The Weekly Reload Podcast

Ryan Busse joins the show this week to talk about his transformation from Kimber sales executive to Giffords senior advisor.

Busse spent decades in the firearms industry but left last year and has now published a tell-all book slamming his former employer, Kimber, and many former colleagues. Kimber has since denounced him, and many I've spoken to in the gun-rights movement have questioned how important he was to the company and the industry as a whole. Still, his book has received a great deal of attention throughout the media.

After reading the entire book, I feel it has many flaws common to the tell-all genre. It decries the excesses of the gun industry while extolling Busse's rise inside of it. Additionally, the book condemns how some in the gun-rights movement demonize those on the other side, but it often does the same thing in the other direction.

To his credit, Busse was willing to come on the show knowing he would face difficult questions. He responded to each of my critiques with his thoughts. And, he challenged me on several points as well.

I strongly believe in having conversations with those from all sides who are willing to have them. And Busse's critiques aren't all without merit.

I did my best to avoid a cable-news-style shouting match. Instead, I think we did a good job of not talking over one another. I much prefer having an exchange of ideas where each person can actually present their thoughts in their own words rather than being interrupted.

Of course, even an hour isn't nearly enough time to discuss everything in Busse's book. I know there were points where I wish I'd made one point or another. I'm sure Busse feels the same way too.

But, I think the conversation was worthwhile, and people ought to read the book so they can judge for themselves.

Plus, Jake Fogleman and I discuss how Democrats have begun to endorse the model set by the Texas abortion law. Except, they want to apply it to gun-control laws. We talk about how that could end up.

Special Guest: Ryan Busse.

On this episode, I talk to Northern Illinois University College of Law professor Evan Bernick about the unprecedented charges against the parents of the 15-year-old who allegedly murdered 4 of his classmates in Michigan late last month.

We discuss his recent piece in The Washington Post warning of the dangers of the case. Bernick is skeptical of the logic being employed by prosecutors to charge the parents with negligent manslaughter in an attempt to hold them responsible for their son's criminal acts. He argues the prosecution could set a troubling new precedent that will be used against vulnerable populations once this high-profile case fades from the headlines.

He said expansions of how broadly serious criminal offenses are interpreted tend to lead to an increase in prosecutions of minorities. We discuss how that principle often applies to gun laws but is rarely given the same level of discussion. We also look at how the same question is being considered in the Supreme Court's gun-carry case.

At the same time, we debate the culpability of the parents involved in the Michigan school shooting and what kind of consequences they should face. Prosecutors allege the pair were informed about their son's notes and drawings indicating he was about to carry out his attack on the very day it happened but did nothing to intervene. If the parents shouldn't be charged for the killings themselves despite allegedly providing access to the firearm and doing nothing to respond to the warning signs, what should be done instead? Are safe storage laws a good alternative as Bernick suggests?

Plus, contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I cover the latest developments on permitless carry in Florida as well as Beto O'Rourke's faltering poll numbers in the Texas gubernatorial race.

Special Guest: Evan Bernick.

The Heritage Foundation's Amy Swearer joins us this week on the podcast. As a Second Amendment policy wonk at one of the top conservative think tanks in D.C., she provides some salient critiques of the logic behind many of the most prominent gun-control policies.

We talked about the reasoning in the Ninth Circuit's majority opinion upholding California's magazine confiscation law as an example of that logic. Amy explains why she believes arguments for restricted "assault weapons" or magazines that hold more than ten rounds based on the idea they are "designed for the battlefield" don't hold water. She points to the common ownership of both in civilian circles and the arbitrary nature of the laws banning them as prime evidence the policies aren't fitting. And she notes the fact that the laws almost always exempt police, even off-duty and retired officers, from the restrictions is further evidence the main concern is not about the military usefulness of the guns and magazines.

We also took some time to discuss a new initiative from the Biden Administration that should actually be encouraging for gun owners. Unlike previous efforts from the president, this one focuses on voluntary measures and awareness campaigns to try and curb suicides among gun owners and veterans alike. Amy said the plan is something the administration has done little to publicize but is actually a step in the right direction.

