Response to my concerns about the new AG

From: senator@corker.senate.gov [mailto:senator@corker.senate.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 5:00 PM

Subject: Responding to your message


Dear Mr. W********,

Thank you for taking the time to contact my office to share your concerns about the nomination of Eric Holder for Attorney General of the United States. Your input is important to me and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.

I recognize the importance of ensuring that a highly qualified and knowledgeable person serves as our Attorney General. As a general rule, I believe in allowing discretion to the President to choose the people he wants to fill his Cabinet. However, I had significant concerns with Mr. Holder's nomination for Attorney General due to his record as Deputy Attorney General and his past analysis of the 2nd Amendment. After carefully reviewing the testimony from Mr. Holder's confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, while I may disagree with some of Mr. Holder's views, there was nothing that would disqualify him from this position.

You should know that I fully support the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision striking down the District of Columbia's handgun ban because I strongly believe in protecting our constitutional rights. This decision is exceptionally significant because for the first time in our nation's history, the Supreme Court has affirmed that gun ownership is an individual right protected by the Constitution.

The right to own firearms for shooting, hunting, and self-protection is important to me as a Tennessean and as an American. I believe in safeguarding the rights of law-abiding American citizens. I will be a consistent voice for the second amendment, and I will fight attempts to weaken those rights that are granted in the Constitution.

Please take note of the attached "Policy Points" document to learn more about the steps I have taken to protect our 2nd Amendment rights.


Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me.


Sincerely,

Bob Corker
United States Senator

The following was sent by a friend. The content is from the NRA Congress watch section. This week is going to be important for gon owners in Tennessee. Phone or email.... MW

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Numerous Pro-Gun Bills Moving in Tennessee!
Call Your State Representative Today!

On February 25, the following NRA-backed pro-gun measures passed the House Judiciary’s Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice and Procedure. These bills now move to full House Judiciary Committee, which meets next Wednesday, March 4.

House Bill 254, sponsored by Representative Glen Casada (R-63), would delete the requirement to give a thumbprint as part of the background check process when purchasing a firearm.

House Bill 716, sponsored by Representative Frank Niceley (R-17), would allow permit holders to possess a handgun while within the boundaries of any state park. Currently, it is unlawful to do so. This bill would preserve the self-defense and Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Tennesseans.

House Bill 959, sponsored by State Representative Eddie Bass (D-65), would ensure the privacy of handgun permit holders by making records of permit applications and renewals confidential. Any public disclosure of this information would be a Class A misdemeanor.

House Bill 961, sponsored by State Representative Mike Bell (R-26), would authorize a person with a handgun carry permit to possess a firearm in a refuge, public hunting area, wildlife management area, or on national forest land.

Another pro-gun bill that passed out of the House Judiciary Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice and Procedure is House Bill 962, Restaurant Carry legislation. HB 962, sponsored by Representative Curry Todd (R-95), would allow a person with a handgun carry permit to carry in restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages as long as that person is not consuming alcoholic beverages and the restaurant is not an age-restricted venue. HB 962 is the result of three House Study Committee meetings held over the past few months.

While it is already illegal for someone to carry a firearm while consuming alcohol, this bill was drafted by the study committee to include an amendment in an attempt to distinguish between a bar and a restaurant in Tennessee, as no definition currently exists in Tennessee code. The age-restricted language is similar to the current Tennessee smoking prohibition in restaurants.

In an effort to move this legislation and the other aforementioned bills forward and out of sub-committee, the NRA agreed with several pro-gun legislators to offer up any pro-gun amendments during full House Judiciary Committee.

We ask that members contact their legislators in support of un-restricted pro-gun measures that recognize the Right to Keep and Bear Arms of all law-abiding citizens in the Volunteer State.

Please call the members of the House Judiciary Committee TODAY and urge them to support HB 254, HB 716, HB 959, HB 961 and HB 962 with NRA-back amendments.

Contact information for the House Judiciary Committee can be found below.

This last bill, House Bill 960, was held over in the House Judiciary’s Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice, but should come up for another vote next week when the sub-committee meets again. Sponsored by State Representative Harry Tindell (D-13), HB 960, which is similar to HB 961, would expand the boundary for permit holders to carry a firearm into local parks in addition to state and federal parks.
Please call the members of the House Judiciary’s Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice and urge them to support HB 960.
Contact information for the House Judiciary’s Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice can be found below.


Contact information for the Members of the House Judiciary Committee:
State Representative Kent Coleman (D-49), Chair
(615) 741-6829
rep.kent.coleman@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Jon Lundberg (R-1), Vice-Chair
(615) 741-7623
rep.jon.lundberg@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Eddie Bass (D-65)
(615) 741-1864
rep.eddie.bass@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Karen Camper (D-87)
(615) 741-1898
rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Vance Dennis (R-71))
(615) 741-2190
rep.vance.dennis@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Henry Fincher (D-42)
(615) 741-1875
rep.henry.fincher@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Chad Faulkner (R-36)
(615) 741-3335
rep.chad.faulkner@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Brian Kelsey (R-83)
(615) 741-4415
rep.brian.kelsey@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Judd Matheny (R-47)
(615) 741-7448
rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Janis Sontany (D-53)
Phone (615) 741-6861
rep.janis.sontany@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Mike Stewart (D-52)
(615) 741-2184
rep.mike.stewart@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Eric Watson (R-22)
Phone (615) 741-7799
rep.eric.watson@capitol.tn.gov

Contact information for the Members of the House Judiciary’s Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice:
State Representative Eric Watson (R-22)
Phone (615) 741-7799
rep.eric.watson@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Janis Sontany (D-53)
Phone (615) 741-6861
rep.janis.sontany@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Eddie Bass (D-65)
Phone (615) 741-1864
rep.eddie.bass@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Karen Camper (D-87)
(615) 741-1898
rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Chad Faulkner (R-36)
(615) 741-3335
rep.chad.faulkner@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Judd Matheny (R-47)
(615) 741-7448
rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov