Anti-Gun Senator Gronstal “Slaps” Iowa Gun Owners in the Face
Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at 2:42 PMTags: Anti Gun PoliticiansGun BannersGun PoliticsGun RightsIGOIowa Gun OwnersSecond Amendment
Anti-Gun Senator Gronstal “Slaps” Iowa Gun Owners in the Face
(Senator Gronstal (at left) hurls hundreds of 2nd Amendment petitions to the floor in disgust. The papers are seen in the lower right corner moving so fast that the camera had a hard time capturing their motion. And no, the man sitting down and using a laptop is not a staffer who just 'missed' the throw.)
Iowa Gun Owners
Iowa --(AmmoLand.com)- You have got to take a moment to learn about the outrageous conduct of State Senator Michael Gronstal in the Capitol yesterday in Des Moines. Senator Gronstal, who has an A+ rating from a national gun group and who even takes their PAC money, made it very clear yesterday what his views on the 2nd Amendment really are.
But you don’t have to just take our word for it – check out the pictures!
Iowa Gun Owners Betrayed!
Voters in the Council Bluffs and Carter Lake area today were slapped in the face by their State Senator, Mike Gronstal.
For a long time Senator Gronstal has told the voters in his district what he’s recently been telling representatives of Iowa Gun Owners: “I’m pro gun.”
Knowing that he says he’s pro-gun and knowing that he’s received an A+ endorsement from a national gun group, not to mention the fact that he took money from that organization, one would think that he would be quick to help us pass our REAL Right-to-Carry bill.
What a faulty assumption!
After approaching him two weeks ago to ask him for his direct support to move our Senate version of the REAL Right-to-Carry bill (S.F. 473) out of committee and onto the floor for a vote and getting a noncommittal answer, we approached him again today.
This time we brought with us hundreds of petitions that many of you signed at our gun shows in Council Bluffs (this is Sen. Gronstal’s district so these petitions were signed by his voters) or through the mail that you’ve received from us. We brought these to him to show him that you – the voters in his district – want him to represent you and support the 2nd Amendment.
We presented these petitions to him and respectfully asked him to help move this bill and guess what he did with your petitions: he threw them on the floor!!!!
That’s right; at the Capitol, in the rotunda, in front of a hundred people.
His actions spoke loud and clear on what he thinks of your 2nd Amendment rights. He thinks its trash – not even worth looking at!
Further, he made it very clear what he thinks of your right to petition the government for redress of grievance when he threw your wishes on the floor without even looking at them.
This is outrageous! Senator Gronstal may be the Senate Majority Leader and one of the most powerful men in Iowa, but he was put in that position by the voters of Senate District 50.
Please take a moment to express your frustration with his antics by using the pre-written email below. Also, if you would prefer to call him (or do both) feel free to call him at his office by calling 515-281-3901. You don’t have to be a resident of the Council Bluffs area to do this either. As the Majority Leader in the Iowa Senate, Gronstal has assumed the primary leadership position at the Capitol – contact him today.
IGO Executive Director Aaron Dorr (at middle right holding yellow petitions) speaks to Senator Gronstal.
After receiving another non-answer from the Senator, IGO Executive Director Aaron Dorr (at right) delivers a stack of hundreds of signed petitions to Senator Gronstal.
——————————————————————
Pre-Written EmailState Senator Michael Grontstal,
I find it outrageous that you care so little for the opinions of the voters of your district.
That you would actually throw our petitions on the ground and stomp off is the height of arrogance.
Regardless of the issues involved, when you are presented with signed petitions, from actual voters, I expect you to do the job you were elected to do and represent us.
I expect you to fight for our 2nd Amendment rights by moving SF473 out of committee and I also expect you to apologize to the members and representatives of Iowa Gun Owners and show more respect next time you are speaking with them.
Sincerely,
——————————————————————
Compromises
Many of you have acted on our recent email alert and have done a fantastic job at letting the members of the House know that you do not support any compromised bill when it comes to your gun rights.
