Update From Rock River Arms On Illinois Firearms Manufacturer’s Association
BY Herschel Smith
7 years, 6 months ago
The initial reactions by Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms had convinced me that they didn’t grasp the gravity of the situation for their business. This is similar, and even more troubling because of the power of these manufacturers, to the situation with Jerry Tsai and Recoil magazine. Jerry lost his job over that.
Rock River Arms has an updated statement, released May 2, 2017, and it is shown below in full. I think this begins to show wisdom from RRA over the “abandonment” to which they refer.
For immediate release:
May 2, 2017
After further review, Rock River Arms, Inc.® (RRA) is immediately severing all ties with the Illinois Firearms Manufacturers Association (IFMA).
We feel that IFMA’s integrity is compromised and we will not be a part of the organization. We trusted that contributions and resources provided to IFMA by RRA were being used to promote and uphold our 2nd Amendment values. IFMA’s actions have destroyed that trust.
For more than twenty years, RRA has actively opposed gun control legislation at the local, state, and federal levels. We have supported and provided monetary and product donations to multiple pro-gun organizations including NRA, NSSF, ISRA and countless others. We have attended rallies and spoken at educational events on be half of gun owners’ rights. Our employees have collect ed signatures, written letters and e-mails, called legislators’ offices, as well as attended events, meetings and hearings in Springfield, Illinois.
What we learned, however, was that we are better at manufacturing firearms and accessories than playing political games at the state capitol. So, we began to utilize the services of lobbyists, first through other organizations and then in 2009, we partnered with several other manufacturers to form IFMA.
Prior to our further review, we believed that the organization had accurately represented us. We feel that IFMA’s actions have compromised its integrity. While their actions may be standard practices at the capitol, backdoor politics and convoluted deal-making are counter to the way we do business and lead our lives.
I sincerely apologize for my lack of direct engagement in IFMA’s governance and subsequent actions, as well as the abandonment gun owners are feeling.
If you have any questions regarding, or need more information about, this statement or RRA’s position, please contact:
Sarah Larson, RRA General Manager at 309-792-5780.
Thank you,
Chuck Larson
President/Owner
Rock River Arms
On May 2, 2017 at 11:49 pm, Josh said:
I find this response completely acceptable, and will give RRA the benefit of the doubt because there is no history of such politics from them. BTW, Chuck, if this makes it across your desk, stop over-tightening your castle nuts past milspec lbf·ft. Please and thank you.
Springfield Armory had better come correct.
On May 3, 2017 at 8:31 am, Fred said:
“What we learned, however, was that we are better at manufacturing firearms and accessories than playing political games at the state capitol.”
When I saw this sentence I got excited and thought that RRA ‘gets it’ but the context of this is past tense, IE; before they sought lobbyists. So RRA was bad a lobbying and decided to get into it? They learned this lesson but improperly applied to their business. Likely greed.
The lesson properly applied: Having learned that RRA is expert at something will it again try another thing? Maybe fruit snacks? Have they re-learned this lesson after this debacle, and now properly applied it to their business practices going forward? We shall see.
The statement also discusses ‘feelings’ twice. Where are the American men? This is not about feelings, this about facts, actual hard and tangible, provable conclusions. Your schoolgirl feelings are NOT relevant. If one bases their actions upon other’s feelings the entirety of society collapses.
Mr. Larson, You’re an idiot. Stop letting women write your press releases and stick to making guns, period.
On May 3, 2017 at 11:15 am, Lina Inverse said:
Fred: RRA needs to lobby in self-defense, there are way too many Chicago area politicians who want to put gun manufacturers out of business, or at least force them to move.
Of course, they then proceeded to do something so vile it will likely put them out of business without a move being able to change that, there are already plenty of good companies that aren’t antigunowner who make AR-15s and 1911s.
On May 3, 2017 at 11:33 am, Archer said:
@Fred – RE: So RRA was bad a lobbying and decided to get into it?
No. Read it again. RRA tried lobbying, and found that while they were good at making firearms, they weren’t so good at the political games. So they decided to get out of lobbying and instead contribute to an organization that would lobby on their behalf. Hence, IFMA.
However, now IFMA has apparently stabbed them in the back.
Also, “feel” in this context is a substitute for “believe” (as in, conclude based on facts). But constantly saying “we believe” becomes repetitive and the professional tone suffers.
And comments like your last two paragraphs are exactly why the anti-freedom people think we’re the misogynistic ones. Please stop making their argument for them.
