Newsletter 12-30-24
Good morning, friends. It’s Monday, December 30th, 2024. Here’s a snapshot of today’s top stories:
🕊️ Jimmy Carter’s Farewell
Jimmy Carter – the 39th US President – passed away yesterday at 100 and will lie in state at the U.S. and Georgia Capitols, with a state funeral planned before his interment in Plains, Georgia.
🔫 Pennslvania Focusing on 3D Guns?
A PA state representative hopes to crack down on 3D-printed guns in the 2025 lawmaking session.
✈️ Boeing Under Fire
A devastating jet crash in South Korea claims 179 lives, adding to Boeing’s challenging year of safety concerns, financial struggles, and labor strikes.
🏠 Florida Sheriff’s Warning
After a homeowner fatally shot an intruder, Sheriff Rick Wells warns, “If you break in, expect to be shot.”
🔫 Second Amendment Spotlight
The Supreme Court warns Hawaii to respect gun rights as Louisiana faces a lawsuit over carry restrictions for non-residents.
Also:
- Ruger’s New MkIV Pistols variants.
- A Texas man defends himself against an armed gang of...child robbers.
- A look back from the archives on Sears’ role in firearm production.
- The CIA doesn't take kindly to journalists embarrassing the Agency.
Let’s get after it...
News Briefs
Jimmy Carter expected to lie in Rotunda as multiple events are planned to commemorate late US president
In Short: Former US President Jimmy Carter passed away yesterday at 100. He will be commemorated through multiple events, including lying in state at the U.S. Capitol and Georgia Capitol, with a state funeral planned at Washington National Cathedral, before a private interment in his hometown.
Carter served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977–1981. Despite his well-meaning disposition and genuine nature, his political endeavors were (to be charitable) often mixed in outcome and rarely without detractors.
Carter brokered the 1978 Camp David Accords, establishing a historic peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. However, at home, Carter's ineffectiveness in administering domestic policy perpetuated the economic challenges of the time, including high inflation, unemployment, and the 1979 energy crisis.
His handling of the Iran hostage crisis, where 52 American diplomats and citizens were held captive for 444 days, was widely criticized as ineffective and contributed to his loss in the 1980 election. Additionally, his administration faced internal struggles and tension with Congress, hindering his ability to implement significant domestic reforms. Carter is considered by many to be the worst president in contemporary history, though his reputation did rebound in later years thanks to his good nature and commitment to humanitarian work.
Carter's death follows years of health issues, including cancer, and his transition to hospice care in February 2023. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, predeceased him in November 2023 after 77 years of marriage.
Further Reading:
Lafayette Lee
Andrea Margolis
Lawmaker wants Pennsylvania to crack down on 3D-printed "ghost guns" in 2025
In Short: Rep. Melissa Shusterman. a Pennsylvania lawmaker, is advocating for the state to implement stricter regulations on 3D-printed "ghost guns" in 2025, aiming to address her concerns over such firearms due to their "untraceable" nature and lack of serial numbers.
A similar proposal failed in the last session, but Melissa is hopeful for more bipartisan support this round.
"I actually have high hopes to get this law passed. It's a very common-sense law. We have 3D printers, and now they're being used to print firearms that are untraceable, so we need to treat the 3D-printed firearms and the firearm parts like we treat any other firearm that people are registering for here in Pennsylvania," she said.
Jump to Source: Lawmaker wants Pennsylvania to crack down on 3D-printed "ghost guns" in 2025
Jet crash disaster in South Korea marks another setback for Boeing
In Short: Boeing faced a tumultuous 2024 marked by a devastating jet crash in South Korea, ongoing safety concerns, financial struggles, labor strikes, and regulatory challenges, further tarnishing its reputation and market position.
- A Boeing 737-800 crash-landed in South Korea on December 29, 2024, killing 179 out of the 181 people onboard; the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
- The crash adds to a challenging year for Boeing, which has seen its stock price fall over 30% in 2024 amid safety concerns, labor strikes, and financial struggles.
- Despite being unrelated to the earlier 737 Max issues, the incident further affects Boeing's reputation, which already suffered after two fatal 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.
- In July 2024, Boeing admitted to deceiving the FAA about 737 Max training requirements, leading to a rejected plea deal this month by a federal judge in Texas.
- Boeing has initiated efforts to reform its safety culture, including meetings involving 70,000 employees, following the resignation of CEO David Calhoun in August 2024.
Jump to Source:
PAUL WISEMAN
“Expect to be Shot,” Florida Sheriff Warns After Man Defends Home Against Intruders
In Short: In Manatee County, Florida, a homeowner fatally shot a masked intruder and scared off another during a home invasion, leading Sheriff Rick Wells to issue a stern warning that intruders should "expect to be shot" if they break into Florida homes.
- The homeowner fatally shot intruder Jorge Nestevan Flores-Toledo and deterred a second burglar.
- The incident occurred at 9 p.m. on Thursday; the homeowner used surveillance to detect the intruders.
