Tech Giants Face a Tough New Regulator in the U.K. Heres Why it Matters. – Barron’s

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Tech companies operating in the U.K. will face a new, specialized regulator that is expected to introduce rules around user data and consumer choice. It is set to curb the market power of companies including Google, owned by Alphabet (ticker: GOOGL), and Facebook (FB).

The move from the British government comes as tech giants face new challenges in the European Union within weeks, when draft proposals for legislation governing digital markets come on Dec. 9.

The back story. In July, Britains Competition and Markets Authority released the results of a year-long study into online platforms and the digital advertising market in the U.K. The study specifically investigated the market power of Google and Facebook, describing how the companies overwhelmingly dominate in online search, social media, and advertising, and enjoy incumbency advantages that protect them against rivals and reduce competition.

In March, the CMA was asked to lead a Digital Markets Taskforce to advise the government on the design of a new regulatory regime for digital markets. That task force is due to provide its proposals before the end of the year.

Whats new. The British government announced on Friday that it would set up a Digital Markets Unit within the CMA to oversee pro-competition reforms in the tech sector. The new unit will begin operating in April 2021.

Digital platforms like Google and Facebook make a significant contribution to our economy and play a massive role in our day-to-day lives, said Alok Sharma, Britains business secretary. But the dominance of just a few big tech companies is leading to less innovation, higher advertising prices and less choice and control for consumers.

Also read: Big Tech And Antitrust: Where Things Stand

The regulator will establish rules to govern platforms funded by digital advertising that have strategic market statusthe designation of which is another task of the new body. Its mandate includes introducing pro-competition interventions around user data, consumer choice, and could extend to breaking up businesses.

Andrea Coscelli, the CMAs chief executive, said that only through a new pro-competition regulatory regime can we tackle the market power of tech giants like Facebook and Google and ensure that businesses and consumers are protected.

Plus: Google Promises the EU It Wont Use Fitbit Health Data to Target Ads

Looking ahead. Make no mistake: the creation of a new tech regulator with a mandate to target companies like Google and Facebook is trouble for big tech. It comes as these same companies are already facing down the barrel of strict regulation across the English Channel making Europe stand out as a trouble spot.

Its difficult to tell how deep new intervention will run. The CMAs chief executive has been aggressive in calling out Google and Facebook, but the U.K.s business secretary was right to note the significant contribution these companies make to the British economy. Regulation like this could very well become a major political issue.

Email: editors@barrons.com

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Tech Giants Face a Tough New Regulator in the U.K. Heres Why it Matters. - Barron's

Apple isn’t joining French initiative to push tech giants to pay more tax – Cult of Mac

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Apple has reportedly declined to sign on to a new French initiative that asks big tech companies to commit to paying their fair share of tax.

French President Emmanuel Macron has set up a Tech for Good Call that will seek to implement these changes. However, while Google, Microsoft, Facebook and 72 other companies have joined, Apple and Amazon havent signed on yet.

According to Reuters:

Apple declined to comment, but French officials said talks with the group were ongoing and they could still join the initiative, details of which will be published officially by Tuesday. A representative for Amazon, which French officials said had declined to join the initiative, did not return a request for comment.

The French initiative is not legally binding. Nonetheless, Macron is taking it very seriously. He plans to use it to influence future negotiations when it comes to the regulation of big tech.

Tech for Good Call isnt only about taxes. In addition to asking for a commitment to contribute fairly to the taxes in countries where [tech giants] operate, it also covers other areas. These include stopping the spread of child sexual abuse material, terrorist or extreme violence online contents and supporting new sustainable initiatives.

At this point, it remains clear why Apple did not back the initiative. Apple CEO Tim Cook previously called for a global overhaul of corporate taxes. But he also consistently insists that Apple pays its fair share.

During a 2015 Inside Apple episode of60 Minutes, Cook dismissed reports that Apple doesnt pay its way as total political crap. In an interview this year, he said that Applesresponsibility is to pay what we owe. Beyond this, Cook notes how Apple contributes through donations and initiatives like its COVID-19 crisis response.

My own view is that you pay what you owe in taxes, and then you give back to society, he said.

However, there is some precedent for believing that Apple doesnt pay the full amount it should. In 2019,Apple agreed to pay French authorities around $571 million in back taxes. (With that said, a separate, much larger EU tax bill was overruled in Apples favor earlier this year.)

Source: Reuters

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Apple isn't joining French initiative to push tech giants to pay more tax - Cult of Mac

Tech giants to be subject to a new code of conduct – Lexology

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The Government has announced that it will establish a new regime designed to govern the behaviours of the tech giants. It plans to set up a Digital Markets Unit, operating within the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which will introduce and enforce a new statutory code of conduct. The Government has indicated that, among other things, the code will enable consumers to have more choice over how their data is used.

The aim of the regime is the promotion of competition within the digital market, but the Government has also indicated that the large tech platforms will soon need to be more transparent about how their services are provided and their use of customer data. In particular, the Government has emphasised that the Digital Markets Unit will be working with regulators, including the Information Commissioner's Office, to enforce the new code of conduct. From April 2021 the Digital Markets Unit could be given power over the decisions of tech giants, oblige them to take certain actions and impose financial penalties for non-compliance with the code.

The details of the code will become clearer next year. The Government intends to consult on the "form and function" of the Digital Markets Unit in early 2021.

It remains to be seen how the proposed code will interact with the UK's existing data protection regime. The Government says that "consumers will be given more choice and control over how their data is used". However the regime is driven by competition not data or consumer protection (noting that competition ultimately benefits consumers). As such, it might be too much to expect that this new regime will actually grant consumers new rights (which would not fit with the traditional nature of a code of conduct in any event). Rather, it may be that any infringement of the code, to the extent that it touched on data use, might prompt a sanction from the Digital Markets Unit that could be leveraged by consumers through existing data protection laws. If so, that would mean that tech businesses may soon face another front from which claims can brought and will be an interesting further piece of the UK's developing data litigation landscape.

New competition regime for tech giants to give consumers more choice and control over their data, and ensure businesses are fairly treated

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-competition-regime-for-tech-giants-to-give-consumers-more-choice-and-control-over-their-data-and-ensure-businesses-are-fairly-treated

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Report: Tech giants told Dr Wee they would review cable investments in Malaysia – SoyaCincau.com

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Minister of Transport, Dr Wee Ka Siong, was recently criticised for his decision to revoke the cabotage exemption for foreign vessels to conduct undersea cable repairs in Malaysian waters. Last week, tech giants which include Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Malaysia Internet Exchange (MyIX) have expressed urgent concerns over the decision which will impact Malaysias internet speed and quality.

As highlighted by former Transport Minister, Anthony Loke and former Communications and Multimedia Minister, Gobind Singh in Parliament last week, the exemption was granted after requests were made from tech giants to shorten the time required to repair undersea cables. With the cabotage policy, it was reported that repairs can take up to 27 days and it has a negative impact in attracting telecommunications and internet investors.

Last Wednesday, Dr Wee had a dialogue session with Facebook, Google, Microsoft and MyIX to provide a clearer picture on the National Cabotage Policy at his office in Putrajaya. He explained that the cabotage exemption for cable repair works was revoked due to the following reasons:

The cabotage policy was introduced in Malaysia in the 1980s to protect the local shipping industry from foreign competition. With the policy in place, foreign vessels will require a Domestic Shipping License (DSL) which can be applied electronically via eDSL.

According to Dr. Wee, eDSL will reduce the time required for the process from 30 to 5 working days if there are no blockage in the application. However, the application will still require confirmation from the Malaysia Shipowners Association (MASA) that no local vessels are available to do the repair works.

The Transport Minister said it is his ministrys responsibility to ensure that vessels are allowed in areas where they are needed the most as soon as possible so that it wont impact Malaysias internet connectivity which is one of the countrys priorities.

According to a report (Tech companies say they may review cable investments in Malaysia) by The Edge Malaysia yesterday, some tech giants appear unconvinced with the new arrangements. According to the papers source who is close to the matter, one of the companies have told Dr Wee during the meeting that it would review its cable investments in Malaysia.

Another tech firm said the cabotage policy which was introduced 40 years ago was meant for passenger ships and vessels carrying goods, and are not meant for todays digital economy. It also said that the policies were implemented at a time when communications was analogue and not digital.

The Edge also sighted a position paper by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) entitled Malaysia International Connectivity: Impact of Cabotage Policy on Submarine Cable Operations and Investment. The paper mentioned that Malaysias international connectivity is lagging behind regional players such as Singapore. This is due to the fact that Malaysia isnt a transit hub for transregional connectivity between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is also reported that one of the key factors of the situation has been highlighted by both Telekom Malaysia and Time DotCom, which operate domestic submarine cables.

