The Weekly Reload Podcast

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I cover the big races where the national gun groups are pouring their money into before polls close on election night. We also discuss an interesting new ruling upholding Washington DC’s magazine ban on unique grounds. We wrap up by covering Kamala Harris’ recent comments in a podcast appearance attempting to cast Donald Trump as a threat to the Second Amendment. Free Dispatch trial here: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utm_source=thereload&utm_medium=partnerships-podcast&utm_campaign=0924

This week, we're discussing the final fundraising numbers we're going to see from the gun groups ahead of the election. To do that, we've got Hot Air's Ed Morrissey back on the show. He said he isn't surprised to see the gun-control groups outraising the NRA and its allies. He argued it would probably take several more cycles for former NRA donors to be comfortable enough to give to the movement again. He was skeptical the money advantage will translate to a big electoral advantage at the end of the day, especially in the highest profile races. And he said gun-control ads leaning on abortion issues, while potentially understandable, is a sign the groups don't think gun control is a top priority. Although, he also said the ability of the gun-control groups to spend big in local and state races could have a significant impact. He also gave his view of the effectiveness of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump's gun messaging in 2024, which was different from the views outlined by our previous guests, David French and Tim Miller. While neither Ed nor I make endorsements of candidates, we did briefly discuss our differing views of the dangers of either candidate. Free Dispatch trial here: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utm_source=thereload&utm_medium=partnerships-podcast&utm_campaign=0924Special Guest: Ed Morrissey.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I cover a pair of resurfaced clips from Kamala Harris’ tenure as San Francisco DA that show her taking a more pragmatic view of the Second Amendment and school security policy. We also discuss how party control of the House of Representatives next year could come down to a race in Maine where an incumbent Democrat’s new support for an assault weapon ban could cost him his seat. We finish the show with a round-up of stories dealing with an investigation into gunmakers sharing gun owners’ private data with political operatives, a Democratic Senate candidate’s range day campaign event going awry, and how the Second Circuit has again ruled on New York’s concealed carry restrictions. Free Dispatch trial here: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utm_source=thereload&utm_medium=partnerships-podcast&utm_campaign=0924

This week, we unfortunately have to talk about a story that comes with a content warning. News of NRA CEO Doug Hamlin's involvement in the torture and killing of a cat during college resurfaced on Monday. Hamlin has denied "direct" involvement, but contemporaneous reporting indicates his role was more than ancillary. Cam Edwards of Bearing Arms joins the show to work out what this all means for the already-battered NRA. Cam said the story is gruesome and will make it difficult for Hamlin to effectively reform the organization as he's said he wants to. But he also argued it may not stick to the NRA for longer than Hamlin is around, especially given the lightning-quick nature of the modern news cycle. He also said the animal cruelty story may have had an impact on the group canceling its Georgia event with Donald Trump, but that might also be part of a broader trend of Trump canceling events. Still, he said the scandal is likely to hurt the NRA's efforts to rebound from its previous CEO's, as yet unsettled, corruption scandal. And it's becoming increasingly clear how much that's put them at a disadvantage against the gun-control groups when it comes to political spending. We also discuss Elon Musk's recent pro-gun turn and whether he could become a counter to Michael Bloomberg's funding of gun-control groups. Free Dispatch trial here: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utm_source=thereload&utm_medium=partnerships-podcast&utm_campaign=0924Special Guest: Cam Edwards.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I cover new polling that finds the Supreme Court's Bruen decision is more popular than ever. We also talk about the Court's recent move to grant, vacate, and remand a lower court decision that sided with pro-gun plaintiffs. We briefly touch on some recent ad spending blitzes from gun groups on both sides of the issue before wrapping up with a discussion of what either a Trump or Harris presidency might mean in practice for gun policy. Free Dispatch trial here: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utm_source=thereload&utm_medium=partnerships-podcast&utm_campaign=0924

This week, we're taking a closer look at Kamala Harris's recent gun messaging. That's why we have Tim Miller of The Bulwark on the show. He's a Republican strategist turned Never Trumper who wants Harris to win but isn't afraid to be honest about whether her campaign is going in a direction that makes sense. On her recent turn to talking about owning a handgun, he argued it's a "CYA" move designed to reassure moderate swing voters she won't take their guns. He argued Democrats are being too defensive on gun policy. Miller said he thinks Harris could benefit from pushing other gun restrictions that poll well, like those targeting adults under 21. But he said the campaign's priority now seems to be not pushing away moderate or center-right voters more than pursuing left-leaning ones. Miller said the Trump Campaign is making a similar calculation. Beyond saying Harris wants to take everyone's guns, Trump has been mostly quiet on guns. Miller said he's made the reasonable calculation that most gun voters are probably already backing him, and he's trying not to alienate voters who are less enthusiastic about guns. Ultimately, he said Harris isn't really trying to persuade committed gun voters with talk of her Glock; otherwise, she'd probably move more to the center on gun policy. Instead, she's just hoping to convince those on the fence that she's not as radical as Trump or her own policy record might suggest. Free Dispatch trial here: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utm_source=thereload&utm_medium=partnerships-podcast&utm_campaign=0924Special Guest: Tim Miller.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I recap how oral arguments over the ATF’s reclassification of unfinished firearms parts kits went this week before the Supreme Court. We also discuss the justices’ decision to take up the case over Mexico’s lawsuit against the American gun industry later this term. Then, we turn to the politics behind Kamala Harris’ decision to reveal that she owns a Glock handgun. Finally, we wrap up with a brief update on the grassroots movement to repeal Massachusetts’ new omnibus gun control law via the ballot and a discussion of The Reload’s reporting being cited in other national outlets. Free Dispatch trial here: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utm_source=thereload&utm_medium=partnerships-podcast&utm_campaign=0924

This week, we're looking at crime data and the unprecedented drop in the murder rate. That's why we have Jeff Asher from AH Datalytics back on the show. He has been following and reporting crime data for decades, and he explains how dramatic the downturn in murder is compared to the incredible spike we saw just a few years ago. He said 2023 saw a record drop in murder, and 2024 is on pace to see the same. Asher discussed how crime stats are calculated, addressed some of the critiques of them, and explained why he believes murder data is especially trustworthy this year. He also noted violent crime and property crime haven't followed murder. While they, too, have fallen in recent years, they also never saw the same kind of horrendous spike that murder did in 2020 and 2021.Special Guest: Jeff Asher.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I recap the Vice Presidential debate, where the candidates at the top of the ticket were asked substantive gun policy questions for the first time all season. We also unpack the latest monthly gun sale data showing a trend of rising sales heading into the election. We wrap up with a discussion on the Massachusetts Governor's executive action to undermine a grassroots gun-rights campaign as well as a new ACLU brief the group filed in support of a Second Amendment challenge. Free Dispatch trial here: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utm_source=thereload&utm_medium=partnerships-podcast&utm_campaign=0924

This week, we broke a major story about Kamala Harris's record backing a total handgun ban in San Francisco. As District Attorney in 2005, Harris supported Proposition H. It banned the sale, purchase, and even possession of pistols by nearly every city resident. The measure never went into effect, but only because gun-rights activists won the court fight over it before that could happen. Chuck Michel, President of the California Rifle and Pistol Association, was the lawyer who won that case. He joined the podcast to discuss both the fight over Proposition H and the numerous other fights over gun restrictions he had with Harris during her time in California. He argued her support for several strictest-in-the-nation gun measures is more reflective of how she would govern as president than her recent remarks on owning a handgun herself. Free Dispatch trial here: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utm_source=thereload&utm_medium=partnerships-podcast&utm_campaign=0924Special Guest: Chuck Michel.