American Hunters and Shooters Association

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The American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA), founded in 2006, is a United States based group, which has set itself apart from the much larger gun owner organization, the National Rifle Association, by supporting or advocating some restrictions of the use and ownership of firearms. Critics have questioned the legitimacy of the group, including whether the membership is comprised of or representative of gun owners.

[edit] Description

The AHSA describes itself as "... a national grassroots organization committed to safe and responsible gun ownership" and "... a mainstream group of hunters who are looking to belong to a gun owners association that doesn't have a radical agenda." ^[1] According to information from a 2005 deposition, the group had less than 150 dues paying individual members.^[2] Some organizations have been critical of AHSA, characterizing it as "the latest front group for the anti-gun movement."^[3]

AHSA bills itself as a more moderate, common-sense advocacy organization, founded to more effectively promote the gun-control efforts of the Brady Campaign.^[4] The National Rifle Association (NRA) and other pro-gun organizations have criticized the AHSA for it members' associations with other gun-control organizations and gun-control legislation.

Despite the similarity in name, AHSA has no ties to the field marksmanship promoting organization, the Hunter's Shooting Association(HSA).

[edit] History

In June 2006, Executive Director Bob Ricker formally introduced AHSA at a press conference at the annual conference of the Outdoor Writers Association of America.^[5] Mr. Ricker proclaimed at this conference that the NRA and other 2nd Amendment rights organizations did not address the specific concerns of hunters - protecting hunting lands and wildlife habitats - which led to the creation of AHSA.^[6] In 2007, President Ray Schoenke addressed the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition.^[7]

[edit] Goals

The AHSA web site indicates four general programs:^[8]

• "Protecting our sporting heritage"
• "Hunting and fishing conservation"
• "Gun safety"
• "Law enforcement training, outreach and development"

[edit] Current and Past Leadership

The leaders of the AHSA are^{[citation needed]}:

• Ray Schoenke, Founding President. A former football player for the Washington Redskins, Schoenke ran for Governor of Maryland as a Democrat and has given "millions" to Democratic politicians and causes according to a January 19, 1998 Washington Post article.^[9] Among the groups that Schoenke has donated to are two that actively lobby to ban firearms: Handgun Control, Inc.^[10] and America Coming Together^{[citation needed]}. Schoenke was on the Governor's Commission on Gun Violence in 1996^{[citation needed]}.
• Bob Ricker, Executive Director.
• Jon Rosenthal, a real estate mogul and founder of Stop Handgun Violence. Stop Handgun Violence is credited with lobbying and subsequently helping to pass the licensing and registration system in place in the state of Massachusetts. Jon Rosenthal was a founding member of AHSA, however he has subsequently left the organization.^[11]
• Joseph J. Vince, Jr., a member of the Board of Directors is the former chief of the BATF's crime guns analysis branch. Currently, he is a principal of Crime Gun Solutions. Crime Gun Solutions has worked for the Brady Center, providing data analysis supportive of the Federal Assault Weapons Act,^[12] and has provided ballistics evidence and analysis in lawsuits against firearm dealers.^[13] He was a signer on a letter submitted to Congress opposing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act^[14]
• Jody Powell, co-chairman of the AHSA Advisory Board
• A. Austin Dorr, co-chairman of the AHSA Advisory Board

[edit] Endorsement of Barack Obama & other candidates

The AHSA endorsed U.S. Senator Barack Obama for President in the 2008 General Election^[15]:

AHSA endorsed Obama based mainly on Obama's vote for the Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act.^[16]

The AHSA endorsed the following Congressional candidates:

• Jim Esch [D] (Nebraska - District 2))^[17]
• Eric Massa [D] (New York - District 29))^[18]
• Walt Minnick [D] (Idaho - District 1)^[19]
• Harry Teague [D] (New Mexico - District 2))^[20] - Harry Teague's campaign declined the endorsement^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Endorsement by the Brady Campaign

Paul Helmke, the President of the Brady Campaign, says of the AHSA, "I see our issues as complementary to theirs".^[21]

[edit] Controversy

In August 2005, the gun-rights group, the National Rifle Association, said about the AHSA:^[22]

• "... they want to allow the FBI to keep records on law-abiding citizens who buy guns and put an end to gun shows as we know them. Not to mention the fact that they want to regulate .50 caliber rifles in the same way that machine guns are regulated."

• ASHA officials have testified in favor of gun control legislation, such as Washington State Bill SB-5197, which aims to restrict private transactions at gun shows and create a database of gun owners.^[23]

• ASHA opposes the views of the BATFE and Fraternal Order of Police concerning the Tiarht Amendment. These law enforcement groups claim implementation of ASHA's perspective would jeopardize both lives and law enforcement operations.^[24][25]

• Two of the AHSA endorsed candidates for Congress have received low ratings by the NRA. With Massa receiving a "C" and Minnick a "D+". Only one AHSA endorsed candidate, Teague, has received an "A" rating from the NRA. However, this was an "AQ" rating which means it is based solely on the NRA questionnaire. The grade disparity between the organizations is large enough to be called into question.^[26]

• The AHSA claims to be a non-partisan organization.^{[citation needed]} However, to date the AHSA has only endorsed Democratic candidates.

[edit] Criticism of AHSA leadership

• Bob Ricker, Executive Director of the AHSA, is a former NRA employee who now supports some groups advocating restrictions on the ownership and use of firearms.
• President of AHSA, John E. Rosenthal, is one of the founders of Stop Handgun Violence, a group which has been influential in instituting strong restrictions on the ownership of firearms, in state of Massachusett.^[27]
• Spokesman for the group, Ray Schoenke, has donated over $10,000 to the Brady Campaign, a national organization which advocates strong restictions on the ownership of firearms.^[28][29]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• AHSA Official website
• Sometimes the Enemy Wears Camouflage, NRA statement on AHSA, August 14, 2005
• Chris W. Cox, "Anti Hunters Don Camo As Elections Loom", NRA-ILA Executive Director, August 14, 2006
• "The American Hunters and Shooters Association" Gun Law News