The MDEC paper also mentions the lack of suitable domestic DP2 (Dynamic Positioning Class 2) cable repair vessels, which was highlighted in Parliament last week by Anthony Loke. It also added that disputes between MASA and cable operators over the issue of DSL exemption consent letter (DCL) has been the primary cause of delays.

The report also states that MASA members can block the issue of a DCL, resulting a delay in the issue of the DSL. MASA can choose not issue the DCL if its members want the cable repair job and this could lead to a mediation process if both MASA and the cable operator cannot reach a common understanding.

According to The Edge Malaysia, an industry player involved in undersea cable repairs have said that it is not viable for local companies to own vessels. Their source said After you spend millions on a submarine repair vessel, you have to pray for there to be problems and repair works with the submarine cable. It added that there are instances where submarine cables laid have not had issues for six years.

It is reported that several local companies are capable of performing submarine cable repair which include Dagang NeXchange Bhd, Optic Marine Services Sdn Bhd (OMS) and iFactors Sdn Bhd. However, the report states that only one Malaysian-flagged vessel is capable of doing repairs and it is actually a barge which requires to be towed by a tug boat. The vessel which is called Cable Orchestra is equipped with Dynamic Positioning Class 1 (DP1) capabilities but most tech giants require DP2 which is more advanced and is ideal in rougher waters.

Dynamic Positioning is a computer aided system that helps vessels to maintain a fixed position in the water by using its own set of propellers and thrusters. The industry player also said that tech companies require DP2 vessels as it is a requirement by insurance companies.

The MDEC report also states that permit delays accumulate to almost 100 days annually for submarine cable repairs in Malaysian territorial waters and exclusive Economic Zones. Cable systems under participation of TM and Time come under the South East Asia and Indian Ocean Cable Maintenance Agreement (SEAIOCMA) which include selecting the appropriate cable repair ship from contracted operators. It added that the cabotage policy restricts SEAIOCMA from choosing the best repair ship quickly and this will have a negative impact on the operations of SEAIOCMA and Malaysias aspiration to attract more submarine cable investments.

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Report: Tech giants told Dr Wee they would review cable investments in Malaysia - SoyaCincau.com

New Drug Could Improve Effectiveness of Stem Cell Therapy – Pain News Network

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By Pat Anson, PNN Editor

Scientists have developed an experimental drug that can lure stem cells to damaged tissues and help them heal -- a discovery being touted as a major advancement in the field of regenerative medicine.

The findings, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), could improve the effectiveness of stem cell therapy in treating spinal cord injuries, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS), Parkinsons disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. It could also expand the use of stem cells to treat conditions such as heart disease and arthritis.

The ability to instruct a stem cell where to go in the body or to a particular region of a given organ is the Holy Grail for regenerative medicine, said lead authorEvan Snyder, MD, director of theCenter for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicineat Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla, CA. Now, for the first time ever, we can direct a stem cell to a desired location and focus its therapeutic impact.

Over a decade ago, Snyder and his colleagues discovered that stem cells are drawn to inflammation -- a biological fire alarm that signals tissue damage has occurred. However, using inflammation as a therapeutic lure for stem cells wasnt advisable because they could further inflame diseased or damaged organs, joints and other tissue.

To get around that problem, scientists modified CXCL12 -- an inflammatory molecule that Snyders team discovered could guide stem cells to sites in need of repair to create a drug called SDV1a. The new drug works by enhancing stem cell binding, while minimizing inflammatory signals.

Since inflammation can be dangerous, we modified CXCL12 by stripping away the risky bit and maximizing the good bit, Snyder explained. Now we have a drug that draws stem cells to a region of pathology, but without creating or worsening unwanted inflammation.

To demonstrate its effectiveness, Snyders team injected SDV1a and human neural stem cells into the brains of mice with a neurodegenerative disease called Sandhoff disease. The experiment showed that the drug helped stem cells migrate and perform healing functions, which included extending lifespan, delaying symptom onset, and preserving motor function for much longer than mice that didnt receive the drug. Importantly, the stem cells also did not worsen the inflammation.

Researchers are now testing SDV1as ability to improve stem cell therapy in a mouse model of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, which is caused by a progressive loss of motor neurons in the brain. Previous studies conducted by Snyders team found that broadening the spread of neural stem cells helps more motor neurons survive so they are hopeful that SDV1a will improve the effectiveness of neuroprotective stem cells and help slow the onset and progression of ALS.

We are optimistic that this drugs mechanism of action may potentially benefit a variety of neurodegenerative disorders, as well as non-neurological conditions such as heart disease, arthritis and even brain cancer, says Snyder. Interestingly, because CXCL12 and its receptor are implicated in the cytokine storm that characterizes severe COVID-19, some of our insights into how to selectively inhibit inflammation without suppressing other normal processes may be useful in that arena as well.

Snyders research is supported by the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Defense, National Tay-Sachs & Allied Disease Foundation, Childrens Neurobiological Solutions Foundation, and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

Thanks to decades of investment in stem cell science, we are making tremendous progress in our understanding of how these cells work and how they can be harnessed to help reverse injury or disease, says Maria Millan, MD, president and CEO of CIRM. This drug could help speed the development of stem cell treatments for spinal cord injury, Alzheimers, heart disease and many other conditions for which no effective treatment exists.

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Repairing the Brain With Stem Cells? A Conversation With Prof. Jack Price – Being Patient

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Groundbreaking research in stem cells has propelled scientists understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parksinsons. Could stem cell therapies one day help cure Alzheimers?

Clinical trials of stem cell therapies are now underway to repair the damaged cells of people with Parkinsons disease and age-related macular degeneration. Being Patient spoke with Jack Price, professor of developmental neurobiology at Kings College London and author of the book The Future of Brain Repair, about the potential and challenges of repairing the brain with stem cell therapy.

Being Patient: What is stem cell therapy?

Prof. Jack Price: Its the transplantation of stem cells, either directly into the brain or in a way that gives them access to the brain and influence the brain, to bring about a therapeutic effect.

Being Patient: Are there stem cells in the brain?

Prof. Jack Price: For many years, neuroscientists didnt think there were stem cells in the brain. We now know there are. We know about a population [of stem cells] thats become very important in our understanding of Alzheimers disease and in mood disorders like anxiety and depression. These are stem cells that are found in a part of the brain called the hippocampus.

But by and large, the brain doesnt have stem cells, unlike skin and other tissues in the body. The blood is the classic [example]: Theres a population of stem cells in the bone marrow that regenerates blood all the time.

Being Patient: What makes stem cells so special and why are they a focus of research?

Prof. Jack Price: The definition of stem cells is a population of cells that gives rise to other types of cells. In neural stem cells, precursor cells can make adult brain cells, nerve cells, glial cells, all the different cell types that make up the brain. If you have a disease like Alzheimers or any other neurodegenerative disease, where we know the key pathology is the loss of nerve cells, your brain doesnt normally have the ability to replace those lost brain cells. The idea was [that] if you put stem cells where the loss of brain cells has taken place, maybe those stem cells would replace the lost cells.

Being Patient: What is the potential of stem cell therapy in treating neurodegenerative diseases?

Prof. Jack Price: Theres a piece of absolutely brilliant stem cell science that was done by Shinya Yamanaka in Kyoto in 2006. He showed you could effectively take any cell through a very straightforward genetic manipulation that he discovered, [and] turn them into what we call pluripotent stem cells, which are cells that can make any cell type in the body. They also have an ability that other stem cells generally dont: They can build tissue. If you grow them in a little culture dish, they can start to make little pieces of brain called organoids or cerebroids. This was a groundbreaking technology.

In Parkinsons disease, theres enormous progress and clinical trials are underway now. We know more about the pathology of Parkinsons disease [than in Alzheimers]. The pathology of Alzheimers turns out to be quite complex, and weve had, over the years, quite a few ideas about how it worked. But [turning] those into actual therapies hasnt quite worked as we expected, and we keep having to go back and rethink whats going on in Alzheimers.

The pathology of Parkinsons disease is also difficult. Its not trivial. But at the same time, one thing is clear: a lot of the pathology is associated with the loss of a particular population of nerve cells the midbrain dopaminergic cells. We can start with these pluripotent stem cells and make them make precisely the right type of dopaminergic cell that we know is lost in Parkinsons disease.

This is built on 30 [to] 40 years of research of people trying to find exactly the right cell type to work [with] in Parkinsons disease. They had some early success and fell backwards. But this technology looks much more precise than everything anybodys ever tried before.

In age-related macular degeneration, the disease of the eye where you lose your retinal photoreceptors, there are very clever strategies now where people are using these pluripotent stem cells to make a thing called a retinal pigment epithelium. It lies behind the retina, but its what supports the photoreceptors. It turns out, thats what goes wrong in age-related macular degeneration.

Being Patient: Are there any stem cell therapy approved to treat brain disorders?

