Second Amendment Foundation

{{Short description|United States nonprofit organization that supports gun rights}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = Second Amendment Foundation

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| logo = Second Amendment Foundation logo.svg

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| established = {{start date and age|1974}}

| founder = Alan M. Gottlieb

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| type = Gun rights advocacy group

| tax_id = 91-6184167 (EIN){{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Andrea Suozzo, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon |date=2013-05-09 |title=Second Amendment Foundation - Nonprofit Explorer |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/916184167 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=ProPublica |language=en}}

| status = 501(c)(3) organization

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| headquarters = Bellevue, Washington, United States

| location = 12500 Northeast 10th Place
Bellevue, WA 98005

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| region = United States

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| membership = 720,000

| membership_year = 2023

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| leader_title = President

| leader_name = Massad Ayoob

| leader_title2 = Executive Vice President

| leader_name2 = Alan M. Gottlieb

| leader_title3 = Executive Director

| leader_name3 = Adam Kraut

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| board_of_directors = 9

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| affiliations = Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA)

| budget = $4.3 million{{cite web|title=2019 Financial Audit Report|url=https://www.saf.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2019-SAF-990.pdf}}

| budget_year = 2019

| revenue = {{increase}} $9.08 million{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Andrea Suozzo, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon |date=2013-05-09 |title=Second Amendment Foundation, Full Filing - Nonprofit Explorer |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/916184167/202432289349302658/full |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=ProPublica |language=en}}

| revenue_year = 2023

| expenses = {{IncreaseNeutral}} $7.82 million

| expenses_year = 2023

| staff = 16

| staff_year = 2011

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| website = {{URL|http://www.saf.org}}

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The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) is a United States nonprofit organization that supports gun rights. Founded in 1974 by Alan Gottlieb and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, SAF publishes gun rights magazines and public education materials, funds conferences, provides media contacts, and has assumed a central role in sponsoring lawsuits.{{cite encyclopedia |last=Godwin |first=Marcia L. |year=2012 |chapter=Second Amendment Foundation |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oD46JBOhMU0C&pg=PA739 |editor1-last=Carter |editor1-first=Gregg Lee |encyclopedia=Guns in American Society |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H_RrLyV9rDUC |location=Santa Barbara, California |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn= 9781576072684|access-date=February 4, 2015|title=Guns in American Society: A - L }}

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) is the advocacy affiliate of the SAF. As of January 2015, both groups reported having over 650,000 members.{{cite press release |author= |date=January 5, 2015 |title=Second Amendment Foundation Launches Firearms Training Division |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/second-amendment-foundation-launches-firearms-training-division-300015973.html |location=Bellevue, Washington |publisher=Second Amendment Foundation |agency=PR Newswire |access-date=February 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109090616/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/second-amendment-foundation-launches-firearms-training-division-300015973.html |archive-date=January 9, 2015 |url-status=live}}{{cite press release |author= |date=January 26, 2015 |title=CCRKBA Throws Its Support Behind Bill To Repeal I-594 |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ccrkba-throws-its-support-behind-bill-to-repeal-i-594-300025883.html |location=Bellevue, Washington |publisher=Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms |agency=PR Newswire |access-date=February 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205001739/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ccrkba-throws-its-support-behind-bill-to-repeal-i-594-300025883.html |archive-date=February 5, 2015 |url-status=live}}

Legal action

In 2005, the Second Amendment Foundation and the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) successfully sued New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin and others to stop gun seizures in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.{{cite web|url=http://saf.org/new.orleans.lawsuit/complaint.declaratory.injunctive.relief.pdf |title=Complaint for Declarative and Injunctive Relief |author=NRA and SAF |access-date=September 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517080453/http://saf.org/new.orleans.lawsuit/complaint.declaratory.injunctive.relief.pdf |archive-date=May 17, 2008 }} On February 12, 2007, Ray Nagin and others were held in contempt of court for violating the consent order.{{cite web|url=http://saf.org/new.orleans.lawsuit/order.for.contempt.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070326032309/http://www.saf.org/new.orleans.lawsuit/order.for.contempt.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 26, 2007|title=Order And Reasons|author=Carl J. Barbier, U.S. District Judge|date=February 12, 2007}} The case is National Rifle Association of America, Inc., et al. v. C. Ray Nagin et al.{{cite web |title=Transcript of NRA video interviews |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0807/02/gb.01.html |website=CNN Transcripts |publisher=Cable News Network |access-date=15 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221022729/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0807/02/gb.01.html |archive-date=February 21, 2009 |date=July 2, 2008 |url-status=live}}

In 2005, SAF and others sued to stop the San Francisco gun ban. On June 13, 2006, San Francisco Superior Court Judge James Warren struck down the ban, saying local governments have no such authority under California law. The City appealed Judge Warren's ruling, but lost in a unanimous opinion from the three-judge panel in the Court of Appeal issued on January 9, 2008. The City then appealed to the California Supreme Court, which reached a unanimous decision on April 9, 2008, that rejected the city's appeal and upheld the lower courts' decision.

