fbpx
×

CRPA Treasurer Discusses Recent Victories

February 16, 2023

Before the 2022 election, I sent out a letter describing how the anti-2A forces were using their money and their control over the arms of government to break us financially. For Gavin Newsom and his thugs, the taxpayer (meaning “US”) provides a bottomless pit of funding to oppose gun owners when we take them and their unconstitutional laws and regulations to court. And as those who watch the struggle carefully know that CRPA and our attorneys are having great successes in defeating the state. It is a David versus Goliath fight, but we have an advantage — the Constitution, and now SCOTUS rulings, are once again on our side!

But I need to tell you about one of our recent VICTORIES.

Remember from my earlier letter, I mentioned that CRPA can ask for reimbursement for the expenses when we win a case? Well, I want you to know just how that works out.

We were the prevailing party in the case of Gentry v. Becerra. We added up our expenses (remember these cases usually take YEARS and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars) and submitted them to the court for a fee award. The court reviews all of the litigation costs and attorney fees and decides what the prevailing party should receive.

We got slightly less than 20% of our expenses reimbursed. It was like someone getting a check at a restaurant, and the customer decides not the pay the check but only tip the server.

And guess what? We could go back and complain, but then the Judge might decide not to give us anything AT ALL! Why is it that I suspect that when the ACLU or anti-2A groups prevail in a court case they get reimbursed a lot more than 20%?

At the end of the day, we prevail, but WE still have to pick up 80% of the cost. Is it fair? Obviously not. But it is what it is, and this is the system that we must operate within to hold the line of our constitutional rights.

The point is that I want you to understand and be patient with CRPA and our partner groups when we seem to be asking for money all of the time. We only ask because we truly need the funding for these fights, and many times, it is the only way to protect our rights—when all else fails, litigation is necessary.

And don’t forget that litigation is only ONE of the many statewide programs that CRPA operates. We provide youth training, hunter’s education, and gun safety training classes. We represent you with the State legislature and the Fish and Game Commission. We keep you informed through email and the Firing Line magazine. We produce video materials to keep you informed on YouTube and other social media outlets. We are the “soup to nuts” firearms group in California and we have been for nearly 150 years.

So, next time you see a mailer or email asking for donations, don’t just delete it; think about helping out. If you are too strapped for cash, we understand, but if you can comfortably give even a small amount — we are GRATEFUL to all of you, not just for donations but for all of the ways that you support us! If every member gave a small donation when we most need it, Newsom and his cronies would not stand a chance.

Amazon Smile

Many of you have been making donations to The CRPA Foundation through the Amazon “Smile” program, and it has been a real help. You purchase things you need, and CRPAF gets a little cut.

Alas, if you haven’t already gotten an email about the program, Amazon is shutting down this program on February 20, 2023 for all charities like the CRPAF. So right up until the 20th, your purchases will continue to contribute to the CRPA, but they will end after that date. Amazon wants to be able to determine where donations from the company go. I have my own suspicions where the money will go instead, but the program will end for us.

YouTube

As one possible funding source says goodbye, another replaces it.

CRPA has had a YouTube channel for a while, and if you go on YouTube, you can subscribe to the channel. The CPRA produces video content to inform pro-2A watchers (CRPA members or not) on current events in the California gun world.

For a long time, the CRPA channel was not “monetized” (that is they didn’t run advertisements on our videos, and we weren’t paid.) Recently, though, YouTube has been running ads and we now make money based on the number of people who watch our channel. Alas, you do have to watch at least part of the ads, but I don’t think you have to watch the entire thing — just some parts of it.

Also, YouTube is streaming the CRPA videos onto my feed. I used to have to go to the subscriptions area and call up the CRPA videos myself. Now they are automatically feeding them to me. I don’t know if you have to be subscribed for this to happen, but I think that if we get enough people watching our videos, YouTube may begin feeding them to ANYONE who seems to have a 2A/Firearms interest. That would be great if people who do not necessarily live in California or who aren’t even CRPA members could be exposed to our channel.

So, for a free way of donating to the CRPA, subscribe to the CRPA channel on YouTube and make a little money for us just by watching our videos and being informed about the most recent events and issues in the California firearms world.

Thanks for helping us out by watching the CRPA YouTube channel, donating, volunteering, and being a member of CRPA!

Your support for what we are doing is what makes us successful in protecting your rights.

Rich Minnich

Treasurer, CRPA

Contribute to the Fight!