Monkeyleg
Member.
"Executive Director" has absolutely lost all his marbles. He's targetting one of the most pro-gun legislators we have, and the most vocal advocate for concealed carry. This is nuts.
********************
GUN GROUP TARGETS ZIEN AS TOO LIBERAL ON FIREARM ISSUES
Dave Zien is used to being called lots of things by opponents for his position on concealed weapons. “Nut” and zealot” are just some of the favorites. But “liberal” and “98 to 99 percent anti-gun” are new ones.
Wisconsin Gun Owners Inc. has notified the state Elections Board that it plans to do independent expenditures opposing Zien, R-Eau Claire, in his re-election bid for the 23rd Senate District. The group’s executive director, Corey Graff, said Zien and Dem Gov. Jim Doyle are its top targets, though the Republican lawmaker may become the focus of its effort this fall. He said grassroots gun activists are well aware of Doyle’s “anti-gun” views, but it may take more work to educate them about Zien.
“It’s much more difficult to organize the grassroots against the devil dressed in white, which is what Dave Zien is right now,” Graff said.
Zien is expected to breeze through his primary challenge Tuesday from Karen Anderson. Dems have targeted him – yet again – in the general election, this time with former TV anchor Pat Kreitlow.
He also isn’t likely to hurt for support from gun owners; the National Rifle Association is backing his candidacy.
But Graff complains about what he says was Zien's willingness to “cave to the anti-gunners” as he helped craft legislation during the past session to end Wisconsin’s ban on concealed weapons for those who undergo training and obtain a permit. Zien and state Rep. Scott Gunderson, R-Waterford, accepted a series of amendments to the bill – sometimes reluctantly – as they tried to build a veto-proof majority, knowing that Doyle would reject the legislation has he had before.
At one point in the debate, Zien had expressed dissatisfaction with the amended bill and hinted he might vote against it if the changes watered it down too much. But he still supported it in the Senate and voted to override Doyle’s veto.
“He’s been selling us out left and right on concealed carry,” Graff said. “We’re extremely dissatisfied with Zien and perhaps the people in District 23 need to hear about the games he’s been playing with their freedom.”
Founded in 2003, Graff said WGO has created a PAC and is trying to up its fundraising so it can have some kind of public presence in Zien’s re-election campaign. But he wouldn’t say what that strategy is, and the group hadn’t filed a report with the state Elections Board as of Thursday. According to the Internal Revenue Service Web site, the PAC was established June 20 of this year.
Darren LaSorte, the NRA’s lobbyist for Wisconsin, dismisses WGO as politically unrealistic and notes its Web site refers to the National Rifle Association as a gun control group.
He said the NRA is strongly backing Zien in his re-election bid and did a grassroots seminar with more than 100 people to teach them how to distribute literature, make calls and “do just about anything he needs to get elected.” The group hopes it doesn’t need to run any ads in the district to help Zien but will if needed, LaSorte said.
“We’re doing just about everything we can to make sure he comes back and has another round of efforts on the Personal Protection Act,” LaSorte said.
********************
GUN GROUP TARGETS ZIEN AS TOO LIBERAL ON FIREARM ISSUES
Dave Zien is used to being called lots of things by opponents for his position on concealed weapons. “Nut” and zealot” are just some of the favorites. But “liberal” and “98 to 99 percent anti-gun” are new ones.
Wisconsin Gun Owners Inc. has notified the state Elections Board that it plans to do independent expenditures opposing Zien, R-Eau Claire, in his re-election bid for the 23rd Senate District. The group’s executive director, Corey Graff, said Zien and Dem Gov. Jim Doyle are its top targets, though the Republican lawmaker may become the focus of its effort this fall. He said grassroots gun activists are well aware of Doyle’s “anti-gun” views, but it may take more work to educate them about Zien.
“It’s much more difficult to organize the grassroots against the devil dressed in white, which is what Dave Zien is right now,” Graff said.
Zien is expected to breeze through his primary challenge Tuesday from Karen Anderson. Dems have targeted him – yet again – in the general election, this time with former TV anchor Pat Kreitlow.
He also isn’t likely to hurt for support from gun owners; the National Rifle Association is backing his candidacy.
But Graff complains about what he says was Zien's willingness to “cave to the anti-gunners” as he helped craft legislation during the past session to end Wisconsin’s ban on concealed weapons for those who undergo training and obtain a permit. Zien and state Rep. Scott Gunderson, R-Waterford, accepted a series of amendments to the bill – sometimes reluctantly – as they tried to build a veto-proof majority, knowing that Doyle would reject the legislation has he had before.
At one point in the debate, Zien had expressed dissatisfaction with the amended bill and hinted he might vote against it if the changes watered it down too much. But he still supported it in the Senate and voted to override Doyle’s veto.
“He’s been selling us out left and right on concealed carry,” Graff said. “We’re extremely dissatisfied with Zien and perhaps the people in District 23 need to hear about the games he’s been playing with their freedom.”
Founded in 2003, Graff said WGO has created a PAC and is trying to up its fundraising so it can have some kind of public presence in Zien’s re-election campaign. But he wouldn’t say what that strategy is, and the group hadn’t filed a report with the state Elections Board as of Thursday. According to the Internal Revenue Service Web site, the PAC was established June 20 of this year.
Darren LaSorte, the NRA’s lobbyist for Wisconsin, dismisses WGO as politically unrealistic and notes its Web site refers to the National Rifle Association as a gun control group.
He said the NRA is strongly backing Zien in his re-election bid and did a grassroots seminar with more than 100 people to teach them how to distribute literature, make calls and “do just about anything he needs to get elected.” The group hopes it doesn’t need to run any ads in the district to help Zien but will if needed, LaSorte said.
“We’re doing just about everything we can to make sure he comes back and has another round of efforts on the Personal Protection Act,” LaSorte said.
