Hey @GovJanetMills,
Three words:
Fuck you. No. https://t.co/pB9tCfuv68
— Firearms Policy Coalition (@gunpolicy) December 20, 2023
In December of 2023, Maine Governor Janet Mills told reporter Zach Blanchard in an interview that she was considering a ban on semi-automatic rifles such as AR-15 style firearms in the wake of an October 25, 2023, mass shooting in Lewiston. The possible ban on commonly owned firearms drew a quick response on X (formerly Twitter) from the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC).
The gun rights organizations responded with, “Hey @GovJanetMills, Three words: F*ck you. No.”
This response wasn’t the first time that FPC had used colorful language to push back against gun control, but it might be the first time that a Governor’s staff reported the organization to the police for a perceived threatening statement. Thanks to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by the Maine Wire, we now know the staff contacted Maine State Police’s Executive Protection Unit to investigate the tweet. The Executive Protection Unit is responsible for protecting the Governor, similar to how the United States Secret Service (USSS) is supposed to protect the President and former Presidents of the United States.
Governor Mills’ Press Secretary Ben Goodman sent the tweet to the Governor’s staff with the subject line of “gun tweet,” noting that it was “making the rounds.” Another staff member forwarded the email to the Executive Protection Unit of the State Police to have them launch an investigation into the tweet.
One can only surmise that the sensative staffer must have felt the tweet was a threat even though the tweet contained no such threat.
FPC President Brandon Combs feels the Maine Governor’s staff was trying to infringe on their freedom of speech.
They vowed not to back down while challenging draconian gun laws such as the law that Maine’s Governor was suggesting needed to be passed.
“Our constitutionally protected speech is a key element of our work to advance liberty and fight authoritarian policies,” Combs told AmmoLand News. “We are not going to back down because some cowardly Maine bureaucrats wanted the police to get involved over a word they don’t like. Our message to them has been and remains: Fuck you. No.”
In response, FPC sent a letter to Governor Mills and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows stating that they take First Amendment rights as seriously as others. In the letter, they called any law banning protected arms “immoral” and noted that their comment was clearly “protected speech.” They also encourage the governor and her staff to be educated on constitutional rights protected under the First and Second Amendments. FPC also forwarded the letter to State Police Commissioner Michael J. Sauschuck. Also, the gun rights group stated that they forwarded the letter to the State Police Commissioner to save the Governor’s staff time, hinting at the belief they once again would report FPC to the State Police.
“FPC is a human rights advocacy organization working to create a free world.” The letter reads. “We understand from a recent news report that State personnel forwarded our online communications to your State Police. Our approach may leave little to wonder. But please know that we take First Amendment-protected rights just as seriously as we do others.”
In a parting blow to the Governor, it appears that FPC placed an “easter egg” inside the letter, repeating the exact phrase that the Governor’s staff reported to the State Police Executive Protection Unit.
The Governor’s Office has not responded to AmmoLand’s request for comment.
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
I try to refrain from using such language in normal conversation. It is much like keeping your AR-15 back slung and unloaded. However, at some point and so on again, we need to unsling, load, and use profanity.
Please note that this statement is not oriented against any specific entity, is not a threat, that no bullets have achieved trajectory at this time, and no offensive words have resulted in oscillated atmospheric pressure waves in this post.
HLB
My opinion of the FPC was already quite high but this made it skyrocket. Absolutely priceless and I wholeheartedly concur. The same response goes to any and all petty tyrants from the local level right up to the top. We will not tolerate our rights being trampled. Ever. Period.
How did FPC discover that they’d been referred to state’s protective unit? Was there a whistle blower or was there contact as part of a formal investigation? I could easily see a combination – such as protective investigator calling and saying – “we were asked to investigate this tweet and just want you to confirm that there was no threat intended.” After all whoever got assigned the task had to do something CYA – but tweet was obviously not a threat and obviously protected speech, and officer’s personal attitude likely aligns with FPC. Otherwise I’d see the referral going to… Read more »
Love it. And yes, F them.
Now we have to watch the ATF. It will only be a matter of time before they raid the FPC staff, and kill them.
I love mean tweets… bring them on!
Just another bunch of butt hurt tyrants.
When liberal cry babies cry we know they got thier little feeling hurt . Poor babies !
Mills can go dine on lobster shells and clam shells. Is that how to say ESAD in the local vernacular of Maine?
Typical democrat. They are so thin skinned. Yet they heap abuse and vitriol on their opponents. When they can’t when an argument, they stoop to name calling, then they try to have their opponents’ speech outlawed.
Good morning Crumpy, good to have yoy back. This attempt to hijack our language has been going on for a generation; mislabling “mean” or “hateful” speach as threatening, or even as assaultive, as if the spoken word had become physical and was an actual physical assault. Then again, these are sub-citizens, who live in fear; fear of every hypothetical; many of whom have lived such sheltered lives the have probly never been in a dangerous situation. They dont posess guns or other weapons, and they buy their cars based on crash dummy tests instead of how much horsepower the car… Read more »