Like most of you, I came home from work Tuesday evening and started skimming over the mail that my kids had placed on our kitchen table earlier in the day.
Thankfully, my wife had already grabbed the bills so I didn’t have to deal with that –- but one letter caught my eye in particular.
It was a fundraising letter sent to me by my Sheriff, on behalf of the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association (ISSDA), asking for my financial support.
But of course, the ISSDA has long been known as being the most aggressive anti-gun lobby in the state, warring against your gun rights for years!
In fact, insiders refer to them as the ‘Elite Anti-Gun Lobby’ in Des Moines because of their ability to work with former Senators’ Gronstal and Sodders to shut down pro-gun legislation!
(Some of you have received this letter in the mail this week from the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association asking for your money. Ask them to fight for the Second Amendment, first!)
What’s more, last we checked, the lobbyists for the ISSDA are paid well above $50,000 per year to fight against your gun rights!
And perhaps most insulting of all is that you pay for it.
So do I.
You see, many sheriff’s departments in Iowa have their annual dues to the ISSDA paid for as a line item in the county budget — meaning that pro-gun taxpayers like you and me are funding our political opponents in Des Moines!
Of course, this isn’t just some one-time mistake that the ISSDA made, they have been attacking pro-gun bills for years!
Consider this list:
>>> In 2009, the ISSDA opposed our first Constitutional Carry bill, HF 596.
>>> In 2010, the ISSDA opposed ‘Shall Issue’ legislation, SF 2379.
>>> In 2011, the ISSDA opposed legislation to phase out to permit-to-purchase handguns, HF 220.
>>> In 2011, the ISSDA opposed Constitutional Carry legislation again, HF 291.
>>> In 2012, the ISSDA opposed pre-emption reform legislation, HF 2114.
>>> In 2012, the ISSDA opposed Stand-Your-Ground law, HF 2115.
>>> In 2012, the ISSDA opposed a Constitutional Amendment to Keep and Bear Arms in the Iowa Constitution, HJR 2009.
>>> In 2012, the ISSDA opposed legislation to phase out the permit-to-purchase handguns, HF 2116.
>>> In 2013, the ISSDA opposed the Firearms Freedom Act, which would keep overreaching federal laws out of the state of Iowa, HF 170.
>>> In 2013, the ISSDA opposed another version of Stand- Your-Ground law, HF 2113.
>>> In 2013, the ISSAA refused to support “School Carry” legislation that would protect Iowa students, HF 169.
>>> In 2015 and 2016, the ISSDA opposed Stand- Your-Ground law in the House and Senate, HF 52 and SF 137.
And it doesn’t end there, as the ISSDA is still refusing to support Stand-Your-Ground law, in 2017!
Of course, with their allies having been crushed by gun owners last fall, they likely can’t stop it now -– but they are still refusing to support this bill.
That’s why I hope you’ll refuse to send them any of your hard earned dollars.
More, I hope you’ll tell them that until they change course and begin lobbying in favor of pro-gun legislation like Stand-Your-Ground law, they will have lost your support for good.
And, to be honest, I hope you’ll tell them that Iowa Gun Owners has the privilege of receiving your charitable dollars instead as we fight tooth and nail to support the Second Amendment here in Iowa!
If you would like to donate now to help us, please do so.
Either way, I hope you’ll let the ISSDA know that you are no longer supporting an organization who fights against your fundamental and Constitutionally guaranteed right to keep and bear arms.
For Freedom,
Executive Director
Iowa Gun Owners
P.S. With the fight for Stand-Your-Ground law about to land on the Senate floor, one of the loudest opponents of your gun rights in the Capitol is trying to dupe you into giving them money: the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association.
Having battled against your gun rights for close to a decade — funded by your tax dollars — they are known as the ‘Elite Anti-Gun Lobby’ here in Des Moines.
That’s why I hope, with their annual fundraising letters in the mail, that you’ll tell them you’re done giving them a dime until they support the Second Amendment.