In fact, yesterday, when representatives of Iowa Gun Owners were talking with one State Representative for a few moments he received multiple emails on his cell phone from you! He said he gets a steady supply of IGO member communication.
Another State Representative told us that the pressure that Iowa Gun Owners has brought to bear at the Capitol this session has been ‘incredible’ and that we’ve been gaining ground steadily.
Thank you for that! This only happens due to the constant pressure that you are keeping on your elected officials.
As our recent article stated the sell-out Baudler bill (HF2255) was brought forth in committee yesterday. Your pressure helped us to generate much opposition to this bill proposal. In fact, Representative Dwayne Alons (R-4) made a courageous stand and led an amendment charge trying to replace the compromised bill with the REAL Right-to-Carry bill that would allow all Iowans who are not felons to carry without a permit. (Rep. Alons deserves your thanks for this and can be contacted by emailing this address: dwayne.alons@legis.state.ia.us.)
Unfortunately we lost this vote 14-7, with members of both political parties voting both yes and no.
The good news here is that your contact with your elected officials has caused serious concern in both parties. Yesterday’s vote confirmed this when we saw Representatives who cosponsored this compromised bill vote in favor of amending that same bill in committee. They are feeling your pressure.
Now we have to prepare to halt this bill on the floor assuming that it does come up.
We will give you more updates when the time comes but please be prepared to call, email, and visit with your State Representatives and Senators when you get our alert.
In the meantime, more and more of you are contacting us wanting to come to the Capitol to express your outrage at your inability to carry a gun for self-defense.
If you would like to come down to the Capitol sometime please get in touch with us and we’d be happy to show you around.
Contact Us
You can contact us in the following ways:
Email: info@iowagunowners.org
Phone: 515/309-7858
Mail: P.O. Box 3585, Des Moines, IA 50323
Website: www.IowaGunOwners.org
Yours for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms,
Aaron DorrExecutive Director
Iowa Gun Owners
About:
Iowa Gun Owners (IGO) was formed in January of 2009 to combat the oppressive gun laws in the State of Iowa. IGO does not believe that you, as a law abiding citizen, should have to beg permission from the government to be able to defend yourself and your family. That’s why we are working so hard to get a Vermont/Alaska style carry law passed in Iowa. In these states, unless you are a convicted felon or otherwise barred from possessing weapons, you don’t need a permit to carry a gun for self-defense! Join us now! Visit: www.iowagunowners.org
Distributed to you by - AmmoLand.com – The Shooting Sports News source.
Well it appears this disgrace of a senator has got to go. This is a pathetic and irresponsible person that supposedly represents the people. The man should be fired for disrespect and incompetence to the people of Iowa. Mercy me how they have change. I have been go for 20 years and back now do to being laid off, and sure don’t remember these people acting like this. I guess we will change these attitudes at the polls or impeachment.
What? You expected a Democrat to support gun rights?
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“If you would like to come down to the Capitol sometime please get in touch with us and we’d be happy to show you around.”
It’s like the IGO thinks they own the place.
News Flash: The Gold Dome does not belong to the IGO.
Anyone can go there anytime. You don’t need IGO’s permission.
IGO and there supporters are completely off their meds if they think Iowa is going to pass an AK/VT style carry bill that doesn’t require some sort of permit. It’s simply not going to happen. The truth is IGO would rather have no carry bill at all unless it’s an AK/VT style bill. That means Iowans will continue to be at the mercy of local sheriffs who may or may not issue permits.
Their “Real” carry bill is going nowhere.
IGO should be ignored.
“right to petition the government for redress of grievance”
Very Dramatic, isn’t he?
“Another State Representative told us that the pressure that Iowa Gun Owners has brought to bear at the Capitol this session has been ‘incredible’ and that we’ve been gaining ground steadily.
Thank you for that! This only happens due to the constant pressure that you are keeping on your elected officials.”
