Roberts & GOA v. U.S. Justice Department

admin Administrative Law, Firearms Law, U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan

Today, with Kerry Morgan, Esquire of Wyandotte, Michigan, we filed suit on behalf of gun owners against the U.S. Justice Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to challenge an unlawful action of ATF affecting Michigan gun owners.  On March 3, 2020, ATF issued a determination letter that directed Michigan FFLs to refuse to accept a concealed pistol license in lieu of a NICS background check from the FBI when buying a gun.  Federal law allows the use of such a license to purchase a firearm.   Our complaint can be found here.

FSC/FSDEF Comments Filed with IRS re Form 990, Schedule B, Donor Identification Rules

admin Administrative Law, Nonprofit Law

Today we filed comments with the IRS, supporting its proposed regulation to eliminate the requirement for exempt organizations, other than IRC section 501(c)(3) organizations, to identify the name and address of their largest donors on their IRS Form 990s. These comments were filed for Free Speech Coalition, Free Speech Defense and Education Fund, and eleven other organizations. We asked the IRS to expand the exemption to include section 501(c)(3) organizations as well.

Link to comments

Comments filed supporting petition for rulemaking to FEC

admin Administrative Law, Election Law

Today we filed comments with the Federal Election Commission in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by the Institute for Free Speech on the FEC’s definition of “contribution.” Our comments supported the IFS petition and also urged the FEC to amend the definition of “expenditure” in the same rulemaking.
The comments were filed on behalf of the Free Speech Read More

Bump Stocks: Gun Owners of America files Motion for Preliminary Injunction Against Bumpstock Regulations

admin Administrative Law, Litigation, U. S. District Court, Western District of Michigan

Today, our firm filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, seeking to stop the Bumpstock regulations from going into effect on March 26, as planned.

(Plaintiffs’) Motion for Preliminary Injunction (December 26, 2018)

(Plaintiffs’) Memorandum in Support of Motion for a Preliminary Injunction (December 26, 2018)

(Plaintiffs’) Party Declarations (December 26, 2018)

Read More

Bump Stocks: Gun Owners of America files Challenge to ATF Bumpstock Regulations

admin Administrative Law, Litigation, U. S. District Court, Western District of Michigan

Today, ATF published in the Federal Register its final regulations imposing a total ban on private ownership of bumpstocks, overruling numerous prior ATF decisions.  Later that same day, our firm filed a chellenge to this regulation on behalf of Gun Owners of America, Guy Owners Foundation, Virginia Citizen Defense League, and three individuals — Matt Watkins, Tim Harmsen and Rachel Malone.  Read More

Comments to ATF Opposing Bump Stock Restrictions (Round 2)

admin Administrative Law, Firearms Law

Today we submitted another set of comments to ATF opposing its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which would reverse long-standing ATF policy to determine, in violation of federal law, that a “bump fire” stock constitutes a “machinegun.”  Our comments were filed on behalf of Gun Owners Foundation.  Earlier, on January 18, 2018, we filed comments for GOF on the ATF’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

Link to comments

U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security v. Regents of U. California (DACA)

admin Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Today we filed another brief relating to President Obama’s unconstitutional DACA policy — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This brief supported the Trump Administration’s to obtain U.S. Supreme Court before judgment review of a nationwide injunction issued by District Judge William H. Alsup.

Link to brief

Third Set of Comments filed with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives opposing Multiple Rifle Sale Reporting

Jeremiah Morgan Administrative Law, Firearms Law

Today, our firm filed comments on behalf of Gun Owners of America, Inc. and Gun Owners Foundation, expressing opposition to the ATF’s continuing effort to require federally licensed firearms dealers (FFL’s) to report to ATF information regarding the sale of multiple rifles.

Purportedly concerned about firearms being trafficked to Mexican drug cartels, about six years ago ATF created a new requirement Read More

Comments filed with the FDA regarding its restrictions on use of the word “healthy”

admin Administrative Law, Health Law

Today, our firm filed comments with the FDA in response to the agency’s request for input regarding its regulation of the term “healthy” in the labeling of food.  In recent years, FDA’s current regulatory scheme has led to absurd results, such as where avocados and almonds were not considered healthy, while Poptarts and Frosted Flakes were.  Now FDA purports to replace its bad regulations Read More

Valpak Comments on the U.S. Postal Service FY 2016 Annual Compliance Report

admin Administrative Law, Postal Law

Today we filed comments on behalf of Valpak Direct Marketing Systems, Inc. and Valpak Franchise Association with the Postal Regulatory Commission (“PRC”).  These comments related to the Postal Service’s Annual Compliance Report, filed each year.  After considering those comments, the PRC issues its Annual Compliance Determination, which is expected by the end of March 2017.

