A squabble between the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and Maine Gov. Janet Mills is growing increasingly strange.
The battle stems from a video in which Gov. Mills told a liberal reporter that she was considering a ban on popular semi-automatic rifles as a response to last October’s mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, which killed 18 innocent people. FPC, a pro-freedom organization specializing in fighting unjust, unconstitutional laws in the courtroom, responded to the video.
Anybody who has followed FPC closely over the past few years likely knows what the organization’s response to the video was.
“Hey @GovJanetMills, Three words: F*ck you. No,” FPC tweeted concerning the video.
Apparently, someone within the Mills administration didn’t appreciate FPC’s sentiment on the topic and decided to make waves. Mills’ press secretary forwarded a link to the offending X post, noting that the post was “making the rounds.” Another staffer immediately forwarded the post to the Maine State Police employee responsible for protecting the governor, as if it were somehow threatening Mills.
If Mills and her henchmen thought such an intimidation tactic would be enough to shut FPC up, they don’t know the organization well, or its dedication to all freedoms—not just the Second Amendment. On Thursday, FPC President Brandon Combs sent a letter to Gov. Mills and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows clarifying the situation.
“FPC is a human rights advocacy organization working to create a free world,” Combs wrote. “We understand from a recent news report that State personnel forwarded our online communications to your State Police. Our approach may leave little to wonder. But please know that we take First Amendment-protected rights just as seriously as we do others.”
Combs also explained to Mills and Bellows the not-so-hard-to-understand principle of free speech as protected by the First Amendment.
“You must surely be aware that our X post responding to Governor Mills’ discussion of an immoral ban on protected arms is clearly protected speech as there is absolutely no uncertainty about the law regarding this form of speech,” Combs wrote. “If not, some education is in order. Naked authoritarianism, such as efforts to chill free speech, is not acceptable to FPC and our members. We strongly encourage you to learn more about protected speech and arms.”
In the end, the dust-up between Mills’ staffers and FPC made the governor look worse and FPC look better. I’d call that a win-win for an organization that speaks pointedly with the full understanding that what it says is protected by the U.S. Constitution.
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