NRA-ILA FAX NETWORK 11250 Waples Mill Road * Fairfax, VA 22030 Vol. 2, No. 33 7/28/95 Phone: 1-800-392-8683 * Fax: 703-267-3918 HCI CONSULTANT SPINNING WACO HEARINGS FOR ADMINISTRATION? U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) announced that he may have found fingerprints of Handgun Control, Inc., on the Clinton Administration's response to the Waco hearings. Mica announced that his "investigation into efforts by the Clinton Administration to withhold evidence and otherwise influence witness testimony [on Waco] ... uncovered that a private attorney with ties to [HCI] is helping coordinate the Clinton Administration's response to these hearings.... John Podesta, who the Washington Post referred to as the Administration's "damage control czar," has been retained by [HCI].... My Civil Service Subcommittee may investigate this matter ... I request that you take all necessary steps to ensure that no documents relevant to this inquiry be destroyed." WACO HEARINGS UPDATE: As the hearings into the 1993 Waco siege continued this past week, more examples of leadership missteps have been brought to light. Of significant relevance to the issue was the ignorance by high-level officials of BATF undercover agent Robert Rodriguez's repeated warnings that the Davidians knew of the impending raid. Both Phillip Chojnacki, former BATF special agent in charge in Houston, and Chuck Sarabyn, former BATF ASAC in Houston, claimed that they did not know that the element of surprise was gone. However, Lewis Merletti, deputy director of the Treasury Department review team stated that everyone he interviewed after the raid said they knew they were to abort if the Davidians were aware of the plans. Regardless of the orders, BATF agents were apparently set on carrying off the raid. Some of the most compelling testimony this week came from Davidian attorneys Dick DeGuerin and Jack Zimmerman, who testified that a deal had been worked out between Koresh and officials for a peaceful resolution to the standoff. The attorneys noted that on April 14th, they were assured by FBI Special Agents Jeffrey Jamar and Byron Sage that they had "all the time in the world" to negotiate a peaceful settlement. Hearings will conclude next week -- so stay tuned! LOBBY REFORM PASSES SENATE, GRASSROOTS ACTIVITIES UNAFFECTED: On Tuesday, July 25, the Senate passed S. 1060 -- the Lobbying Reform Act -- by a vote of 98-0. As passed by the Senate, the bill expands the disclosure requirements for lobbyists on Capitol Hill. The good news for NRA members and gun owners is that, as the bill is currently written, these new restrictions do not apply to "grassroots lobbying communications or other communications by volunteers who express their own views on an issue." In other words, unlike last year's legislation, S. 1060 poses no threats to NRA members who meet with or lobby their U.S. Congressmen! S. 1060 now moves to the House, where the leadership may not consider it until next year. We'll keep you posted! QUICK LOOK AHEAD: Word has it hearings on H.R. 1488 -- legislation repealing the Clinton gun and magazine ban will start in September. A summary of the bill will be included in your August issue of NRA Grassfire. On July 25th, The Washington Post reported that Rep. Bill McCollum (R-Fla.) will look to host hearings on the "militia movement" this fall, an outgrowth of concerns that the tragic Oklahoma City bombing was influenced by the so-called militia movement. Also this fall, look for floor debates in both chambers on anti-terrorism legislation. In the House, expect Rep. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to try to add his previously defeated bullet ban back to the bill. We will also see floor debates in both Houses on appropriations legislation, which among other things, will determine the fate of the Civilian Marksmanship Program -- whether it's privatized, eliminated or kept in place. More to follow soon! CONNECTICUT COURT UPHOLDS GUN BAN: As gun owners stand on the verge of repealing the Clinton gun ban, on July 24, the Connecticut Supreme Court upheld that state's 1993 so-called "assault weapons" ban. According to a July 25 New York Times report, it would appear as if the Court was reading from an HCI- produced brochure in reaching its decision! The Court concluded that the state's constitution "does not guarantee the right to possess any weapon of the individual's choosing." Said NRA-ILA chief lobbyist Tanya Metaksa, "The court, in the most cavalier fashion imaginable, simply ignored the key arguments. To suggest, as the Court did, that being able to own some 'weapon' satisfies this right is bogus on its face. That's tantamount to saying that one enjoys full First Amendment protection, provided you say only certain things." A LOOK AT THE STATES: Louisiana: Legislators rejected calling for a July special session, during which they could have reconsidered Gov. Edwards' veto of SB 886, the NRA-backed right to carry reform bill. We'll work to elect a pro-gun governor in November who will sign right to carry into law. Massachusetts: Make plans to attend a pro-Second Amendment rally, co-sponsored by Gun Owners Action League, at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 5, at the Historic Quincy City Hall in Quincy. For more information, call Don Kusser at (617) 773-5978. Oregon: At press time, the legislature had convened for a special session and may reconsider bills which Gov. Kitzhaber had vetoed, including HB 2784, the state firearms preemption bill, and HB 3112, shooting range protection legislation. We'll keep you posted! =+=+=+=+ This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA. This and other information on the Second Amendment and the NRA is available at any of the following URL's: http://WWW.NRA.Org, gopher://GOPHER.NRA.Org, wais://WAIS.NRA.Org, ftp://FTP.NRA.Org, mailto:LISTPROC@NRA.Org (Send the word help as the body of a message) Information may also be obtained by connecting directly to the NRA-ILA GUN-TALK Bulletin Board System at (703) 934-2121.