Prof. Jack Price: There are no licensed stem cell therapy for any brain disorders anywhere in the world for the simple reason [that] nobody has shown one works. There are a lot of stem cell clinics in the U.S. and somewhat fewer elsewhere who are offering cell therapies that are untested. Theyll put stem cells into you for any disorder youve got. Those cell therapies do not work.

A lot of genuine companies are trying to get these cell therapies to work in clinical trials and falling flat on their face quite often, despite their best efforts. 90% of clinical trials fail, and thats clinical trials of conventional drugs by drug companies that know what theyre doing.

What do you suppose is the chance with a stem cell therapy [that] we dont really understand how it works, [that] we dont quite know how to manufacture it properly, [and that] we dont quite know what cells we really want, of working? The chance is almost zero. These companies know that, which is why theyre not going to clinical trials.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Contact Nicholas Chan at nicholas@beingpatient.com

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Hematologist/Stem Cell Biologist to Direct Hematology and Cellular Therapy at Cedars-Sinai – Newswise

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Newswise LOS ANGELES (Dec. 1, 2020) -- Internationally recognized hematologist John P. Chute, MD, has been selected to direct the Division of Hematology and Cellular Therapy in the Department of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Cancer. The physician-scientist also will serve as director of the Center for Myelodysplastic Diseases Research and associate director of the Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. Chute assumed his new post Nov. 23.

The selection of Chute, following a national search, reflects the importance of his pioneering research in blood-forming stem cells called hematopoietic stem cells, which can self-renew and generate all cell types found in the blood and immune system. Over the past decade, Chute's lab has discovered several growth factors produced by the cells that line the walls of blood vessels; they play a critical role in blood-forming stem cell regeneration.

"Dr. Chute is an exceptional addition to our faculty," saidDanTheodorescu, MD, PhD, director ofCedars-Sinai Cancer. "His international reputation as a physician-scientist who has made major contributions to stem cell and hematopoietic cell biologywill greatly contribute to positioning the newly created Division of Hematology and Cell Therapy as one of the best in the nation, while providing Cedars-Sinai Cancer patients with exciting new options for the treatment of blood malignancies."

In addition to his hematopoietic stem cell research, Chute said he looks forward to expanding Cedars-Sinai's CAR T-cell research and therapy. He describes the immune-boosting therapeutic as "transformative" for patients with advanced non-Hodgkinlymphoma,childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemiaand potentially several additional blood cancers.

CAR T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy in which patients' own immune cells, called T cells, are collected from their blood, and then an artificial receptor chimeric antigen receptor, or CAR is added to the cells' surface. The receptor enables the modified cells to specifically eradicate cancer cells. The cells are infused back into a patient's body intravenously, where they multiply and attack tumor cells.

"CAR T therapy has become an important treatment option for so many patients with advanced cancer who had no options before," Chute said. "That's what makes CAR T therapy so exciting."

Chute joins Cedars-Sinai from the David Geffen School of Medicine at the UCLA, where he was a professor of Medicine and Radiation Oncology in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and an investigator in the Broad Stem Cell Research Center.

Chute earned his medical degree at Georgetown University. He completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the National Naval Medical Center. He completed his research training at the National Cancer Institute and the Naval Medical Research Institute.

"I'm excited to join the Cedars-Sinai Cancer faculty because of the opportunity to collaborate with the world-class scientists and top-tier physicians at the cancer center," Chute said. "Cedars-Sinai has always been a leading medical center and is deeply committed to basic and translational research, while also growing the hematology and cellular therapy specialties. I'm eager to play a leading role in that growth."

Clickhereto read more from the Cedars-Sinai Newsroom.

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CRISPR tagging used to grow neuronal cells from stem cells – Drug Target Review

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A new technique using CRISPR has been developed by researchers to identify programmed stem cells that mature into neuronal cells.

A team of biomedical engineers has created a new way to turn stem cells into a desired cell type using CRISPR tagging and gene regulatory networks.The study was conducted at Duke University, US.

According to the researchers, several methods already exist to programme stem cells into other cells, but often, these stem cells do not mature correctly when cultured in the lab.

The cells might seem right at first glance, but they are often missing some of the key properties you want in those cells, said Josh Black, who led the work in Charles Gersbachs lab.

Using CRISPR gene editing, the researchers created a method to identify which transcription factors master controllers of gene activity were essential to making a good neuron. They demonstrated the potential of the approach to make mature adult neurons, but say it could be applied to programme any cell type.

When Black joined Gersbachs lab, he investigated how to use these tools to turn on genes that could convert one cell type into another to create better disease models. In 2016, Black and Gersbach reported an approach to use CRISPR-based gene activators to turn on gene networks that would convert fibroblasts to neuronal cells. This study targeted gene networks that were known to be associated with neuronal specification, but did not generate cells with all of the properties needed to make effective disease models. However, the right gene networks to generate those desired cells were unknown and there are were thousands of possibilities encoded in the human genome. This led Black and Gersbach to devise a strategy to test all of the networks in a single experiment.

Starting with pluripotent stem cells, the team engineered some that fluoresced red once they became neuronal. The brighter the fluorescence, the stronger the push towards a neuronal fate. Then they made a pooled library of thousands of guide RNAs targeted to all of the genes that encode transcription factors in the human genome.

They introduced the CRISPR gene activator and guide RNA library into the stem cells so that each cell only received a single guide RNA and therefore turned on its particular corresponding transcription factor gene target. Then they sorted the cells based on how red they became and sequenced the guide RNAs in the most and least red cells, which told them which genes, when turned on, made the cells more or less neuronal.

CRISPR-based activation of gene networks implicated in human stem cells becoming neuronal cells led to the generation of cells with neuronal shapes and markers (left) and enhanced function and electrophysiological properties, including producing more action potentials more frequently (right) [credit: Gersbach Lab, Duke University].

When they profiled the gene expression from the stem cells engineered with the guide RNAs, the results suggested that the corresponding cells generated more specific and mature types of neurons. They also found genes that worked together when targeted simultaneously. Moreover, the experiment revealed factors that antagonised the neuronal commitment of the stem cells and when they used CRISPR-based repressors of those genes, they could also enhance the neuronal specification.

To know if these engineered cells recapitulated the function of more mature neurons, they turned to Professor Scott Soderling. Shataakshi Dube, a grad student in Soderlings lab, used a technique known as patch clamp electrophysiology to measure the electrical signals inside the newly formed neurons. By poking a tiny hole in the cell with a very small pipette, she looked inside the neuron and saw whether it was transmitting electrical signals known as action potentials. They found that the neurons engineered to activate a particular pair of transcription factor genes were more functionally mature, emitting more action potentials more frequently.

I was curious but sceptical on how neuronal these stem cells could become, Dube said, but it was remarkable to see how much these programmed cells looked just like normal neurons.

The process from stem cell to mature neuronal cell took seven days, dramatically shortening the timeframe compared to other methods that take weeks or months. This faster timeline has the potential to accelerate the development and testing of new therapies for neurological disorders.

The researchers say the same method for screening transcription factor genes and gene networks could be used to improve methods to make any cell type, which could be transformative for regenerative medicine and cell therapy.

The key to this work is developing methods to use the power and scalability of CRISPR-based DNA targeting to programme any function into any cell type, Gersbach said. By leveraging the gene networks already encoded in our genome, our control over cell biology is dramatically improved.

The study was conducted at Cell Reports.

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How Stem Cell Therapy Market Will Dominate In Coming Years? Report Covering Products, Financial Information, Developments, Swot Analysis And…

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The Global Stem Cell Therapy Market analysis report published on IndustryGrowthInsights.com is a detailed study of market size, share and dynamics covered in XX pages and is an illustrative sample demonstrating market trends. This is a latest report, covering the current COVID-19 impact on the market. The pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has affected every aspect of life globally. This has brought along several changes in market conditions. The rapidly changing market scenario and initial and future assessment of the impact is covered in the report. It covers the entire market with an in-depth study on revenue growth and profitability. The report also delivers on key players along with strategic standpoint pertaining to price and promotion.

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Global Stem Cell Therapy Market Size & Share, by ProductsAutologousAllogeneicStem Cell Therap

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market Size & Share, ApplicationsMusculoskeletal DisorderWounds & InjuriesCorneaCardiovascular DiseasesOthers

Key PlayersOsiris TherapeuticsNuVasiveChiesi PharmaceuticalsJCR PharmaceuticalPharmicellMedi-postAnterogenMolmedTakeda (TiGenix)Stem Cell Therap

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Stem Cell Therapy Market to Witness Robust Expansion Throughout the Forecast Period 2020 2025 – The Haitian-Caribbean News Network

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The report also provides ample information about the competitive landscape with vendor positioning and various details on the activities that remain essential growth catalysts. In addition to providing a detailed overview of the current market scenario, this section of the report also includes various details on the overall ecosystem, key trends, market catalysts, threats and challenges that significantly affect the monetization of the Stem Cell Therapy Market.

