Opinion by Marion P. Hammer
Florida – -(AmmoLand.com)- A devout anti-gun Commissioner of Agriculture (Nikki Fried) and an even worse anti-gun Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture (Mary Barzee Flories) have taken over the administration of the concealed weapons and firearms licensing programs under the Division of Licensing at the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
And, of course, 2.1 million current firearms license holders are watching.
If you believe the media, you would think newly elected Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) is hell-bent on destroying the licensing program. Further, Fried’s newly hired Deputy Commissioner Mary Barzee Flories (D), might be planning to take a wrecking ball to it.
A 1/14/19 article in the Tampa Bay Times reports that in a previous campaign, Deputy Commissioner Barzee Flories, said that she was “100 percent committed to taking on the NRA” further that “she supports universal background checks and the reinstatement of the federal assault weapons ban. Her stance on gun control drew donations and volunteers from groups like Moms Demand Action, a gun-control advocacy group…”
Don’t be fooled by campaign rhetoric. Commissioner Fried and staff must uphold the Constitution and the law. They can’t use their personal political philosophies to re-tool or dismantle a program governed by the Constitution and the law.
Fried campaigned on a pledge to fix problems with the program, not destroy it. We actually welcome efforts to fix any real problems – but they have to be actual problems, not imagined or manufactured problems like those in the media.
We’re willing to let Commissioner Fried show Floridians that she can be fair and properly administer the program. If she’s afraid to keep the Licensing program, we’ll find out soon enough. The CW Licensing Program is not a political football, it’s a program that facilitates the constitutional right to keep and bear arms and the constitutional right of self-defense Over 2 million license holders will hold her accountable.
The answer is not moving the program anywhere, and certainly not to a law enforcement agency. The answer is that it should remain squarely under an elected official who must swear to uphold the Constitution and the law and can be held accountable by the people.
BOTTOM LINE: We believe the program should stay where it is and it’ll be up to Commissioner Fried to keep her campaign promise to correct any problems a legitimate investigation reveals. And if she really wants to be a workhorse and not a show horse, we’ll be happy to hold her coat or help if she wants our help.
Don’t forget that when Trump was running for President, he used the “NRA” for his agenda ?!!!! He was the one that said something to the idea of “take their guns first” !!!!
To the Politician our “Constitution” means nothing to them ?!!
This is a wake-up call for Florida gun owners to get out and VOTE. Just because the legal arena is friendly now does not mean it will stay that way.
Received my FL CCW last year in 2 weeks. If I recall correctly, the dept of agriculture must issues a license or rejection within a certain timeframe. I think it is in the order of 4 months.
2 million license holders X the fees they pay for licensing. This is a multi million dollar deadfall industry
for the Florida Dept of Agriculture, and if they are as interested in tax dollars as they purport to be, they
would be very wise not to wake the 2.1 million bear voting block which will put them in the unemployment
office, next year.
I have a FL non-resident permit and have experienced no problems over the last 12 or so years. In FL, the Dept. of Ag. has administered the CCW program because they handle most of FL’s licensing programs. They are set-up to respond to inquiries and meet deadlines. Someone in FL legislature has floated a bill to move this program over under the State Police for no particular reason, which would be a disaster and likely negatively effect customer service and timeliness. As, the State Police are not set-up for direct customer contact administrative duties and are overseen by an appointed… Read more »
The article states that giving this dept. to law enforcement to administer is not a good idea, here in Arizona we have constitutional carry(no permit required) and CCW that is administered by DPS our state police, it runs without any problem.
So now Marion Hammer doesn’t want to move the CCW Program to office Jimmy Patronis, Chief Financial Officer of Florida? Hammer was all THE SKY IS FALLING SINCE FRIED IS IN CHARGE and now she’s cool with it. Want to know why? Because no Florida Republican Legislator will draft a bill moving the CCW program to the CFO and Marion Hammer doesn’t have the political capital to get someone to draft such a bill. Furthermore, Senate President Bill Galvano (R) and House Speak Jose Oliva (R) are anti gun and will not support such a bill. Nikki Fried can alter… Read more »
It doesn’t matter that the rules say she cannot change the law. She will administratively alter it to her liking.
Write the Governor, I did. Explain to him that we voted him in there to keep people like Fried from taking our rights. Implore him to muzzle Fried and that deputy. Take the CCW administration away from her.
Remember, She even promised confiscation in several of her campaign speeches.
Writing opinions and comments here really doesn’t help much,
Write, Call, email Gov DeSantis, Now.
Ok Total BS from the Writer of this Article.
I voted for Mrs, or Miss Hamner in the NRA elections
so stuff any hate on me.
You want to see what the anti gun elected officials can do, or are going to do to you in Florida,?
Come to the North East and you will see.
They are going to stuff gun control on you, and there is nothing you can do about it.
Does not matter if its Hammer or anyone else trying to defend ……….imho.
I just completed my course and am heading to the Dep of Ag office today to apply for my CWL. Now I read this… I’ve heard they are issued as fast as one week lately. Hopefully this change in office doesn’t change processing speed immediately… All the anti gun hoopla in Florida lately is a little disconcerting to say the least. Everyone is on a mission.