With the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals deciding this week to grant an en banc review of the court’s decision overturning California’s ban on ammunition magazines that can hold more than ten rounds, I thought it would be timely to devote an episode of Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co to that case, along with some of the other Second Amendment-related cases that are slowly working their way through the appeals process in the appellate court. I’m thrilled that California Rifle & Pistol Association president and general counsel Chuck Michel could join me on today’s program as we discuss the latest legal machinations regarding our right to keep and bear arms.
Michel tells me that he’s cautiously optimistic about the en banc hearing, noting that the Ninth Circuit isn’t dominated by anti-gun judges anymore. Thanks to the efforts of Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, and Senate Republicans over the last few years, the Ninth Circuit is far more balanced than in years past, though it’s not quite a 50-50 split.
Since the Ninth Circuit is so large, instead of every judge on the appellate court taking part in an en banc review (as is the case in other appellate courts), eleven judges will be randomly selected to re-hear the case. Michel says he’s hopeful that a majority will vote to uphold both the decision by U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez and the three judge panel of the Ninth Circuit led by Judge Kenneth Lee that declared California’s law to be a violation of the rights of residents.
Even if the court goes the other way, however, Michel says the ultimate goal is for the Supreme Court to weigh in, and he’s even more optimistic that by the time Duncan vs. Becerra reaches the Court, justices will have taken up and decided another Second Amendment case that will provide real clarity to lower courts on the standard of review that should be used when deciding the constitutionality of gun control laws.
Will America-First News Outlets Make it to 2023?
Things are looking grim for conservative and populist news sites.
There’s something happening behind the scenes at several popular conservative news outlets. 2021 was bad, but 2022 is proving to be disastrous for news sites that aren’t “playing ball” with the corporate media narrative. It’s being said that advertisers are cracking down, forcing some of the biggest ad networks like Google and Yahoo to pull their inventory from conservative outlets. This has had two major effects. First, it has cooled most conservative outlets from discussing “taboo” topics like Pandemic Panic Theater, voter fraud, or The Great Reset. Second, it has isolated those ad networks that aren’t playing ball.
Certain topics are anathema for most ad networks. Speaking out against vaccines or vaccine mandates is a certain path to being demonetized. Highlighting voter fraud in the 2020 and future elections is another instant advertising death penalty. Throw in truthful stories about climate change hysteria, Critical Race Theory, and the border crisis and it’s easy to understand how difficult it is for America-First news outlets to spread the facts, share conservative opinions, and still pay the bills.
Without naming names, I have been told of several news outlets who have been forced to either consolidate with larger organizations or who have backed down on covering certain topics out of fear of being “canceled” by the ad networks. I get it. This is a business for many of us and it’s not very profitable. Those of us who do this for a living are often barely squeaking by, so loss of additional revenue can often mean being forced to make cuts. That means not being able to cover the topics properly. Its a Catch-22: Tell the truth and lose the money necessary to keep telling the truth, or avoid the truth and make enough money to survive. Those who have chosen survival simply aren’t able to spread the truth properly.
We will never avoid the truth. The Lord will provide if it is His will. Our job is simply to share the facts, spread the Gospel, and educate as many Americans as possible while exposing the forces of evil.
To those who have the means, we ask that you please donate. We have options available now, but there is no telling when those options will cancel us. We have our GivingFuel page. There have been many who have been canceled by PayPal, but for now it’s still an option. Your generosity is what keeps these sites running and allows us to get the truth to the masses. We’ve had great success in growing but we know we can do more with your assistance.
Thank you, and God Bless!
JD Rucker