PRESSURE! PRESSURE! PRESSURE!
“As our recent article stated the sell-out Baudler bill (HF2255) was brought forth in committee yesterday. Your pressure helped us to generate much opposition to this bill proposal.”
That’s right. IGO can’t promote their own Bill, so the only thing they can do is try to attack the NRA Bill.
“In the meantime, more and more of you are contacting us wanting to come to the Capitol to express your outrage at your inability to carry a gun for self-defense.”
Sure – EXPRESS YOUR OUTRAGE! Yelling at the top of your lungs like Raving Lunatics has gotten you so far!
IGO is so powerful! That’s why their Bill is DOA.
This behavior is a prime example why our representatatives terms need to be limited. If I read correctly, he has been in the Senate since 1985. A career politician who now thinks he owns the place and does not need to listen to citizens.
Term Limits need to be in our near future to prevent politicians from becoming egomaniacs.
“If you would like to come down to the Capitol sometime please get in touch with us and we’d be happy to show you around.”
It’s like the IGO thinks they own the place. – Citizen of Iowa
So when my brother-in-law said he’d “show me around Cincinnati” when I visited, he owned the city? I hope I get free parking next time.
Any bill will be DOA if no one supports it, unfortunately. And some bills wouldn’t get passed if it wasn’t for calls, letter, petitions, etc. “Pressure” works sometimes.
So accuse them all you want, they are in the statehouse working, just like any other group that is “lobbying”. The NRA hasn’t had a presence for how long? IowaCarry (the past few years) and IGO have been.
Let’s be honest about Iowa Carry. They know little about real politics nor have they built a state-wide pro-gun organization outside their small internet world. Do come down to the Capitol and see how little respect their lobbyists enjoy. Look at their meager efforts over the last few years. I believe these guys at IC mean well, but I don’t know that they can handle the responsibility of liberty…if much of the rest of their lives are ‘care-taken’ by the government. Mandatory training by NRA certified instructors? How many IC guys are NRA certified instructors and stand to profit from these mandatory classes? (Not opposed to good training, but that’s not my point….govt. mandated scares thousands off.) And watch as the NRA works with the Democrat leadership to set up Iowans to take their liberties…to such a point that even IC has to walk away from it.
I can not believe Senator Gronstal’s actions. He is acting like a two year old, who did not get his way. He should never be a public servant. Vote him out!!!!
All he needs to do is follow the constitution and listen to the people.
Now that it has been published that IGO watches and takes “sniped” pictures of persons at the capitol why would any Sen. or Rep. talk with or trust them or ever want to speak with them in public. As if everyone at the capitol didn’t already have them written off due to their methods.
How stand up is IGO when they try to disrupt NRA sponsored events with “plants” in the crowd. If the IGO wants to speak with Iowans then let them send out invites, rent a space and foot the bill.
Pictures of politicians…oh my! How untoward!! Oh, hold it. I thought politicians like Gronstal spent their lives chasing after cameras, always wanting to be seen by the public. Now I get Dr. Phil’s objection – it’s only photos telling the truth about a certain pol’s anti-2nd Amd. actions captured in a public facility, which such Senators don’t trust. It’s not the act of snapping pix which Dr. Phil’s offended by – it’s what IGO captured on film he doesn’t like. The truth about an A+ NRA rated politician.
“Everyone” at the capitol has written IGO off!! Can you do any more than assert this, more so that anyone has written them off. Such nonsense!
“Plants”…ohhh so underhanded. So what if joint members of the IGO and NRA went to the NRA’s meetings and want to ask questions about their compromised bill. Do you really believe this means IGO was trying to piggy-back off of NRA’s generosity?
As it stands the NRA and IC are now working with gun-grabber Democrat Senator Rick Olson and his “shell bill’. Let’s see how this relationship will play out for the advancement of 2nd Amd. liberty for all Iowans.