After continuing observations and research initiatives, this new research presentation on the global Stem Cell Therapy Market was recently released in order to optimally clean this global market to draw important conclusions.

The various research approaches included in this Stem Cell Therapy Market report compilation provide an internal report on the market size and growth trends, showing new trends and developments across multiple geographic tiers such as global and regional hubs as well as regional growth pockets.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Global Stem Cell Therapy Market

1. In terms of product and application based segmentation, which segment is likely to remain most promising?2. Based on concurrent developments, which trends are likely to remain most dominant through the forecast span?3. Considering the pandemic crisis and other associated alterations, what could be the most relevant market projections?4. Who would continue to remain atop the growth curve in global Stem Cell Therapy Market through the forecast years?5. What are the top threats and challenges identified in the Stem Cell Therapy Market?

Stem Cell Therapy Market Segmentation

Type Analysis of Stem Cell Therapy Market:

Based on cell source, the market has been segmented into,

Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal SCsBone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal SCsEmbryonic SCsOther Sources

Applications Analysis of Stem Cell Therapy Market:

Based on therapeutic application, the market has been segmented into,

Musculoskeletal DisordersWounds & InjuriesCardiovascular DiseasesGastrointestinal DiseasesImmune System DiseasesOther Applications

Reasons to read this report:

1. It helps you understand the key product segments and their future.2. It provides accurate analysis of changing competitive dynamics and allows you to stay ahead of your competitors.3. It helps you make informed business decisions by having complete insight into the market and performing in-depth analysis of market segments.

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Stem Cell Therapy Market to Witness Robust Expansion Throughout the Forecast Period 2020 2025 - The Haitian-Caribbean News Network

Stem Cell Therapy Market Expansion Projected to Gain an Uptick During 2020-2027 – The Haitian-Caribbean News Network

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Verified Market Research have recently published a new report on the global Stem Cell Therapy market. The study provides profound insights into updated market events and market trends. This, in turn, helps one in better comprehending the market factors, and strongly they influence the market. Also, the sections related to regions, players, dynamics, and strategies are segmented and sub-segmented to simplify the actual conditions of the industry.

The study is updated with the impacts of the coronavirus and the future analysis of the industrys trends. This is done to ensure that the resultant predictions are most accurate and genuinely calculated. The pandemic has affected all industries, and this report evaluates its impact on the global market.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market was valued at USD 117.66 million in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 255.37 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 10.97% from 2020 to 2027.

The report also emphasizes the initiatives undertaken by the companies operating in the market including product innovation, product launches, and technological development to help their organization offer more effective products in the market. It also studies notable business events, including corporate deals, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships, product launches, and brand promotions.

Leading Stem Cell Therapy manufacturers/companies operating at both regional and global levels:

The report also inspects the financial standing of the leading companies, which includes gross profit, revenue generation, sales volume, sales revenue, manufacturing cost, individual growth rate, and other financial ratios.

Dominant participants of the market analyzed based on:

The competitors are segmented into the size of their individual enterprise, buyers, products, raw material usage, consumer base, etc. Additionally, the raw material chain and the supply chain are described to make the user aware of the prevailing costs in the market. Lastly, their strategies and approaches are elucidated for better comprehension. In short, the market research report classifies the competitive spectrum of this global Stem Cell Therapy industry in elaborate detail.

Key highlights of the report:

Market revenue splits by most promising business segments by type, by application, and any other business segment if applicable within the scope of the global Stem Cell Therapy market report. The country break-up will help you determine trends and opportunities. The prominent players are examined, and their strategies analyzed.

1.Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Cell Source:

Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Cord Blood/Embryonic Stem Cells Other Cell Sources

2.Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Therapeutic Application:

Musculoskeletal Disorders Wounds and Injuries Cardiovascular Diseases Surgeries Gastrointestinal Diseases Other Applications

3.Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Type:

Allogeneic Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Application Musculoskeletal Disorders Wounds and Injuries Surgeries Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease (AGVHD) Other Applications Autologous Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Application Cardiovascular Diseases Wounds and Injuries Gastrointestinal Diseases Other Applications

This Stem Cell Therapy report umbrellas vital elements such as market trends, share, size, and aspects that facilitate the growth of the companies operating in the market to help readers implement profitable strategies to boost the growth of their business. This report also analyses the expansion, market size, key segments, market share, application, key drivers, and restraints.

Insights into the Stem Cell Therapy market scenario:

Moreover, the report studies the competitive landscape that this industry offers to new entrants. Therefore, it gives a supreme edge to the user over the other competitors in the form of reliable speculations of the market. The key developments in the industry are shown with respect to the current scenario and the approaching advancements. The market report consists of prime information, which could be an efficient read such as investment return analysis, trends analysis, investment feasibility analysis and recommendations for growth.

The data in this report presented is thorough, reliable, and the result of extensive research, both primary and secondary. Moreover, the global Stem Cell Therapy market report presents the production, and import and export forecast by type, application, and region from 2020 to 2027.

Customization of the Report:

Verified Market Research also provides customization options to tailor the reports as per client requirements. This report can be personalized to cater to your research needs. Feel free to get in touch with our sales team, who will ensure that you get a report as per your needs.

Thank you for reading this article. You can also get chapter-wise sections or region-wise report coverage for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.

To summarize, the global Stem Cell Therapy market report studies the contemporary market to forecast the growth prospects, challenges, opportunities, risks, threats, and the trends observed in the market that can either propel or curtail the growth rate of the industry. The market factors impacting the global sector also include provincial trade policies, international trade disputes, entry barriers, and other regulatory restrictions.

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Stem Cell Therapy Market Expansion Projected to Gain an Uptick During 2020-2027 - The Haitian-Caribbean News Network

IN8bio announces first-in-human Phase 1 trial Update from The University of Kansas Cancer Center using INB-100, IN8bios Gamma Delta T-cell product…

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NEW YORK, Dec. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IN8bio, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing innovative allogeneic, autologous and genetically modified gamma-delta T cell therapies for the treatment of cancers (IN8bio or the Company), today announced an upcoming presentation that provides an update of the ongoing Phase I clinical trial of their product candidate INB-100 at the 62nd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting & Exposition (ASH), which will take place virtually from December 5 to 8, 2020. INB-100 is designed for the treatment of patients with leukemia undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with haploidentical donors.

The poster and accompanying narrated slide presentation is titled, First-in-Human Phase I Trial of Adoptive Immunotherapy with Ex Vivo Expanded and Activated gamma delta T-Cells Following Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplantation and Post-BMT Cyclophosphamide and reviews the study design and provides a brief update on enrollment and patient status.

The company reported that, as of abstract submission, three female subjects with acute leukemia had been enrolled in the INB-100 Phase 1 trial, of whom two had been dosed, and that no treatment-related adverse events had been recorded. The trial is continuing to enroll and treat patients. The abstract for the presentation can be found at https://ash.confex.com/ash/2020/webprogram/Paper142876.html.

The poster and slide presentation are jointly authored by the scientific and physician investigators from IN8bio and The University of Kansas Cancer Center (KU Cancer Center), and will be presented by the studys Principal Investigator, Dr. Joseph McGuirk, Schutte-Speas Professor of Hematology-Oncology, Division Director of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics and Medical Director, Blood and Marrow Transplant at KU Cancer Center.

This preliminary data report from KU Cancer Center with our allogeneic product candidate, INB-100, demonstrates the absence of significant GvHD in these initial patients, said William Ho, Chief Executive Officer of IN8bio. This suggests that gamma delta T-cells delivered as an off-the-shelf allogeneic cell therapy may be well tolerated and have significant potential to treat patients with serious and life-threatening cancers.

Story continues

Dr. McGuirk, commented, Potentially curative stem cell transplants using partially matched donors -- called haploidentical transplants have greatly expanded access to stem cell transplantation. The infusion of donor-derived gamma delta T-cells from the stem cell donor, offers the hope of diminishing this risk of relapse and curing more patients.

About IN8bioIN8bio is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapies for the treatment of cancers, including solid tumors, by employing allogeneic, autologous and genetically modified gamma-delta T cells. IN8bios technology incorporates drug-resistant immunotherapy (DRI), which has been shown in preclinical studies to function in combination with therapeutic levels of chemotherapy. IN8bio is currently conducting two investigator-initiated Phase 1 clinical trials for its lead gamma-delta T cell product candidates: INB-200 for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma, which is a difficult to treat brain tumor that progresses rapidly, and INB-100 for the treatment of patients with acute leukemia undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. For more information about the Company and its programs, visit http://www.IN8bio.com.

