Second Amendment

Republican Senator Says Missouri Can't Really Ban All Federal Gun-Control Laws In Advance

Update below: Republican State Senator Kurt Schaefer is a big believer in the Second Amendment and has even proposed a constitutional amendment in Missouri that would make the right to bear arms even stronger. But that doesn't mean he's a huge fan of a pro-gun bill that has earned Missouri national ... More >>

Missouri Legislature Sends Bills to Governor Blocking Federal Gun Control, Sharia Law, U.N.

It's the final countdown of the legislative session and Missouri lawmakers were quite productive last night -- giving final approvals to three controversial GOP-backed bills that liberal critics say are an embarrassment to the state. According to Republican supporters, these bills honor civil liber ... More >>

Roy Blunt's Gun Lobby Support: Does "Receipt" Explain No Vote on Background Checks?

Last month, we reported that U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican, voted against a federal background checks proposal -- with a statement saying, "We must do everything we can to prevent tragedies like those that took place in Newtown, Aurora or Tucson." Now, a national advocacy group pus ... More >>

Rep. Casey Guernsey: Gun Control Is Not Constitutional Even if Barack Obama Says It Is

As we've reported, Missouri lawmakers are aggressively pushing forward with their effort to make it illegal to enforce any federal firearm laws in the state with a proposal that Republican supporters say is a bold statement against gun control. Critics say it's an absurd, unconstitutional move to ba ... More >>

Caleb Rowden Courts Gun Industry: "Missouri is an Ideal Location for Your Firearms Business"

No one will try and grab your guns in Missouri! Such is the underlying message of a letter from Republican State Representative Caleb Rowden, who is trying to woo gun companies to bring their business to Missouri, a state that does not tolerate any threats to the Second Amendment. "Missouri's Re ... More >>

Gun Docket: Proposal to Revamp Firearms Prosecution in St. Louis Advances in Senate

It has been a particularly heated week for gun debates. In Missouri, a Republican outcry about gun owner privacy in Missouri sparked a major policy change and a high-profile resignation. Nationally, the U.S. Senate failed to pass a background check proposal, angering even some longtime NRA members. ... More >>

St. Louis Chef to Dana Loesch Fans: "Use Your Easily Purchased Firearm on Yourself"

File under: "If you can't stand the heat." Last night St. Louis' vociferous conservative talker/tweeter Dana Loesch called out the chef de cuisine of Clayton's Little Country Gentleman after he took to Twitter to take a shot at fans of her radio show. Won't be eating at @lcgentleman since it seems ... More >>

Roy Blunt, No on Background Checks: "We Must Do Everything We Can to Prevent Tragedies"

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican, yesterday voted against a proposal to expand gun background checks in the country. Then he fired off this statement, that said, in part: "We must do everything we can to prevent tragedies like those that took place in Newtown, Aurora, or Tucson..." Bl ... More >>

Brian Nieves' Senate Floor Outburst: "Are You Reporters Listening to This!" (VIDEO)

"You ain't seen nothing yet." You better believe it! State Senator Brian Nieves -- who got a lot of attention this week after we reported on his totally insane e-mails to a constituent -- has since delivered a pretty intense speech on the Senate floor about the privacy of concealed-carry permit ho ... More >>

Senator Brian Nieves Writes Insane E-Mails to Constituent Who Doesn't Want His Newsletters

We have to imagine that, as an elected official in Missouri who has experienced some controversy, State Senator Brian Nieves must be used to getting a fair amount of hate mail. And we'd guess that this message he received last Friday is, relatively speaking, pretty mild: "Take me off your mailing ... More >>

Guns: GOP Pushes To Make Concealed-Carry Permit Process Easier, Protect Privacy

Missouri Republicans are pushing forward with a privacy bill to block the state from maintaining personal records -- and in the process have introduced an amendment that supporters say will make it easier to get concealed-carry permits. That proposal from State Senator Ed Emery would eliminate the ... More >>

Ku Klux Klan Can Pass Out Handbills in Missouri, Court Rules in Free-Speech Case

In a victory for First Amendment supporters -- and white supremacists -- a federal judge ruled yesterday that a St. Francois County city cannot prohibit the Ku Klux Klan from distributing leaflets on city streets. The decision isn't all that surprising. The courts have ruled in favor of the Traditi ... More >>

O'Fallon Wants to Block Federal Gun Control With Bill to "Stop the Tyranny of...Government"

What's with all the Second Amendment bashing? That's the underlying question that O'Fallon City Councilman Jim Pepper says prompted him to propose a local bill that would block federal gun control measures. That's right, members of the City Council are pushing a municipal proposal to stop the enf ... More >>

Thousands Sign Petition to Stop Pro-Gun Publicity Stunt Bills: "Get Serious Or Go Home"