A series of photographs showing Senator Gronstal throwing petitions on the ground…
So what can we take from this? 1) the Senator should have never thrown documents on the floor
…
That is it. Why? Because we don’t know what the documents were. They could have been trash for all we know. We also don’t know what Aaron Dorr said to the Senator. The IGO would have us believe they were gracious and kind and the Senator is satan.
Any organization willing to stage this for the purposes of creating artificial outrage is one that owes me my $50 back I donated to them foolishly.
Rest assured, no matter what the IGO says, this camera location with the benefit of the high ground, was totally staged. This action should tell you quite a bit about the character of the IGO.
Instead of mobilizing Iowans, they are alienating everyone and making good law abiding Iowans look bad. How can you go up to your legislator now and speak with them about this, without them wondering if they are on camera or not? They’ll hardly listen even if they actually stop to talk. I suppose my emails to support various legislation are now being deleted due to the inappropriate baiting of a Senator for the purposes of a smear attack.
I think Gronstal made a huge mistake. Even if he didn’t want to talk to Aaron, that shouldn’t have happened. But assuming the IGO is being honest with you all is something we can’t afford. Look at these self admitted tactics?
Keep my $50 and go get a job instead of living off my money while you make Iowans look like crap.
Respectfully,
the REAL straight shooter
Come on REAL straight shooter, conclusions based on speculation? Can’t you do better than that? The petitions “could have been trash for all we know.” Well if that were the case why is Gronstal not declaring this. Absent such an allegation, all you have to offer us is your personal speculation. And even if it was trash why would he throw it to the floor? Wouldn’t he keep it to demonstrate to his caucus what a “nut job” Dorr is?
“We also don’t know what Aaron Dorr said to the Senator.” Once again, is the Senator responding to the opposite of what IGO’s Dorr said regarding their conversation? Is Senator Gronstal alleging anything to the contrary? Have you even asked Dorr or Gronstal? If so, why not tell us? If not, why not? Is it because speculation is much easier to build your case around?
Camera staging for what? Do you think the guys at IGO knew Gronstal was going to throw his constituent’s petitions? If Gronstal is known to speak out of both sides of his mouth, wouldn’t it be smart to have camera cover, in case he later makes up a wild accusation about the conduct of IGO officers?
Being smart when dealing with a phony pro 2nd Amd. politician is somehow showing “bad character”? What character rule book do you read?
“Alienating everyone”? Dump the broad brush. My guess is it is probably a very narrow brush you are trying to apply this paint with. The alienation is likely the gun-grabbers and the phony 2nd Amd. pols, and a few henny-penny 2nd Amd. advocates in Iowa.
Making “good law abiding Iowans look bad”? Are you alleging IGO’s actions were illegal? If not, please clarify.
What does it matter if Iowa politicians wonder if a camera is on them or not? If they are respectful and honorable in their conduct to their own constituents and to IGO officers, who represent many of their constituents, how could IGO use any photos for some deleterious affect? Wouldn’t they really look stupid if they tried to then?
“I suppose my emails to Senators are now being deleted…” Is your entire argument built on speculation? Why don’t you email your representative and see if he replies. Then come back and report that to us.
You’ve made no case that we can’t afford to trust IGO. In fact, you appear a little envious.
“Get a job”! What does that mean? Are the officers of IGO supposed to work in the state capitol on behalf of their supporters, for free? How much does IGO’s executive director make anyway? Do you know? If so, please tell us. I’ve never given a dime to IGO, but maybe it’s time to do it.
After decades of the NRA ignoring us in Iowa and years of another state group going no where, I would say IGO is showing the potential of providing some real hope to Iowa gun owners, especially on the carry issue.
You signed “Respectfully”, but I saw little REAL respect.
IowaCarry does not bash IGO and we exoect the same treatment. Making another organization look bad does not make you look good!
Politics is the art of the possible. Making the Senate Majority Leader look bad, isn’t helping anything!