In 2006, a suit was filed in federal court against Washington state's North Central Regional Library District (NCRL). "The NCRL's policy of refusing to disable its Internet filters upon request is restricting the ability of speakers, content providers and patrons of the NCRL's public-library branches to access the contemporary marketplace of ideas" by using Internet filters on publicly available computer terminals to block access to constitutionally protected speech, including publications such as Women & Guns magazine, which is owned by SAF. It is claimed the library refuses to unblock such access even at the request of the plaintiffs.{{cite web|url=http://www.saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=203|title=SAF Sues Library System Over Internet Censorship of Gun Websites|author=SAF|date=November 16, 2006}} Upon certification by the District Court, the Washington Supreme Court held that a public library may, consistent with the Washington State Constitution, filter Internet access for all patrons without being obliged to disable the filter to allow access to web sites containing constitutionally protected speech upon the request of an adult library patron.{{cite web|url=http://www.wasupremecourtblog.com/uploads/file/822000_opn.pdf|title=Washington State Supreme Court Blog}} Based on this ruling, the federal district court ruled in 2012 that the public library's policy, including not disabling an Internet filter at the request of an adult patron, was reasonable, was not constitutionally overbroad, and did not violate the First Amendment's content-based restrictions.{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/88947738/District-Court-Ruling-North-Central-Regional-Library-District-WA-Internet-Policy|title=scribd.com Documentation of District Court Ruling}}

In 2008, the Second Amendment Foundation and the NRA successfully sued Washington, forcing the state to restart issuing and renewing Alien Firearms Licenses to legal resident aliens.{{cite web|url=http://saf.org/legal.action/wa.alien.resident.lawsuit/wa.alien.resident.complaint.pdf|title=Preliminary Injunction|author=NRA and SAF|access-date=June 29, 2010}}

On June 26, 2008, following the ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller affirming an individual Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms by the Supreme Court of the United States, the Second Amendment Foundation filed a suit, known as McDonald v. Chicago, against the City of Chicago to overturn its handgun ban.{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagoguncase.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/complaint.pdf|title=Complaint|author=SAF|date=June 26, 2007}} Alan Gura, who successfully argued Heller before the Supreme Court, was lead counsel in this case. On June 28, 2010, the Supreme Court held in McDonald that the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is incorporated by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and applies to the states.{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagoguncase.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/mcdonaldopinion08-1521.pdf|title=McDonald Opinion|author=SCOTUS|date=June 28, 2010}} In a noteworthy concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas held that the application of the Second Amendment to the states was through the Fourteenth Amendment's Privileges or Immunities Clause.

Following the Heller decision in 2008 in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects an individual's right to possess a firearm for private use, the Second Amendment Foundation partnered with Smith & Wesson to create a commemorative revolver. On the right side plate of the revolver, the scale of justice is depicted with the case name across the scale. The balance is in favor of the "Heller" name with the court date of "June 26, 2008" positioned across the top. Underneath the scale, the side plate reads "Second Amendment" and "The right to keep and bear arms" in white lettering. The revolver was presented to the six plaintiffs of the case.{{cite web|url=http://www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore/SmWesson/upload/othe/PR-Second%20Amendment%20Foundation%20and%20Smith.pdf|title=Second Amendment Foundation and Smith & Wesson Partner on Commemorative Revolver: Engraved Model 442 Will Recognize District of Columbia vs. Heller Decision|author=Smith & Wesson|date=July 21, 2008|author-link=Smith & Wesson}}{{cite web|url=http://www.smithwesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_765015_-1_772654_770653_757964_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y |title= Archived Web Page for Revolver |author=Smith & Wesson |date=January 10, 2010}}

On June 29, 2010, following the McDonald ruling by the Supreme Court that the Second Amendment is incorporated against the states, the Second Amendment Foundation, along with Grass Roots North Carolina and three North Carolina citizens, filed a federal suit{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/33708035/Bateman-v-Perdue-1-Main|title=Complaint, Bateman vs. Perdue|author=Alan Gura|date=June 28, 2010}} in North Carolina. The suit, known as Bateman vs. Perdue, seeks to prevent local officials and local governments from declaring states of emergency under which private citizens are prohibited from exercising their right to bear arms.{{cite web|url=http://saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=329|title=SAF Sues to Overturn North Carolina's 'Emergency Powers' Gun Bans|author=SAF|date=June 29, 2010}} Alan Gura, who successfully argued Heller and McDonald before the Supreme Court, is lead counsel in this case.

