nineteen state legislative districts targeted by WTP education efforts, flipping control of the state senate to Republicans.

WTP is also currently pursuing a lawsuit against Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock for enforcing prohibitions on independent campaign expenditures by employers, as well as proposing a Colorado ballot initiative allowing consumers to opt out of a state law requiring them to buy renewable energy.

Western Tradition Partnership is a 501(c)(4) grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to fighting environmental extremism and promoting responsible development and management of land, water, and natural resources.  For more information, go to http://www.westerntradition.org.  For more information on this issue, or to schedule an interview, contact Donny Ferguson at 703-200-3669 or donny.f@westerntradition.org.

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