A Missouri bill to stop bills that force others not to introduce certain kind of bills? Almost. Representative Stacey Newman, a Democrat who has been very vocal on gun control, has collected thousands of signatures on a petition to urge lawmakers and legislative leaders to quit introducing pro-gun ... More >>

Maria Chappelle-Nadal Says Gun Control Critics "Don't Care About Black Lives Being Taken"

The gun debates in Missouri reached explosive levels this week with the introduction of a GOP bill that would make it illegal to even propose gun control measures and a bizarre stunt in which a Republican rep literally opened fire on a piece of legislation he doesn't like. Meanwhile, Democratic St ... More >>

Video: Republican Rep. Eric Burlison Literally Opens Fire On Missouri Gun Control Bill

The gun control debate in Missouri has gotten really heated. Like, violent. In response to Democratic Representative Rory Ellinger's recently introduced assault weapon ban bill, Representative Eric Burlison, a Republican, published a video on YouTube yesterday with the title "2nd Amendment puts ho ... More >>

GOP Rep. Mike Leara Wants To Make It A Felony For Legislators To Propose Gun Control

Instead of literally opening fire on gun control bills, why not just ban them all together? This is the thinking behind a new Missouri gun bill introduced yesterday with a pretty simple message: If you propose a gun control measure, you will be guilty of a class D felony. Take that, Democrats! I ... More >>

New St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson: "More Guns Is Never The Answer"

The City of St. Louis has a new police chief -- and he says gun control will be one of his top priorities. Officially sworn in on Thursday night, Police Chief Sam Dotson tells Daily RFT that the time has come to crack down on illegal handguns. "As a society, we have to be serious about gun contr ... More >>

Right-to-Work: Rep. Eric Burlison Pushing Controversial Labor Bill Despite Tough Odds

Republican Representative Eric Burlison knows it's not all that likely he will have much success with his controversial "right-to-work" bill -- a proposal to ban labor union requirements, but that is not stopping him from pushing the bill. "This is about economic freedom and individual liberty," B ... More >>

Stacey Newman on Missouri GOP Gun Bill: "Could you imagine anything crazier?"

Gun debates are alive and well in Missouri and Representative Stacey Newman, a Democrat, is currently promoting her bill that would require all sales or transfers of firearms to go through a licensed dealer. She is also, however, speaking out about some Republican proposals that are directly in op ... More >>

Roy Blunt on Missouri Gun Control Proposal: "Big Step Away From The Second Amendment"

Yesterday, we reported that State Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal, a Democrat, is pushing gun legislation that would force parents to notify school officials if they own firearms. It's one of many proposals that is sparking controversy at the state level as federal officials continue to debate what ki ... More >>

Guns: Christian County Sheriff Wants to Arm Missouri Teachers, Increase School Safety

Instead of having legislators force law enforcement agencies around Missouri to adopt half-assed school safety policies, knowledgeable officers on the frontline should be crafting and implementing proposals to increase security in the state's classrooms. At least this is the thinking of Christian ... More >>

Gun Policy: Roy Blunt Open to Background Checks, Says "Bans on Things" Don't Work

Questioned about gun control this weekend, Republican Senator Roy Blunt said that there have been "bans on things" for a long time in this country that don't "make any difference at all" -- but he's not entirely opposed to better background check systems for gun sales. In an interview with Fox New ... More >>

As Pols Talk Tighter Gun Control, A Look at 5 Fast and Loose Firearms Laws in Missourah

Nothing wrong with a night of bullets and booze... at least in Missouri. In the wake of last week's school shooting in Newtown, Conn., St. Louis County Police Colonel Tim Fitch has said he'd like to see school officials and teachers carry concealed weapons to prevent such tragedies . Such a move w ... More >>

Missouri Legislator Wants to Shoot Down State's "Gun Show Loophole"

State Rep. Stacey Newman (D-Richmond Heights) announced today that she will file legislation in January aimed at closing Missouri's "Gun Show Loophole" that allows for the sale of weapons without background checks. "After the recent horrific massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, ... More >>

RFT Founder Ray Hartmann Really Lets the NRA Have It

Some you readers are gun-rights absolutists. We know this from the comments you leave on our blog posts. Thus you may be interested to know that on Friday,  just hours after a deranged young man shot and killed 27 people (including 20 children) in a Connecticut school, Riverfront Times' founde ... More >>

Beefing Up Security at Schools: Nice Gesture, Poor Solution

In reaction to the Newtown school massacre, the St. Louis County Police Department is beefing up security at area schools. Chief Tim Fitch tweeted it on Friday: St. Louis County officers will provide extra patrols at elementary schools until further notice. We hope our presence will calm fears.-- Ch ... More >>

Don't Worry, Illinois Will Not Become A Gun-Crazed Dystopia

Yesterday, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the state of Illinois' ban against concealed-carry. (We've posted the decision online here.) Illinois was the last state to have such a ban. If the Land of Lincoln doesn't appeal to keep it on the books, then lawmakers will have six months ... More >>

