by Marty Hayes, J.D.
I am writing this message on Thanksgiving Day, so happy Thanksgiving everyone! Or course, beside me is my constant companion, the Network’s “Boots On The Ground” after-hours emergency cell phone. This holiday I am thankful that the phone is not ringing. In fact, it has been over a year since we had a member-involved incident where assistance was requested. This has allowed us to keep building up the Legal Defense Fund and we are now topping 3.6 million dollars!
We are considering a small rate increase to keep up with inflation, which is eating up our operating capital. (The operating budget is separate from the Legal Defense Fund). I have a question for you, members. (If you are not a member, this does not pertain to you.) With the Legal Defense Fund doing as well as it is doing, we are in a position to add services for our members. So here is the question.
What ONE THING would you like to see added to the member benefits? Remember, I cannot read minds, so you have to take a minute and put your thoughts in an e-mail to
Help out a Fellow Gun Owner?
I was notified by our Utah Network Affiliated Attorney Mitch Vilos of a case a few days ago that concerns a young man who likes to buy and sell guns. Does that sound familiar to anyone? From reading about the case (see link to the funding request in the next paragraph) and according to Attorney Vilos, the BATFE has indicted the young man on several counts of illegal firearms transfers because he doesn’t have a Federal Firearms License.
Well, this could have been me when I was in my 20s and I suspect several of our members made similar purchases and sales, too. The case is being prosecuted in Federal District Court which, in my experience, doubles the bill. The young man’s mother is trying to raise $50,000 for his criminal defense. I am asking that you all think about helping out. First, he doesn’t need his life ruined over something you and I have done in the past, and second, we do not need to make caselaw and embolden the Biden Administration’s BATFE to keep going after gun owners. The link to the donation website is https://www.givesendgo.com/G9GWC?fbclid=IwAR1YwRX8Yz4ocmLDCEEAKA49nEa1luYWDXfB0GaR012hG2X-Rla9V5Lbfv0
If you can spare even a $5 bill, it will help the defense. Attorney Vilos has taken on the case with the promise of getting paid down the road, which tells you much about Mitch Vilos. If you look at the donors, you will see I put my money where my mouth is (that’s my personal money, not Network money). Let’s see if the Network members can help fight this cause during this holiday season.
Update on Our Fight with the Insurance Commissioner
Our appeal is moving along and we are currently working on our reply brief to the Washington Office of Insurance Commissioner’s reply brief. Our reply should be filed in December, then we wait to get a court date on which we will argue in front of the Washington Court of Appeals. This will be a public hearing in Tacoma, Washington so anyone who is interested can come and watch. I will let you know when we get a hearing date.
And with that, I will bid you a happy holiday season, with hopes the coming year at least brings a favorable resolution to our insurance commission fight.
To read more of this month's journal, please click here.