On May 3, 2017 at 12:48 pm, SDH said:
Springfield Armory CEO Dennis Reese Statement regarding IFMA and Gun Dealer Licensing Act (SB1657):
The Executive Director of the Illinois Firearm Manufacturers Association (IFMA) acted without our prior knowledge and against our principles and those of the industry as a whole with respect to the Gun Dealer Licensing Act. We no longer have confidence in IFMA and after speaking to other directors we have made the decision to sever all ties with the organization, effective immediately.
I take full responsibility for my failure of oversight in this case and deeply apologize to my employees, customers and industry partners for the distraction and divisiveness this situation has caused within our tight-knit community. Our industry has always stood strong and fought fiercely together in the past and I am personally committed to defeating this harmful legislation. To that end, I have pledged to the NRA that we will bring the full resources of my company to bear in this fight.
We are not new to this battle, Springfield Armory has fought and defeated legislation like this in Illinois for decades. We are wholeheartedly against this bill and will fight shoulder-to-shoulder with the NRA, National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Illinois State Rifle Association and others to see it defeated as the unnecessary and harmful overreach that it is.
We want to assure all Americans, like us, who fight to protect the Second Amendment that we and our industry partners will leave no stone unturned to defeat this bill.
On May 3, 2017 at 12:58 pm, Col. Douglas Mortimer said:
“Dear Sheeple, please forgive us. We are sorry we got caught and it won’t happen again.”
Maybe I’m not all that forgiving, but this is the house SA and RRA built. It still doesn’t explain the supposed campaign contributions to anti-gun politicians.
On May 3, 2017 at 2:47 pm, Fred said:
Archer, Your using semantics with me. They sucked at lobbying so instead of sticking to firearms manufacturing they kept lobbying (through another firm) and STILL sucked at it as evidenced by the current situation. The Jews did not get away with outsources the crucifixion of Christ. And NO, feelings are NOT facts, they are emotions. And even if a fact set leads one to have emotions it’s no reason to sound like a pussy AFTER he analyzed the situation and made his statement. I hope that you don’t take my comments personally, we do get along well and I like you.
And I do apologize for sounding misogynistic. Let me try again.
Mr. Larson, You’re an idiot. you come across as though you are schoolgirl. Stop letting programmatic SJW brainwashing make you sound like a pussy in your press releases and stick to making guns, period.
P.S. MOVE NOW, RIGHT NOW, WHILE YOU STILL CAN. STOP BEING AN IDIOT.
On May 4, 2017 at 7:22 am, Matt(TX) said:
The IMFA consisted of five people, Two from RRA, two from SA and a lobbyist. They knew what was going on, they just got caught.
On May 4, 2017 at 12:01 pm, Archer said:
@Fred: Nothing personal, and no offense taken. :)
RE: Lobbying – This is in Illinois, one of the most gun-UNfriendly states in the Union. If SA and RRA hadn’t taken any steps to get involved in the state’s politics, they’d have been steamrolled a LONG time ago. Yes, they really should leave the state, but that’s a HUGE undertaking; it’s not as simple as it sounds.
In the meantime, since they suck at lobbying, I can’t fault them for hiring someone who IS good at it to lobby on their behalf. In my mind it’s no different than hiring a qualified attorney to represent you in court, regardless of how well you think you know the law.
As to SA and RRA directly… I’m willing to give them the benefit of doubt, for now. I’ve been stabbed in the back and thrown under the bus by groups that were supposed to represent my interests (try being a fiscal and social conservative in a labor union) as well. It sucks.
I generally like the stuff that SA and RRA produce (though I’m not thrilled about the SAINT rifle; SA should stick to their XDs and 1911s) and I don’t want to see them closed down by bad politics, but if it does turn out they knew and sanctioned IFMA’s actions….
Well, let’s just agree that nothing will save them if that’s the case. We gun owners don’t forget s#!t like that. :)
On May 6, 2017 at 12:58 pm, Ned said:
Wouldn’t surprise me if the “didn’t know” was true – but averting one’s eyes to avoid learning the truth in this political climate is BS.
However, I truly wonder how many of the people now bitching at various gun friendly websites about RRA & SA don’t do crap for gun rights, other than maybe being an NRA member – if that.
Here in AZ, the Arizona Citizens Defense League has only around 2000 members, and yet, AZCDL and its handful of members are responsible for most of the pro-rights laws passed the last few years in AZ. http://www.azcdl.org/html/accomplishments.html
So few do the heavy lifting. Sorry folks, but “activism” like not buying a RRA product is just keyboard commando posing horsecrap.
I see posts often on various websites from state-run gun rights organizations asking for help. How many of the “activists” who now won’t buy that new SA gun can’t even be bothered to follow a link and send the pre-prepared letters for their own state – much less join?
How many Illinois gun owners didn’t do squat about this issue, and are now bitching because some scumbag lobbyist also took “no position?”