These Read More

Gloucester County School Board v. G.G.

admin Administrative Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Today, our firm filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a school board whose policy is that students should use the bathroom associated with their fixed biological sex, rather than the one that corresponds to their subjective “gender identity.”

The Obama Administration’s Department of Education had joined the lawsuit in support of a troubled young woman who thinks that Read More

Comments filed with FDA regarding new “Draft Guidance” about Dietary Supplements

admin Administrative Law, Health Law

Today, our firm filed comments with the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), criticizing various parts of the FDA’s new “Draft Guidance” with respect to dietary supplements.

First, we noted that while federal law requires that manufacturers dietary supplements give “notice” to the FDA before they introduce a “new dietary ingredient” into the marketplace. The FDA, however, has adopted Read More

Comments filed with U.S. Citizenship & immigration Services Opposing New Refugee Application

admin Administrative Law

Today, our firm filed comments with the division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security responsible for Refugee matters, opposing changes in the form used to seek refugee status. If changed as proposed, the form will fail to obtain from applicants the information needed for the government to make a proper determination as to whether a person claiming refugee status actually qualifies as a refugee Read More

Comments to FDA on Regulatory Status of Vinpocetine

admin Administrative Law, Health Law

Today our firm filed comments with the FDA in response to a request for comment on its “tentative conclusion” that the ingredient vinpocetine does not meet the definition of a “dietary supplement.” Our comments explained that vinpocetine fits within the definition of “dietary supplement” as a “constituent of a botanical.” Then we analyzed the four Read More

Comments filed with FDA to Defend Compounding Pharmacists

admin Administrative Law, Health Law

An FDA Advisory Committee is considering imposing new and unnecessary limitations on what Compounding Pharmacists may use to create products that are needed by many people, especially seniors.  Remarkably, the FDA Advisory Committee is reported to have only one member who has experience with Compounding.  We filed comments for The Senior Citizens League and the Center for Medical Freedom with Read More

FSC/FSDEF Comments Urging IRS to Protect Nonprofit Donor Lists

admin Administrative Law, Nonprofit Law

On behalf of the Free Speech Coalition and Free Speech Defense and Education Fund, we submitted comments to the IRS asking it to protect the confidentiality the donor lists of nonprofit organizations.  The IRS had invited comments on its Publication 1075 relating to security guidelines for government agencies in possession of confidential tax
information.

Our comments explained how the California Read More

USJF Comments opposing Mandatory Pro Bono Reporting

admin Administrative Law

There is an effort underway by elements in the federal and state judiciary and leftist lawyers and lawyer groups to increase political controls over lawyers — on whom the American people rely on to protect their interests.  Some states are trying to force lawyers to devote free legal services to favored classes of persons.   Historically, this proposal has been a cover for the misuse of Read More

Book: ‘Defining Drugs: How Government Became the Arbiter of Pharmaceutical Fact”

admin Administrative Law, Health Law, Publications

Bill Olson was honored to write the Foreword for the re-issuance of what may prove to be the most important book ever written questioning the authority of the federal government over the sale and use of pharmaceuticals.  Professor of Pharmacy Richard Henry Parrish II originally wrote his book, “Defining Drugs:  How Government Became the Arbiter of Pharmaceutical Fact” in 2003. Now Read More

GOA/GOF Comments to ATF on Proposed Changes to Form 4473

admin Administrative Law, Firearms Law

Today our firm filed comments on behalf of Gun Owners of America, Inc. and Gun Owners Foundation opposing the proposed changes to the Form 4473, a form ATF claims continues to be necessary, though it is not required by any federal law.

Our comments explain how the proposed additions to the Form 4473 are unnecessarily confusing and often unauthorized.  The form is already complex, presenting a legal Read More

GOA/GOF Comments to ATF on Secure Gun Storage

admin Administrative Law, Firearms Law

Today our firm filed comments on behalf of Gun Owners of America, Inc. and Gun Owners Foundation opposing proposed regulations issued by ATF to require not only firearms dealers, but also manufacturers and importers, to certify that secure gun storage or safety devices are maintained anywhere firearms are sold.

Our comments explain how ATF’s proposed regulations would purportedly “implement” Read More

Comments: Gun Owners of America & Gun Owners Foundation File Comments Opposing Social Security Administration Efforts to Disarm the Disabled

admin Administrative Law

Today our firm filed comments on behalf of Gun Owners of America, Inc. and Gun Owners Foundation opposing proposed regulations issued by the Obama Social Security Administration to add more names to the NICS system which would prevent many persons with disabilities from buying firearms.

Our comments explain how the Social Security Administration proposal goes well beyond the limitation that firearm Read More