Forward Looking StatementsCertain statements herein concerning the Companys future expectations, plans and prospects, including without limitation, the Companys current expectations regarding the curative potential of its product candidates, constitute forward-looking statements. The use of words such as may, might, will, should, expect, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, project, intend, future, potential, or continue, the negative of these and other similar expressions are intended to identify such forward looking statements. Such statements, based as they are on the current expectations of management, inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond the Companys control. Consequently, actual future results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in such statements. Specific risks which could cause actual results to differ materially from the Companys current expectations include: scientific, regulatory and technical developments; failure to demonstrate safety, tolerability and efficacy; final and quality controlled verification of data and the related analyses; expense and uncertainty of obtaining regulatory approval, including from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; and the Companys reliance on third parties, including licensors and clinical research organizations. Do not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements included herein, which speak only as of the date hereof and which the Company is under no obligation to update or revise as a result of any event, circumstances or otherwise, unless required by applicable law.

Contact:IN8bio, Inc.Kate Rochlin, Ph.D.+1 646.933.5605info@IN8bio.com

Investor Contact:Julia Balanova+ 1 646.378.2936jbalanova@soleburytrout.com

Media Contact:Ryo Imai / Robert Flamm, Ph.D.Burns McClellan, Inc.212-213-0006 ext. 315 / 364Rimai@burnsmc.com / rflamm@burnsmc.com

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IN8bio announces first-in-human Phase 1 trial Update from The University of Kansas Cancer Center using INB-100, IN8bios Gamma Delta T-cell product...

Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Segmentation By Qualitative And Quantitative Research Incorporating Impact Of Economic And Non-Economic Aspects By…

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Dataintelo publishes a detailed report on Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market providing a complete information on the current market situation and offering robust insights about the potential size, volume, and dynamics of the market during the forecast period, 2020-2026. This report offers an in-depth analysis that includes the latest information including the current COVID-19 impact on the market and future assessment of the impact on Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market. The report contains XX pages, which will assist clients to make informed decision about their business investment plans and strategies for the market. As per the report by Dataintelo, the global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market is projected to reach a value of USDXX by the end of 2026 and grow at a CAGR of XX% during the forecast period.

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The Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market report also covers an overview of the segments and sub-segmentations including the product types, applications, and regions. In the light of this harsh economic condition as prompted by the COVID-19 outbreak, the report studies the dynamics of the market, changing competition landscape, and the flow of the global supply and consumption.

The report exclusively deals with key areas such as market size, scope, and growth opportunities of the Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market by analyzing the market trend and data available for the period from 2020-2026. Keeping 2019 as the base year for the research study, the report explains the key drivers as well as restraining factors, which are likely to have major impact on the development and expansion of the market during the forecast period.

The report, published by Dataintelo, is the most reliable information as the study relies on a concrete research methodology focusing on both primary as well as secondary sources. The report is prepared by relying on primary source including interviews of the company executives & representatives and accessing official documents, websites, and press release of the private and public companies.

The report, prepared by Dataintelo, is widely known for its accuracy and factual figures as it consists of a concise graphical representations, tables, and figures which displays a clear picture of the developments of the products and its market performance over the last few years. It uses statistical surveying for SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, predictive analysis, and real-time analytics.

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Furthermore, the scope of the growth potential, revenue growth, product range, and pricing factors related to the Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market are thoroughly assessed in the report in a view to entail a broader picture of the market. The report also covers the recent agreements including merger & acquisition, partnership or joint venture and latest developments of the manufacturers to sustain in the global competition of the Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market.

Competition Landscape:

The report covers global aspect of the market, covering

Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market by Types:

Autologous Stem Cell TransplantsAllogeneic Stem Cell TransplantsSyngeneic Stem Cell TransplantsOther

Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market by Applications:

HospitalClinicMedical Research InstitutionOther

Key Players for Global Cancer Stem Cell Therapy market:

AVIVA BioSciencesAdnaGenAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsSilicon Biosystems

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Cancer Stem Cell Therapy Market Segmentation By Qualitative And Quantitative Research Incorporating Impact Of Economic And Non-Economic Aspects By...

CAR T-Cell Therapy Shows Promising Early Results in Children With Neuroblastoma – Technology Networks

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A novel CAR T-cell therapy developed by researchers at UCL and designed to target cancerous tumours, has shown promising early results in children with neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer.

For this proof-of-principle study, researchers at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health (GOS ICH) and the UCL Cancer Institute modified the patient's own T-cells (a type of immune cell), equipping them to recognise and kill neuroblastoma tumour cells.

Twelve children with relapsed or refractory (where the disease does not respond to treatment) neuroblastoma were treated as part of the Cancer Research UK-funded phase I clinical trial.

The research, published in Science Translational Medicine, is one of the first studies to demonstrate CAR T-cells achieving rapid regression against a solid cancer (non-blood cancer). Although the beneficial effects only lasted a short while, the study provides important evidence that this specific CAR T-cell treatment could be used as a future treatment for children with solid cancers.

Neuroblastoma is a rare type of cancer that mostly affects babies and young children and develops from specialised nerve cells (neuroblasts) left behind from a baby's development in the womb.

Up to 100 children in the UK are diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year. Current treatment for children with an aggressive type of neuroblastoma includes surgical removal, chemotherapy with stem-cell transplant, radiotherapy and antibody therapy. Despite this intensive treatment long-term survival is between 50-60 per cent.

In CAR T-cell therapy, a type of immunotherapy, T-cells are engineered to contain a molecule called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) on their surface which can specifically recognise cancerous cells.

For this study the patients' own T-cells were modified with a CAR to target the GD2 surface protein, which is highly abundant on almost all neuroblastoma cells, but found at very low levels in healthy cells.

Researchers found that when using a sufficient dose* of the modified CAR T-cells, this treatment induced rapid reduction in tumour size in some of the patients treated. These effects were transient. Importantly, in all patients the CAR T-cells did not cause any harmful side effects in healthy tissues that express the GD2 molecule.

Lead author, Dr Karin Straathof, Research group leader at UCL GOS ICH and Consultant Paediatric Oncologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust said: "It's encouraging to see the anti-tumour activity induced by these modified T-cells in some of the patients on this study.

"While the anti-tumour activity seen was only transient, it provides an important proof-of-principle that CAR T-cells directed at the GD2 molecule could be used against solid cancers in children.

"New treatments are needed for high-risk neuroblastoma and with more research we hope to develop this further into a treatment that results in lasting responses and increases the number of patients that can be cured."

Senior author, Dr Martin Pule (UCL Cancer Institute) said: "Targeting of solid cancers by CAR T-cells is dependent on their infiltration and expansion within the tumour microenvironment, and thus far fewer clinical responses have been reported.

"The rapid regression in neuroblastoma cells is promising, particularly as this activity was observed in the absence of neurotoxicity which occurs with antibody-based approaches that target GD2."

Dr Pule added: "Targeting neuroblastoma with GD2 CAR T-cells appears to be a valid and safe strategy but requires further modification to promote CAR T-cell longevity."

Dr Sue Brook, medical advisor at Cancer Research UK, said: "Children who have hard to treat cancers like neuroblastoma have limited treatment options open to them, especially when the cancer returns.

"The early results for the GD2 CAR-T treatment look promising, especially due to the initial safety data. However more work is needed on making the response last longer, and we are looking forward to seeing the next steps in its development."

The research team are preparing for their next clinical study in collaboration with Autolus, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation, programmed T-cell therapies for the treatment of cancer. This study will evaluate AUTO6NG, which builds on this approach utilising the same GD2 CAR alongside additional programming modules designed to enhance efficacy and persistence.

Reference:Straathof K, Flutter B, Wallace R, et al. Antitumor activity without on-target off-tumor toxicity of GD2chimeric antigen receptor T cells in patients with neuroblastoma.Sci. Transl. Med.2020;12(571). doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.abd6169This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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CAR T-Cell Therapy Shows Promising Early Results in Children With Neuroblastoma - Technology Networks

Justice Barretts Vote Could Tilt the Supreme Court on Gun Rights – The New York Times

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WASHINGTON Justice Amy Coney Barrett is just starting to make her mark at the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, her vote flipped the courts approach to restrictions on attendance at religious services during the coronavirus pandemic. While Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was alive, the court had allowed such limits, in California and Nevada, by 5 to 4 votes. After Justice Barrett succeeded her, she joined the courts four most conservative justices to strike down restrictions in New York.

Those same four justices are now on high alert for a promising case in which to expand Second Amendment rights, having written repeatedly and emphatically about the courts failure to take gun rights seriously. Justice Barrett seems poised to supply the fifth vote they need.

A Second Amendment case decided last week by the federal appeals court in Philadelphia is a promising candidate for Supreme Court review, not least because it presents an issue on which Justice Barrett has already taken a stand.

It concerns Lisa M. Folajtar, who would like to buy a gun. But she is a felon, having pleaded guilty to tax evasion, which means under federal law she may not possess firearms.

She sued, arguing that the law violated her Second Amendment rights. A divided three-judge panel of appeals court rejected her challenge, saying that committing a serious crime has consequences. It can lead to losing the right to vote, to serve on a jury or to have a gun.