- Flores-Toledo, who had a criminal record and active parole warrant, died following the shooting.
- The second suspect, Michel Soto-Mella, an illegal immigrant from Chile, was later captured and charged with armed burglary.
Jump to Source:
Doug Howlett
Texas Man Defends Against Armed Child Robbery Gang, Shoots 3
In Short: In North Harris County, Texas, a man defended himself during an attempted armed robbery by a group of four minors, resulting in three of the children being hospitalized with gunshot wounds; the man and the uninjured fourth child are cooperating with an ongoing investigation by local authorities.
- A man in North Harris County, TX, defended himself from an armed robbery attempt by four children aged 12 to 14.
- The incident occurred just after midnight near an apartment complex on Hwy 249.
- The intended victim acted in self-defense and is cooperating fully with law enforcement.
- Authorities are investigating and have confiscated multiple firearms from the scene. (Reports of BB guns remain unconfirmed.)
Jump to Source:
Brandon Curtis
Supreme Court Lets Hawaii Off With a Warning … For Now
In Short: The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided against reviewing a case involving Hawaii's restrictive firearm licensing laws, but Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch issued statements warning the Hawaii Supreme Court to respect Second Amendment rights, with the broader implication that Hawaii's defiance might prompt future legal challenges.
- The U.S. Supreme Court chose not to review the Second Amendment case of State v. Wilson.
- Christopher Wilson challenged Hawaii's may-issue licensing laws after being charged with carrying a firearm without a license; a lower court initially sided with Wilson, but the Hawaii Supreme Court reversed the decision.
- The Hawaii Supreme Court assessed that because Wilson had not applied for a carry license under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 134-9, he lacked standing to contest the constitutionality of the licensing law.
- The court decided that individuals must first seek a license before challenging the licensing scheme's constitutionality.
Jump to Source: Supreme Court Lets Hawaii Off With a Warning … For Now
Where Sears Got Its Guns
In Short: There's an interesting reprint of a 1974 American Rifleman article available detailing the history and growth of the Meriden Fire Arms Co. (originally Andrew Fyrberg & Co.) and its transformation into a major firearms manufacturer through its partnership with Sears. (We used to be a real country.)
Jump to Source:
National Rifle Association
FPC Sues Louisiana Over Nonresident Carry Ban
In Short: The Firearms Policy Coalition has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana contesting the constitutional validity of the state's ban on firearm carry by nonresidents, arguing that the Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms regardless of state residency, and urging the court to overturn this restriction and halt its enforcement.
“Closing off nonresidents’ ability to obtain a carry license substantially infringes their constitutionally protected right to carry a firearm in public for self-defense,” the complaint says. “There is no well-established and representative historical tradition of restricting the ability to bear arms based on residency.”
Jump to Source:
Two New Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite Pistols
In Short: Ruger has introduced two new SKUs of Mark IV 22/45 Lite rimfire pistols. The new models boast a lightweight aluminum design, 4.40-inch threaded barrels, adjustable sights, Picatinny rails, and user-customizable 1911-style grip panels.
- Both pistols are chambered in .22 LR, featuring a 4.40" threaded CHF barrel, adjustable sights, and a Picatinny rail.
- The monolithic receiver and barrel shroud are machined from aerospace-grade aluminum, offering a ventilated and lightweight design.
- These models boast a polymer grip frame with a 1911 grip angle and customizable checkered 1911-style grip panels.
- Options include a black receiver with gold accents or a champagne receiver with black accents, both retailing at an MSRP of $739 and including two 10-round magazines.
Jump to Source:
When a Journalist Humiliated the CIA in the 1980s by Scooping Them, They Retaliated by Falsely Accusing Him of Being a KGB Agent
In Short: During the 1980s Cold War, journalist Dusko Doder humiliated the CIA by scooping them on Yuri Andropov's death, prompting the agency to retaliate with false accusations of him being a KGB agent, which ultimately damaged his career despite his eventual legal vindication.
- In 1984, Washington Post journalist Dusko Doder accurately reported the death of Soviet leader Yuri Andropov before the CIA, embarrassing the agency and highlighting U.S. intelligence lapses in Moscow.
- In retaliation for Doder's scoop, the CIA planted a false story accusing him of being a KGB agent, relying on dubious testimony from a defector and publishing it through Time magazine journalist Jay Peterzell.
- Doder sued Time magazine for libel, won the case in 1986, and was awarded $262,000 along with coverage of his legal fees; however, the false accusations irreparably damaged his career and reputation.
- Doder, who died on September 10 at age 87, is remembered for his professionalism and significant contributions to journalism, including notable publications on Soviet and Yugoslav politics.
- The case underscores broader patterns of the CIA targeting journalists critical of U.S. policies during the Cold War, with parallels drawn to contemporary efforts to discredit dissenting voices amidst Cold War 2.0 rhetoric.
Jump to Source:
Jeremy Kuzmarov
-Lee
