ICYMI: Eric Trump Meets with Ohio Sportsmen and Second Amendment Leaders

On Thursday, January 16, 2020, LEPD Firearms & Range hosted a Sportsmen / Second Amendment roundtable with Eric Trump. Leaders from across Ohio, representing the state's leading Second Amendment and sportsmen organizations, were invited. LEPD owners Eric Delbert, Phil Delbert and Lori Delbert were most gracious hosts.

Attendees included: Dean Rieck, Executive Director, representing Buckeye Firearms Association (BFA); BFA Vice President Linda Walker representing the NRA; BFA Sportsmen Leader Larry Moore, and Jim Irvine, Buckeye Firearms Foundation Chairman.

Other attendees included Paul Brooks (President, League of Ohio Sportsmen); Tim Inwood (Clinton County Republican Party Executive Chairman and Ohio Gun Collectors Director); Jim Samuel (Capitol Integrity Group and well-known sportsman); Amanda Suffecool (Eye on the Target radio host); Tom Vorisek (Vorisek Financial Corporation and well-known sportsman); Doug Deeken (Wayne County Republican Chairman and Ohioans for Concealed Carry); Bob Paduchik (Senior Advisor for Labor and Law Endorcement Engagement for Donald Trump's 2020 campaign); Matthew Brasseaux (Director of Targeted Engagement Trump for Victory); Clayton Henson (Regional Director Trump for Victory); Gene Goodwin (Past National President National Wild Turkey Federation); David Kesler (Attorney with Haynes Kessler Myers & Postalakis); Mike Budzik (member of the Trump Administration Hunting and Shooting Advisory Council).

After brief introductions, Eric Trump provide an overview of his Second Amendment, shooting sports and hunting experiences. He explained, "This is a real commitment for my family. I started shooting at age five. I grew up hunting with my Grandfather in New York state. This is our lifestyle - a way of life."

(For more on Eric Trump see my interview with him from 2016.)

He summed up the critical achievements of the Trump Administration noting, "The Trump Administration has appointed 189 federal judges and 52 federal appellate court judges. This means that 29% of the current appellate court judges are Trump appointees. These are younger conservative judges who may serve for thirty-plus years. There will be two, and possibly three, more Supreme Court judges appointed in the next four years."

The discussion was a true roundtable with participants providing questions and feedback. Trump was at ease with the group and readily engaged on each topic. It was a significant list of today's important Second Amendment issues including:

• Public land access for hunting, fishing and trapping.
• On base firearms carry for military personnel.
• Red Flag laws.
• NFA weapons, veteran ownership and inheritance.
• National concealed carry.
• Protecting and promoting the Second Amendment.

Trump provided feedback on each topic. He concluded, "It all comes down to trusting society. We are not the people causing the problems. We cannot put the government in charge of morality. Our family may be attacked more than probably anyone. Red flag laws scare the hell out of me. We must fight like hell for the Second Amendment!"

Trump, along with the LEPD owners, left for some quick range time. The group, led by Paduchik, Brasseaux and Henson, discussed strategies for a victory in November. There is no magic wand for victory. It is hard work requiring every gun owner to be engaged.

Getting the vote out is always the key factor. That effort begins with voter registration. Every gun owner should work to register new voters who will support the Second Amendment. We can ensure they get to the polls or, better yet, vote early and get their vote "in the bank."

Paduchik cautioned, "We hear stories of people signing up through some voter registration effort but when they show up at the polls they are not registered. If anyone signs up through a group, make sure you know that group. Some groups do not follow through and submit the paperwork. Others may actually cull voters who don't agree with their organization."

The bottom line is gun-owners and sportsmen must own the 2020 election. Quite simply the future of the country we love and our way of life is on the line!

Outdoor writer and hunter education instructor Larry S. Moore is a long-time volunteer leader for Buckeye Firearms Foundation and winner of the 2005 USSA Patriot Award, the 2007 League of Ohio Sportsmen/Ohio Wildlife Federation Hunter Educator of the Year and the 2010 National Wild Turkey Federation/ Women in the Outdoors Hunter Education Instructor of the Year.