The ruling adopted the position of the Trump Justice Department. The right to keep and bear arms is analogous to other civic rights that have historically been subject to forfeiture by individuals convicted of crimes, including the right to vote, the right to serve on a jury and the right to hold public office, lawyers for Attorney General William P. Barr told the appeals court.

In dissent, Judge Stephanos Bibas, a former law professor appointed to the court by President Trump (and the author of a scathing decision on Friday rejecting the presidents challenge to the election results in Pennsylvania), wrote that the framers of the Constitution would not have allowed lawmakers to bar felons convicted of nonviolent crimes from owning guns.

Lisa Folajtar asks us to treat her as an equal member of society, he wrote. Though her tax-fraud conviction affects some of her privileges, it does not change her right to keep and bear arms.

Judge Bibas wrote that his analysis had drawn heavily from a dissent last year in a similar case concerning a man convicted of mail fraud.

That dissent was written by Justice Barrett when she was a judge on the federal appeals court in Chicago. The law forbidding people with felony convictions from owning guns, she wrote, should not apply when the crimes in question were nonviolent.

History does not support the proposition that felons lose their Second Amendment rights solely because of their status as felons, she wrote. But it does support the proposition that the state can take the right to bear arms away from a category of people that it deems dangerous.

Voting and jury service are different, she wrote, because those are rights that depend on civic virtue.

The Supreme Court has not issued a major Second Amendment decision since a pair of rulings, in 2008 and 2010, established an individual right for law-abiding citizens to keep guns in their homes for self-defense. Beyond that, the justices have said almost nothing about the scope of the right, and lower courts have sustained many kinds of gun control laws.

Before Justice Barretts arrival, the courts four most conservative justices had repeatedly written that the court should return to the subject of the Second Amendment

In 2017, for instance, Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, wrote that they had detected a distressing trend: the treatment of the Second Amendment as a disfavored right.

For those of us who work in marbled halls, guarded constantly by a vigilant and dedicated police force, the guarantees of the Second Amendment might seem antiquated and superfluous, Justice Thomas wrote. But the framers made a clear choice: They reserved to all Americans the right to bear arms for self-defense.

In June, however, the court turned down some 10 appeals in Second Amendment cases. Since it takes only four votes to grant review, there is good reason to think that the courts conservative wing was unsure it could secure Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.s vote.

Justice Barretts arrival changes the calculus. Should Ms. Folajtar appeal to the Supreme Court, it is a good bet that Justice Barrett will find her arguments persuasive.

Still, the 2008 decision, District of Columbia v. Heller, would seem to create a hurdle for Ms. Folajtar. The majority opinion, written by Justice Antonin Scalia, included an important limiting passage, the price of Justice Anthony M. Kennedys crucial fifth vote.

Nothing in our opinion, Justice Scalia wrote, should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons.

Last year, the court agreed to hear a challenge to a New York City gun-control ordinance. But it ended up dismissing the case in April, after the city repealed the ordinance.

Dissenting from that ruling, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. noted that the Heller decision recognized that history supported the constitutionality of some laws limiting the right to possess a firearm, including ones prohibiting possession by felons and other dangerous individuals.

That last phrase, which did not appear in the earlier decision, may be significant. In shifting the focus to dangerousness, it seemed to open the door to the position taken by Justice Barrett.

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Justice Barretts Vote Could Tilt the Supreme Court on Gun Rights - The New York Times

Defending the 2nd Amendment | The Herald-News – The Herald-News

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Manuel Ramirez asks, How can a person travel from one state into another with a fully loaded assault rifle claim he was defending himself?

Ive a question or two for you, too, Manuel: How can you call an AR-15 an assault rifle when it is not one? Or do looks mean more to you than facts?

You say that the Second Amendment doesnt say anything about shooting your gun in the air or shooting your neighbor. Are you sure you want to go there? Nowhere in the Constitution does it even hint at abortion or homosexuality being protected.

You suggest that The government should raise the age limit to those individuals who insist on owning a weapon to, say, 35 years old. Interesting comment, when one realizes that those who argued the Constitution, and then wrote it and the Amendments, including the Second, had other opinions.

Richard Henry Lee, for instance: A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves and include all men capable of bearing arms. Back then, men would have included those equal in age to Kyle Rittenhouse.

How about Tench Coxe? Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? He also said this: Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American.

I could go on all day with examples, but Id rather point out what you didnt: the police, whose job is to do precisely what Kyle was attempting to do (and more), were ordered to stand down by those in authority, which allowed free reign to rioters/looters/arsonists hiding behind our First Amendment right to peacefully protest. Had that not happened, both in Kenosha and other cities around the country, we would never have even heard of Kyle.

John Babush

Big Rock

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Defending the 2nd Amendment | The Herald-News - The Herald-News

Should you be allowed to carry a handgun in New Jersey? (Opinion) – New Jersey 101.5 FM Radio

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Should we be allowed to carry a handgun in New Jersey? The NRA is suing to find out. The lawsuit brought on by the National Rifle Associations' institute for legislative action has partnered with The Association of New Jersey's rifle and pistol clubs tochallenge New Jersey's restrictive concealed carry laws.

According to the article;

"New Jerseys may-issue statute also requires that people justify their need to carry. And even though the Supreme Court said that self-defense is 'the central component' of the Second Amendment, the desire to defend yourself is insufficient justification under New Jersey law. This makes it all but impossible for law-abiding gun owners to receive a permit, which is required to lawfully carry a handgun in New Jersey."

Times are changing. Violent crime is up in New Jersey, Trenton has beaten its own record for homicides. We see peaceful protests turn violent across the country. We hear of cities and states wanting to defund the police. New Jersey Democrats say they would never do that, but people say a lot of things they would never do, that is until they were done.

What would be so wrong with people being able to carry a gun in New Jersey? Right now, only the bad guys and very few people who clear a lot of obstacles can do it. As for the responsible gun owners, they need a really good reason, and protecting your loved ones and property simply doesn't qualify.

Now I'm not saying that everyone in New Jersey should carry a gun. What I am saying is that responsible gun owners should have the option. That's assuming the irresponsible gun owners who don't obey the law already have one if they so choose.

Would you feel safer in a bank if you saw people carrying guns if someone were to pull a gun and try to rob it? Changes are most of said people are trained in gun use. Perhaps if a possible robber saw those same people the robbery would be averted. The same could be said for any type of shootings.

If people were allowed to carry handguns in New Jersey you might see more people taking an interest in learning how to use them. Education as we all know is the best weapon.

Once upon a time we never would have thought of the idea of being able to carry a handgun in New Jersey. then again, once upon a time we never would have thought about the idea of legalized marijuana, but here we are.

Would I carry a gun if it were legal? Probably not, but it would be nice to know that I have that option to protect my family. Would you?

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise. Any opinions expressed are Steve's own.Steve Trevelise is on New Jersey 101.5 Monday-Thursday from 7pm-11pm. Follow him on Twitter@realstevetrev.

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Should you be allowed to carry a handgun in New Jersey? (Opinion) - New Jersey 101.5 FM Radio

The Court, Coronavirus and the Constitution – The Wall Street Journal

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Dec. 2, 2020 4:33 pm ET

Regarding your editorial Fireworks Over Religious Liberty (Nov. 27): The governor of New York and mayor of New York City continue to engage in a pattern of promulgating unconstitutional orders, then withdrawing them when the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case. It worked for Mayor Bill de Blasio on gun control in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. City of New York but not for Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo. So much for that legal gamesmanship with vital constitutional issues.

Unfortunately for Gov. Cuomo in the diocese case, the makeup of the Supreme Court changed and he now has to dine on the proverbial crow despite his dismissive attitude about the courts decision. Attempting to render the central issue in the case moot by withdrawing the offensive action will no longer be tolerated when a strong constitutional insult is involved. From the main unsigned opinion to the concurring opinions, the majority has made clear it will no longer tolerate the offensive attempt to dodge the crucial constitutional issue. The temporary injunction handed down by the Supreme Court was very important and clips Gov. Cuomos ability to promulgate offensive orders unreasonably restrictive of religious rights. All states take notice. Also, Justice Brett Kavanaugh has recently given notice that the Second Amendment issues may soon be revisited.

Christopher R. Wood

Chester, N.J.

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The Court, Coronavirus and the Constitution - The Wall Street Journal

A More Extreme Gun Rights Movement Is Emerging in the NRA’s Wake – Mother Jones

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On a frigid Martin Luther King Jr. Day earlier this year, Philip Van Cleave brought out the big guns to Richmond. As he stood on the steps of the Virginia State Capitol, Van Cleavea 68-year-old balding and mustachioed software programmerdelivered a stern warning to the Democrats who had recently gained control of the state government: Were here today to remind Governor [Ralph] Northam and the general assembly that the last election was not a referendum on gun control. In front of him, an ocean of pro-gun protesters whooped in solidarity. Nearly all were armed, many gripping AR-15-style rifles or other assault weapons. A good number were decked out in paramilitary outfits and tactical gear. Confederate and Gadsden flags waved high and wide.

