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NRA lying about Silveira case AGAIN

Press Release - Is the NRA Serious
from Gary Gorski, attorney for Silveira Plaintiffs
August 26, 2003
[filed here late due to site being down]
[Additional analysis by Angel Shamaya below press release]

The NRA issued the following press release:

NRA Files Brief with the Supreme Court in Silveira v. Lockyer

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has filed an amicus curiae brief with the United States Supreme Court, in the case of Silveira v. Lockyer, arguing that the Second Amendment is indeed an individual right, and a right that is applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Chris Cox, the NRA's chief lobbyist said, "Every freedom guaranteed by the Bill of Rights is extended to the individual citizen. The Second Amendment is a fundamental civil right and it should not be subject to any discrimination. To address the dilemma of violent crime, lawmakers ought to place the full burden of justice on the criminal element. Sadly, society is more content to trade our valued freedoms as an alternative. We hope that the U.S. Supreme Court will stop this erosion of our independence."

Cox praised the hard work by Chuck Michel, an attorney who has worked on this case in California. "Chuck has worked tirelessly to safeguard Second Amendment rights in California for many years. He is an exceptional individual and a sharp attorney. We are fortunate to have him working on our behalf in California," concluded Cox.
Posted: 8/13/2003 3:45:26 PM
[Click here to see it on NRAILA.org or here for a saved a screenshot.]

This is clearly deceptive --- Chuck Michel has worked tirelessly in attempting to impede the case of Silveira v. Lockyer from its inception, up until the NRA filed it's amicus brief. He has tried to dissuade Silveira's attorney, Gary W. Gorski, from filing the action, and prosecuting the appeal. On appeal in the Ninth Circuit, he filed an amicus brief in opposition to Silveira, arguing that the Plaintiffs/Appellants lacked standing. So, it begs the question: What has Chuck Michel done for the case in California?

Gary W. Gorski
Attorney at Law
http://www.gwgorski.com
SEPS EXERTUS, SEMPER FIDELIS, FRATER INFINITAS
("Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever")
916.965.6800
916.965.6801 fax

Additional Responses from KeepAndBearArms.com Founder/Executive Director, Angel Shamaya

NRA Chief Lobbyist Chris Cox's press release praising CRPA/NRA attorney Chuck Michel as "an attorney who has worked on this case in California" is overtly dishonest. The insinuation is that Chuck Michel has been helping the Silveira case. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While NRA's amicus brief supporting Silveira is welcome and excellently prepared, the organization has not given one dime toward the Silveira legal battle, of which KeepAndBearArms.com is the sole fundraiser. (They may have paid their law firm to write their brief -- a brief written and filed after the case had already been appealed to the Supreme Court.) Despite this, we have two documented reports that NRA's phone solicitors have raised money under the guise that they've been helping the case -- from months before they prepared their brief. Regardless, for Cox to imply that Chuck Michel has helped this case in any way is a gross insult to the many people who have worked on the case.

Here are some facts Mr. Cox omitted from his press release:

1) NRA/CRPA attorney Chuck Michel tried to KILL the Silveira case. Brian Puckett documented that fact for all to see. Go see for yourself: NRA Lawyer Undermining ALL Our Rights

2) NRA/CRPA Chuck Michel publicly threatened that if Mr. Gorski appealed the case to the Supreme Court, CRPA would "most likely file a brief asking the Supreme Court not to hear the dangerous case." In that press release of May 13, 2003, Michel said, among other things:

A) "CRPA opposes Supreme Court review of the Silveira decision."

B) "It is absolutely the wrong case for Supreme Court review."

3) Chuck Michel actually called Gary Gorski a "Judas" for fighting the Silveira lawsuit. Here's a direct quote from the guy NRA's Chris Cox is praising for being "an attorney who has worked on this case in California":

From: CDMichel@aol.com
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2003 9:33 AM
To: gwgorski@pacbell.net; CDMichel@aol.com
Cc: PROTELL@aol.com; cconte@nrahq.org
Subject: Re: CRPA Brief

"...you are setting yourself up to be remembered in history as the Judas that betrayed the 2A civil rights movement."

C. D. Michel
TRUTANICH - MICHEL, LLP
A t t o r n e y s a t L a w
Port of Los Angeles Office
407 North Harbor Blvd.
San Pedro, CA 90731
Phone:(310) 548-3703
Fax: (310) 548-4813
Internet: www.t-mlawyers.com

QUESTIONS FOR CHRIS COX

1) What were Mr. Michel's objectives while he was doing this "work"?

2) Was Mr. Michel trying to HELP the case succeed by announcing that it was "wrong" and "dangerous"?

3) Was Mr. Michel trying to empower the lead counsel by calling him a "Judas that betrayed the 2A civil rights movement"?

4) Does NRA intend to raise money under the false premise that your organization has done, is doing or will be doing anything other than paying a law firm to write and file an amicus brief in this case? There is much work to be done -- why won't NRA help finance this effort?

NOTE: WE STILL REQUIRE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SILVEIRA LEGAL BATTLE AHEAD!

If you have not yet donated to the Silveira v. Lockyer lawsuit fund, will you please do so now?

Give online:

https://www.KeepAndBearArms.com/donations/

Give by mail:

http://KeepAndBearArms.com/silveira/mail.htm

For more information on the case, its development, its success thus far, and details on what your financial support will help fund, go here:

http://KeepAndBearArms.com/Silveira/

The fundraising by KeepAndBearArms.com is essential to Silveira v. Lockyer and has my backing 100%.

Gary Gorski, Attorney for Plaintiffs, Silveira v. Lockyer