In 2018, the Foundation joined in a lawsuit against Alameda County, which had passed an ordinance that prohibits gun stores from being located within 500 feet of a residential zone.{{cite web|last1=PR Newswire|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scotus-review-sought-in-challenge-of-alameda-county-gun-store-ban-300580211.html|website=CISION|publisher=PR Newswire|access-date=16 May 2018|title=SCOTUS Review Sought in Challenge of Alameda County Gun Store Ban}} The plaintiffs won before a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court, but the decision was reversed by the full appeals court sitting en banc. The plaintiffs filed for a Writ of Certiorari seeking a hearing before the US Supreme Court. The Court rejected the request on May 14, 2017.{{cite journal|journal=Reason|date=15 May 2018|url=https://reason.com/archives/2018/05/15/california-cities-are-free-to-regulate-g|access-date=16 May 2018|title=California Cities Are Free to Regulate Gun Stores Out of Existence}}

Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms

File:Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms logo.png

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) is the sister organization{{cite news |author= |date=May 11, 2021 |title=CCRKBA: Survey Affirms More Americans Support Gun Rights |url=https://www.fairfieldsuntimes.com/news/state/ccrkba-survey-affirms-more-americans-support-gun-rights/article_33a2c80e-b2d1-11eb-8ffe-3b68c3b8ced4.html |work=Fairfield Sun Times |access-date=November 16, 2023}} and advocacy affiliate of the Second Amendment Foundation.{{cite news |last1=Levine |first1=Maryianne |last2=Arkin |first2=James |date=August 18, 2019 |title=Rival gun groups look to fill the NRA's void |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/18/nra-gun-lobbyist-1466701 |work=Politico |location=Guns |access-date=November 16, 2023}} As of January 2015, both groups reported having over 650,000 members.

The CCRKBA was founded by Gottlieb in 1971, three years before he founded the SAF. The organization was formed to advocate the individualist interpretation of the Second Amendment by firearm enthusiasts who felt that the NRA was not taking a strong enough stand on gun control and gun rights.{{cite book |last=Spitzer |first=Robert J. |year=2001 |title=The Right to Bear Arms: Rights and Liberties Under the Law |url=https://archive.org/details/righttobeararmsr0000spit |url-access=registration |location=Santa Barbara, California |publisher=ABC-CLIO |page=[https://archive.org/details/righttobeararmsr0000spit/page/75 75]|isbn=9781576073476 |access-date=February 4, 2015}}

In his capacity as chair of the Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms, Alan Gottlieb expressed his support for gun control contained in the Manchin-Toomey background check amendment. In a National Public Radio interview that aired April 16, 2013. NPR host Robert Siegel is quoted saying, "The background checks proposal that Ailsa mentioned is an amendment put forward by Democrat Joe Manchin and Republican Pat Toomey. It would expand background checks to include gun shows and Internet sales. Among gun rights activists, Alan Gottlieb is a figure of consequence. So his support of the Manchin-Toomey amendment is meaningful."{{Cite web |last=Siegel |first=Robert |date=April 16, 2013 |title=Gun Rights Activist Endorses Expanded Background Checks |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/04/16/177507489/guns-rights-activist-endorses-expanded-background-checks |access-date=November 15, 2024 |website=NPR}}

Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership

Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership is a gun-rights organization of American physicians. It was founded in 1993 by Timothy Wheeler, now Director emeritus, as a project of the Claremont Institute; as of 2016, it was a project of the Second Amendment Foundation.{{cite web | url=https://drgo.us/?page_id=2431 | title=About | work=Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership | access-date=4 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809104952/https://drgo.us/?page_id=2431 |archive-date=August 9, 2016 |url-status=live}}

Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership (DRGO) is a nationwide network of physicians and other health professionals who support the safe and lawful use of firearms. It also educates the public by searching and posting articles using science and medicine in dealing with firearm politics, proper use of firearms, and gun safety. It also publishes its own articles by DRGO members twice weekly. The editor of DRGO is Robert B. Young, MD; John Edeen, MD, is media liaison and Membership Director; Arthur Z. Przebinda, MD., is DRGO Project Director. Authors and Contributors{{cite web |last1=DRGO |title=Authors & contributors |url=https://drgo.us/about/authors-and-contributors/ |website=Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership |publisher=SAF |access-date=May 10, 2019}} include Gary Mauser, PhD, and Miguel Faria, MD.

Publications

  • The Gun Mag, a monthly magazine
  • Women & Guns, a bi-monthly magazine
  • The Gottlieb-Tartaro Report, a monthly newsletter
  • SAF Reporter, a quarterly newsletter
  • Journal of Firearms and Public Policy, an annual reference book
  • The New Gun Week, weekly magazine that ran for 45 years, is now "TheGunMag"

Radio

The Second Amendment Foundation and the CCRKBA own a group of business talk radio stations in the Pacific Northwest.

=Stations=

class="wikitable sortable"

! Callsign

scope=col style="width:4em;" data-sort-type="number" | Freq.CityMarket
KBNP1410 kHz{{sortkey|Oregon, Portland|Portland, OR}}{{sortkey|Oregon, Portland|Portland, OR}}
KGTK920 kHz{{sortkey|Washington, Olympia|Olympia, WA}}{{sortkey|Washington, Olympia|Olympia, WA}}
KITZ1400 kHz{{sortkey|Washington, Silverdale|Silverdale, WA}}{{sortkey|Washington, Seattle|Seattle}}
KSBN1230 kHz{{sortkey|Washington, Spokane|Spokane, WA}}{{sortkey|Washington, Spokane|Spokane, WA}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|2}}