It was a scene that once would have been credited to the National Rifle Associationthe nations oldest gun rights group, which, over the past several decades, has inflamed and radicalized a broad coalition of conservative gun owners through alarmist messaging, especially during the Obama administration, and cemented itself as a formidable political force. But the NRA has since dwindled in power, and the rally was the work of Van Cleaves Virginia Citizens Defense League, a no-compromise, far-right gun rights group that he once boasted was proud to have been labeled an extremist organization.

Over the past 19 years, VCDLs Lobby Day protests in Richmondan annual event on MLK Day when special interest groups, predominantly ones with conservative ties, advocate to the General Assemblywere relatively mild affairs, with about 600 to 800 attendees. But this year it attracted more than 20,000, and the days leading up to the protest put the state on edge. The FBI arrested members of the neo-Nazi group the Base, who had allegedly stockpiled firearms and ammunition, discussed plans to recruit members at the rally to help kickstart a race war, and talked about committing acts of violence against people of color. Northam declared a state of emergency to ban weapons on the grounds of the state capitol building, but the crowd was so large that most armed attendees couldnt even fit in the area, instead spilling into the side streets of downtown Richmond. Alex Jones, the notorious conspiracy theorist and Infowars founder, drove around the streets in an armored vehicle screaming through a bullhorn, If they try to take our firearms, 1776 will commence again!

The rally was a bellwether: the sudden downfall of the nations most powerful gun group and the rise of more radical pro-gun organizations and militias seeking to take its place. Since 2016, the NRA has seen a steady decline in its ranks. Meanwhile, theres been a boon in membership for more extreme groups like the VCDL and the Second Amendment Foundation, which recently filed a number of lawsuits challenging state gun control laws, and the National Association for Gun Rights, which paints itself as a more conservative alternative to the NRA.

Theres no doubt a void to be filled by the NRA, but its unclear what groups will dominate. Weve got 100 million gun owners in this country, says Joshua Powell, the NRA directors former chief of staff. Whether its the NRA or some other group, somebodys going to have to fill those shoes. Powell was fired from the NRA last year amid allegations of sexual harassment, and hes since published a memoir detailing the behind-the-scenes corruption within the organization. It is important to have an institution that represents Second Amendment supporters, gun owners, Powell adds. This is part and parcel to the fabric of our country. The Second Amendment is not going anywhere. Van Cleave is also confident that there will be a group, or a splintered coalition of smaller groups, to step into the NRAs shoes. Theres not going to be a void there, he says. Somebodys going to fill that.

The NRAs downward spiral started with its greatest accomplishment: spending $54 million to help elect Donald Trump in 2016. But the first signs of financial trouble emerged the following year, which the NRA ended with a $1.1 million shortfall thanks to shrinking member revenue, probably because it no longer had Barack Obama as a liberal boogeyman to fundraise off of, as well as an increase in spending. The next year, 2018, saw an increase in revenue from membership dues, but the nonprofit again spent more money than it brought in, digging an even deeper hole of $10.8 million in the red, as its debts piled up.

The dam broke for the NRA in 2019 when, just before its annual meeting and convention in Indianapolis, the New Yorker and the Trace published a bombshell report detailing allegations of self-dealing among its top vendors, gratuitous spending, sweetheart deals, and other financial improprieties among the groups leadershipchiefly its executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre, who has led the organization since 1991. At the meeting, then-NRA President Oliver North unsuccessfully tried to oust LaPierre and demanded his resignation.

LaPierre survived the uprising, as a majority of the NRAs 76-member board backed him unanimously and North resigned. But the damage was done. An anonymous source leaked financial documents that exposed years of corruption, including a damning letter that North penned. In a court filing from later last year Norths lawyers said that LaPierre demonstrating his total dictatorial control over the NRAstopped all of Norths inquiries and prevented others at the NRA from looking into the concerns that North raised.

Days after Norths attempted coup against LaPierre, New York Attorney General Letitia James opened an investigation into the NRAs tax-exempt status.After spending a year investigating, in August her office filed a massive lawsuit against the NRA, accusing it of widespread corruption and seeking to dissolve the organization in its entirety. The NRAs influence has been so powerful that the organization went unchecked for decades while top executives funneled millions into their own pockets, James said in statement announcing the lawsuit. The NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse, which is whywe seek to dissolve the NRA, because no organization is above the law. The lawsuit has since been tied up in a number of challenges by the NRAs legal team. After years of denying allegations of financial misconduct, the NRA finally admitted in its most recent tax filing that the organization only recently became aware of a significant diversion of its assets between LaPierre and five former executives.

The NRA has always been notoriously cagey about its membership numbers, but its tax returns and other financial documents offer a glimpse into the dire situation. An audited financial statementshows that revenue from member dues dropped from $170 million in 2018 to $113 million last yeara 34 percent decline marking the lowest annual membership revenue figure that the NRA has posted since 2012, which is especially troubling considering that the cost of membership dues has sharply increased in that timeat least twice in the last four years alone. (The NRA did not respond for a request for clarification on membership numbers and the decline in revenue from member dues.) That drop in revenue, along with the millions of dollars it has tied up to fight the New York attorney generals lawsuit and other litigation, meant a far smaller war chest for the 2020 election. This time around, the NRA spent only $24 million on federal electionsless than half of what it did in 2016 and barely more than the combined $22.1 million spent by two of the nations largest gun reform organizations, Everytown for Gun Safety and Giffords. Meanwhile, the Gun Owners of America spent $900,000 in the 2020 election cycle, 14 times more than in 2016.

Thats a huge decrease in political spending, Adam Winkler, a constitutional law professor and gun policy expert at UCLAs School of Law, says of the NRAs involvement in the 2020 election. Especially at a time when the gun control side is becoming more active, more engaged, putting more money into elections, and doing better get-out-the-vote mobilization efforts than ever before. All the while, more and more NRA members became disappointed and disillusioned with the organization. Theyve certainly lost members over this, says Van Cleave, who claims that his groups membership more than quadrupled in the six weeks following its 2020 Lobby Day rally, growing from about 8,000 to more than 35,000. Many of the new members of his group, he says, had quit the NRA. I see a lot of disappointment, he adds. The way a lot of the money is being used. Thats the concern.

The Virginia Citizens Defense League came into existence in 1994, just as congressional Democrats pushed through a pair of gun safety billsincluding a decade-long ban on assault weaponsthat sparked the modern gun control debate. Paul Moog formed the group to fight gun safety legislation not on a national level, but locally in Virginia. Originally called the Northern Virginia Citizens Defense League, the groups first order of business was to pressure state lawmakers to change the states concealed carry laws from its may issue legal statusmeaning that the state may issue a concealed carry permit only to people who can prove they have a good reasonto shall issue, granting anyone eligible to own a firearm to also obtain a concealed carry permit.

Building on the early success, Moog soon dropped the Northern from VCDLs title and set his sights on ensuring that the whole state was as gun-friendly as it could possibly be. To do so, the group established a playbook of lobbying lawmakersmuch like the NRAcoupled with public protests meant to intimidate any push for tightening Virginias gun laws. In 1998, VCDL members protested a Northern Virginia churchs gift-for-guns program, which encouraged people to surrender their unwanted firearms in exchange for gift certificates to local businesses. In 2002, the group led a boycott against the Valley View Mall in Roanoke over its ban of firearms in the mall. And in 2004, after a slew of gun control bills failed to make it out of the states general assembly, the VCDL encourage firearm owners to turn up at restaurants and shopping centers with their sidearm strapped to their hip in celebrationin turn intimidating some clientele.

In 2001, Van Cleave became the groups president and, one year later, members staged their first Lobby Day protest. Under his leadership, the VCDL has expanded its national profile, showing an eagerness to go on national news programs to defend his extremist views on the Second Amendmentespecially in the wake of mass shootings. After the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, Van Cleave gleefully defended the semiautomatic military-style rifle used by the shooter, Adam Lanza, to the Washington Post. Guns are fun, and some of them are much more cool than others, he said. Its just like we have television sets that look cool, and others are much more boxy. He has also criticized the NRA for not going far enough in their comments calling for armed guards in schools. If you have got a permit, if youre carrying everywhere else you goa school is no different, Van Cleave told WWBT, Richmonds NBC affiliate.

But Van Cleaves most notable brush with public notoriety is also his most embarrassing. In 2018, he was duped by notorious prankster Sacha Baron Cohen for his Showtime series Who Is America? in a segment where he films a faux-PSA for a gun-training program for kids, KinderGuardians. Despite the embarrassment (which he attempted to distance himself from by claiming he knew he was being set up but went along in an attempt to protect other gun advocates from similar ploys), Van Cleave and the VCDL have managed to greatly broaden their coalition within Virginia, acting as both a blueprint for local grassroots gun rights groups in other states and as fodder for national ones seeking to capitalize on the NRAs decline.