Canadian Chippewa Indian Sues Missouri for Right of Legal Residents to Carry Concealed Gun

Quiz for conservative extremists: Which do you hate more, foreigners or gun-control? Well here's a court case that might explode your brain. On Tuesday -- with gun sales surging in the wake of the Aurora, Colorado shootings -- Edward F. Plastino filed a lawsuit in the federal courthouse downtown. He ... More >>

Mo. Speaker-Designate Tim Jones on Aurora Shooting: Let's Fight Violence with More Guns

State Representative Tim Jones (R-Eureka) went on KMOX 1120AM yesterday to talk about how laxer gun laws might have abated the shooting in Colorado... oh and also to slam those selfish, dirty hippies who would dare politicize [i.e. talk about reforming gun control laws] this completely unrelated tra ... More >>

Local Company Sold James Holmes His Assault Vest; Receiving Threats

After James Holmes allegedly murdered 12 people in an Aurora movie theater, it didn't take long for authorities to trace his arsenal back to the original sellers. That included items purchased online from Chesterfield-based Tactical Gear. The company's owners have been criticized for selling Holmes ... More >>

Peter Kinder Gets NRA Endorsement in Lt. Governor's Race, Rubs it in Brad Lager's Face

Yesterday, incumbent Lt. Governor Peter Kinder issued a press release to gloat about the endorsement he's received from the National Rifle Association in his re-election race. His quote:"I am honored [that] the NRA and its many Missouri members have renewed their longstanding support for my service ... More >>

KMOV Endangers Anti-Gun Liberal Media Conspiracy with Postive Gun Story

Whoa. KMOV Channel 4 has gone way off-script. What is reporter Maggie Crane doing reporting the story of 69-year-old Ed Gischer? This is the guy who, in the wee hours of Monday morning, was snoozing in his Lemay home when a masked burglar kicked in the back door, pryed open the locked bedroom door, ... More >>

Straight Shootin': The firepower at the NRA convention is incredible, just like the rhetoric

Mayor Blasts NRA Leadership at Start of St. Louis Convention

As thousands of gun-loving Americans (and the politicians who crave their votes, including GOP-presidential candidates Mit Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum) descend on St. Louis today for the start of the NRA Annual Convention, one city mayor isn't having any of it. Conveniently that mayor is ... More >>

If You Like Guns, Ted Nugent, Mitt Romney & More Guns, the NRA's Got a Deal for You!

Next weekend, more than 60,000 people are flocking to downtown St. Louis for the 2012 National Rifle Association Annual Meetings and Exhibits! This is a huge deal because, first of all, I will have a tougher time finding a parking spot. Secondly, an important national figure will be present: Ted Nug ... More >>

Does Missouri Allow Convicted Felons to Possess Guns?

​In a 4,650-word, front-page treatise in yesterday's New York Times, author Michael Luo lays bare a significant trend: each year, thousands of felons across the country have their gun rights reinstated following prison sentences, despite a federal law that strips away the right to bear arms fo ... More >>

Audio: John Ross Dispells Peter Kinder's Conspiracy Theory

John Ross on the cover of the RFT in August 1998 under the headline, "Gunning for Congress."​The name John Ross made news yesterday when Peter Kinder told media outlets that Ross leaked the Riverfront Times a photo of the lieutenant governor and an ex-stripper named Tammy Chapman. Kinder went on t ... More >>

Peter Kinder Spinning Lies; Claims Democratic Operative Works for RFT

Cuckoo conspiracy: Kinder claims RFT provided this photo to ourselves. ​Lt. Governor Peter Kinder appeared on the Dana Loesch show on 97.1 FM this afternoon to address allegations a former stripper made against him last week in the Riverfront Times. Kinder admitted knowing Tammy Chapman when she w ... More >>

Okay, Gun Nuts: Justify This One...

Daryl Hall: Died from apparent "friendly" fire. ​So, it turns out that the off-duty St. Louis police officer killed in April outside a downtown bar was likely shot to death by the nightclub's bouncer in a case of mistaken identity. Officer Daryl Hall died April 24 from bullet wounds to the neck an ... More >>

Peter Kinder's Car Stolen, Torched

Not the actual car stolen from Missouri's lieutenant governor​It seems like one disgruntled Missourian has reeeeally taken offense to Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's recent use of taxpayer's money. Either that, or the politician simply drives the type of car that's attractive to thieves. Both scenario ... More >>

Brian Nieves Endorses Assault Rifle, Says Weapon Best Fits "Spirit" of 2nd Amendment

Regarding our post early today about State Rep. Brian Nieves allegedly assaulting a political rival and threatening him with a gun...Now's there the following from Nieves' radio program. In the video Nieves says he has "no problem" calling an AR-15 what it is: an "assault rifle." He then goes on to ... More >>

Ma, You’re a Pistol