U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Oral arguments in the first of what is expected to be several lawsuits challenging Oregon’s restrictive gun control Measure 114 are scheduled this Friday, Dec. 2 in U.S. District Court in Portland before District Judge Karin J. Immergut, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB).
In reaction, the Oregon Firearms Federation is predicting “a long battle ahead” with the first hurdle being able to secure an injunction to prevent the measure from taking effect Dec. 8.
“While this greatly reduces the time our legal team has for preparation,” OFF said on its website, “we are hoping it means the court has recognized the need to act quickly. But only time will tell.”
Other legal actions are reportedly waiting to be filed. The Second Amendment Foundation also plans to sue in federal court, Public Broadcasting said. SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb told OPB, “(The) Net effect is they’re going to shut down all gun stores and basically no one is going to be able to buy a firearm, which is totally in violation of Second Amendment rights,” if Measure 114 takes effect as scheduled.
Also, the National Shooting Sports Foundation announced last week it also plans to challenge the Oregon measure.
By no small coincidence, a Kentucky congressman made an observation during Sunday’s “Meet the Press” program on NBC that essentially describes the reality and false expectations of the gun control movement, which too many Beaver State voters do not apparently understand.
Speaking to host Chuck Todd, Republican Rep. James Comer observed, “Well Chuck, you talk about this a lot on Meet the Press, but when you look at cities that have the most strict gun laws, like Washington DC, Chicago, these are the cities with the highest rates of crimes committed with guns. So you know, just simply passing more bills isn’t going to solve the problem.”
Under Oregon’s initiative, prospective gun buyers would first have to take a safety course—including a live fire exercise—from a law enforcement agency, then get a permit to purchase and only then be allowed to buy a firearm. The measure also bans so-called “high capacity magazines” capable of holding more than ten cartridges, but it allows current owners of such magazines to keep them.
OFF said the measure will “crush small businesses across the state and send a message to the most vulnerable Oregonians that their safety and privacy are meaningless.”
Sponsors of the measure apparently believe it will make things safer, but according to the Twitter account “Portland Homicides,” the Rose City had already suffered 87 murders as of Nov. 24. But according to the Portland Oregonian, the situation is even worse, with 93 slayings so far.
2022 YTD Total: 87
2022 Fatal Police Shootings: 5
2021 Total: 88
2021 Fatal Police Shootings: 4
10 Year Average: 33.4
Record High: 88 in 2021— Portland Homicide (@pdxhomicide) November 24, 2022
In a new development, Leupold has officially denounced Measure 114. See the related story.
While Oregon’s gun rights battle is quickly heating up, on the other side of the Columbia River in neighboring Washington, the issue of violent crime is also on the front burner, thanks to a post on Twitter from Washington State Homicide (a non-law enforcement entity) which includes a state map purporting to show the number of homicides committed so far this year. The county-by-county breakdown shows the most murders so far have occurred in King County (108), followed by neighboring Pierce (70) and Yakima (34), the latter being in Eastern Washington. Snohomish County apparently has logged 30 slayings, according to the map, and Spokane County has posted 21. There is no small irony in the fact that King County is the home of the billionaire-backed Alliance for Gun Responsibility, the Northwest’s leading gun prohibition group.
BY THE NUMBERS: Here is a look at homicide totals in every Washington State county as of today. The counties with no numbers have zero. #homicides #wastatehomicide #killings #murder #murdermap pic.twitter.com/V8GuzBbA3N
— Washington State Homicide (@WAStateHomicide) November 27, 2022
Ammoland reached out to the WAStateHomicide Twitter account for further details, but there was no timely response.
However, Republican State Rep. Jim Walsh from Washington’s 19th District posted this observation on Facebook: “The current Governor’s soft-on-crime policies aren’t just driving up property crimes. They’re also driving up violent crimes. Specifically, homicides.”
The homicide statistics may have some validity since another Twitter account—Seattle Homicides—is reporting 54 slayings so far this year in just the Jet City. With just over a month remaining, the body count is likely to go up, even with the onset of the holiday season.
Public concern in King County has intensified since the shooting death of a man in the Southcenter Westfield Mall parking garage Nov. 18. The victim, Chris Wesolowicz was killed and his wife, Mary was wounded when they apparently interrupted a car prowler or thief.
Over the past several years, gun control politics has gained a foothold in the Pacific Northwest, with Portland and Seattle serving as hubs of anti-gun activism. However, thanks to this year’s key Supreme Court ruling in the Bruen case, federal courts are now giving far less leeway to gun control laws than in the past.
About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
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