Since the Lobby Day rally, a number of militias have formed throughout Virginia, something that Van Cleave says the VCDL wasnt involved in organizing but welcomes. But his group has been busy this year: the VCDL fought Northams actions to slow the spread of the coronavirus, including a successful legal effort in April to overturn part of the governors executive order that classified shooting ranges among the businesses forced to close as the state went into lockdown. The VCDL has also been heavily involved in the growing number of towns and municipalities in the state declaring themselves Second Amendment sanctuariesand vowing not to enforce any new gun control laws passed at the state and county level. Through VCDLs email alert system, which Van Cleave says has tens of thousands of subscribers, they are able to send an SOS to its members whenever gun control legislation is on the table anywhere in the state, mobilizing members to voice opposition to any such measures in public comment forums. We dont let these localities take our basic civil rights and do with them what they please, Van Cleave told a local Virginia newspaper in July. When it comes to guns, thats when the rules go out the windowwere not going to let them get away with it.

Several groups have already ramped up their operations over the past year, such as Gun Owners of America, a national group that former Texas Rep. Ron Paul once called the only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington. Van Cleave says the VCDL has been working quite a bit with Gun Owners of America on both state and national issues. I think whats going to happen is as the NRA ends up being pretty crippled for a while, there are other organizations that are going to step forward, he says. Theres not going to be a void there, somebodys going to fill that.

As the coronavirus sent much of the country into lockdown this spring, more new armed groups emerged in protest. Members of the Michigan Liberty Militia stormed the states capitol building in protest of the tyranny that Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was imposing with her strict stay-at-home orders. As unrest in the wake of George Floyds murder spread across the country, so too did armed militia groups, from Portland to Wisconsin, Texas, and Virginia, where authorities claim that the antigovernment extremist group known as the boogaloo boyswhose rise this year started at the Lobby Day rally in Richmondstoked violent confrontations between police and Black Lives Matter protesters. In mid-October, the FBI announced that members of an extremist militia group had plotted to kidnap Gov. Whitmer, as well as take over the states capitol building, where they would hold televised executions of public officials. The group also discussed taking Northam, Virginias Democratic governor, according to the FBI. But Van Cleave dismisses any connection between VCDLs Lobby Day protest and the rise of violence from extremist militia groups, calling it overblown lies from the media. Im very skeptical of a lot of that, he says.

Still, as groups vie to fill the NRAs void, extremist gun violence is increasing in ever more concerning ways. Two armed men from Virginia were arrested outside of the Philadelphia Convention Center on November 5 after police received a tip about plans to raid a truckload of fake ballots. One of the men, Joshua Macias, co-founded the group Vets for Trump and had attended VCDLs Lobby Day rally in January, according to a review of his Twitter account. In a video taken during the rally, Macias can be seen, with a bullhorn in hand, firing up a crowd of hundreds on a downtown Richmond side street: There are veterans out herewho made an oath to defend this constitution against foreign and domestic enemies!

In the aftermath of the election, as Trump refused to concede and peddled conspiracy theories about election fraud, thousands of his supportersincluding violent extremist groups like the Proud Boysmarched in DC to protest the results. Though DC law forbids carrying firearms in most public places, includingat public demonstrations, the Oath Keepers, an extremist militia group, posted a note on its website to supporters saying that our men will be standing by, awaiting the Presidents orders to call us up as the militia, which would override D.C.s ridiculous anti-gun laws. At least four people were arrested on gun charges at the rally.

Not all gun owners are flocking to these far-right groups. Other gun groups like the Socialist Rifle Association and the National African American Gun Association have also seen membership increase, though theirs is much smaller than their ultra-right counterparts. And in October, Giffords, the gun safety group co-founded by former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords (D), launched a new national firearms group for gun owners that it hopes can take the NRAs mantle while also pushing for gun control measures.

It would be convenient to link the rise of extremist gun groups this year to the NRAs downfall: At a time when gun control groups are more impactful than theyve ever beenspending millions of dollars to successfully boost political candidates running on a gun control platformtheir biggest foe is down and out, leaving gun owners across the country feeling powerless. But Winkler doesnt think the narrative tracks. He explains that the rise in militia activity and armed protesters this year seems to be the natural growth of something that started about 10 to 12 years ago with the tea party movement when guns became a symbol of protest. I dont think the vast majority of people who bring guns to a protest are planning on starting a firefight, he says. Theyre not planning on starting a war. Theyre doing it symbolically for protest. Still, Winkler worries that it can go awry, especially given the spate of right-wing violence from extremist militias at protests over the summer. Theyre suddenly shifting to self-defense, he says, the moment they see someone or something happening that they feel threatened by.

Van Cleave sees his groups Lobby Day protest and continued advocacy for gun rights not so much as a protest, but as a battle. Thats especially true in a Joe BidenKamala Harris administration, which Van Cleave says has basically declared war on the Second Amendment. His group was planning another massive Lobby Day protest next month, but that went awry when gun control groups got permits for the space where VCDL typically holds its event. In retaliation, VCDL sent a message to members with plans for a caravan rally similar to the Trump rallies that took place across the country before the election. VCDL is going to do thatbut on steroids! the email stated. Beyond Lobby Day, Van Cleave hints at other events and strategies to fight any gun control laws that the new administration may try to pass, whether through litigation or on the streets. Our job is to protect that [Second Amendment] right by whatever means is necessary.

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A More Extreme Gun Rights Movement Is Emerging in the NRA's Wake - Mother Jones

What Pro-Second Amendment Moves Are Possible With A Pro-Second Amendment Senate? – AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

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Take Action Time to Act

Georgia/United States -(AmmoLand.com)-Lately, we have noted what the stakes for the Georgia runoff elections include, both on the legislative front and in terms of secondary issues. Much of this has focused on various adverse actions or consequences of anti-Second Amendment extremism that they would be preventing. But there is also good stuff that a Senate controlled by Second Amendment supporters could do, even if Biden is president.

One of the duties of Congress is to carry out oversight of the various executive agencies. This is in conjunction with the power of the purse which the Constitution has invested in the legislative branch. Oversight, when properly wielded does more than just shine the light on malfeasance or the failure to act it can actually be one of those things that can shift the political landscape.

For instance, an oversight hearing for our favorite agency to hate, BATF, could spend a lot of time on the non-prosecution of crimes covered under 18 USC 922. Properly done, such a hearing, focusing, say on the violent crime in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and Baltimorecould reap huge benefits.

Lori Lightfoot has often liked to blame other states for Chicagos violent crime, often because they are far more respectful of our Second Amendment rights. She and other big city mayors even try playing the race card when they are called out. But the fact is, running the guns to Chicago from out of state for use in criminal acts is itself a federal felony, and can net serious jail time. Oversight hearings could be very useful in highlighting the cynical division Lightfoot and others are using.

Another option is to propose pro-Second Amendment legislation and to use the hearings to make the case to the American people. We have covered a number of pro-Second Amendment legislation in the past, including a privacy enhancement for gun owners from Senator Kelly Loeffler, legislation that would mark an effective resolution of the situation with AR pistols by Senator-elect Roger Marshall, and legislation that would restrict corporate gun control.

The fact is, by being able to hold hearings on legislation, elected officials can help make the case for these bills, but also again, highlight abuses as well. Its one thing for a gun control law to be passed by elected officials. We know gun control laws usually dont solve the problem, they punish innocent people for crimes and acts of madness they didnt commit, and those that might be effective are never enforced. But you can vote elected officials out. On the other hand, what recourse is there when big corporations like Bank of America deny services based on the support of the Second Amendment, or for companies who seek to help Americans exercise their rights?

The fact is, controlling the power of the purse also means that the Senate can, in some ways, affect policy. Want to encourage local governments to work with BATF to enforce certain gun laws? Some conditions on grants would be a way to do that. Want to keep financial regulations from being misused to target gun makers? A little rider in some of those massive appropriations bills can accomplish that.

Is it the best way to accomplish the goals? No, at best the funding controls are stopgaps. But stopgaps still buy time, time to elect pro-Second Amendment officials and to improve the situation down the road.

The fact is, a pro-Second Amendment Senate can still take positive steps to protect our rights, even if Joe Biden ends up in the Oval Office. To ensure that pro-Second Amendment Senators can to protect our rights in that unfortunate situation, Second Amendment supporters need to back Loeffler and Perdue, then also support the National Rifle Associations Political Victory Fund and their Institute for Legislative Action, in order to be ready for 2022 and 2024.

About Harold Hutchison

Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.

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What Pro-Second Amendment Moves Are Possible With A Pro-Second Amendment Senate? - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News