Plus, Jake Fogleman and I discuss the latest developments in the Alec Baldwin shooting. I go over why it's possible his gun fired without the trigger being pulled, but extremely unlikely. And, Jake gives a more detailed look at the specifics of the Ninth Circuit ruling as well as the likely fallout from it.

Special Guest: Amy Swearer.

This week we're doing a special early episode of the podcast. The Dispatch's David French joins the show to discuss his reaction to the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict.

David has been at the center of controversy for the past several years for his staunch criticism of former President Donald Trump. Now, he's generated more criticism for his opinion on the Rittenhouse case.

We discuss the details of the case and why David believes the not guilty verdict was the correct one. He argues Rittenhouse did not commit murder as a matter of law. However, he argues Rittenhouse was no hero either.

We also debate where the line is for appropriate use of force during a riot. When is it appropriate to use a gun to defend property? Is it ever?

Plus, David believes the open carry of rifles is inherently a problem and could be legally restricted. We debate the merits of open carry and of banning it.

Special Guest: David French.

This week, I'm joined by gun lawyer John Monroe to discuss Kyle Rittenhouse successfully claiming self-defense during his murder trial.

Monroe practices gun law in Wisconsin. He has argued similar cases in the past and is even appearing before the state's supreme court soon. His experience gives him specialized insight into the case against Rittenhouse and why the jury came down on his side.

We discuss the details of Wisconsin's self-defense laws. Monroe says the case hinged on reasonableness. Specifically, whether Rittenhouse reasonably feared for his life and whether the force he used in response was reasonable.

Monroe gives an in-depth explanation for how the video evidence in the case helped Rittenhouse convince the jury his actions were reasonable in the moment. And he discusses some of the erroneous claims made by the prosecution. He details why Rittenhouse carrying a gun did not mean he forfeited his right to claim self-defense and why he wasn't required to use a lower level of force in the altercations.

We also talk about the parallels and key differences between the Rittenhouse case in Wisconsin and the Ahmaud Arbery case in Georgia where Monroe also practices. While both cases involved a struggle over a gun, Rittenhouse only shot after being pursued and attacked while Arbery was shot after he was pursued and attacked. Monroe said Travis McMichael, who shot Arbery, is less likely to be successful in his self-defense claim.

Special Guest: John Monroe.

Kenny Robertson of Wex Training Group joins me this week to talk about a new emergency medical training program aimed at concealed carriers.

Robertson spent 22 years in the Army Green Berets as part of the 5th Special Forces Group. He served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syrian, and Lebanon as a medic. After that, he spent years training others to do the same thing as director of the Tactical Casualty Combat Care and Prolonged Field Care programs at the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center in Fort Bragg, NC.

Now, he's teamed up with Brandon Wexler and Charrie Derosa of Wex Gunworks in Delray Beach, Florida to bring that same level of training to the civilian world. The high-profile gun shop, which has been featured everywhere from NBC News to The Washington Post to The Washington Free Beacon, hopes to bring that same caliber of training to those who carry guns.

Robertson was nice enough to give me a demo of the class recently. I was lucky enough to go through a Stop the Bleed course when I trained with FASTER Colorado a few years ago. The principles in the Wex class are much the same, but the experience is elevated.

For one, it's much more visceral. More realistic. Ultimately, more impactful.

Lots of training courses have training tourniquets and CPR dummies. Wex takes that to the next level by adding detailed training dummies, including ones that actually bleed.

It's far more memorable to try and apply a tourniquet high and tight when blood is literally spurting out onto your hands. When the skin feels natural and the flesh compresses like the real thing, it hits differently in your mind. The added feedback of actually witnessing the bleeding stop instead of just imagining it is game-changing.

On top of that, Robertson's real-life stories of how he has applied these techniques to save lives in the field make it all that much more memorable.

It's the kind of training I'm convinced people who concealed carry should invest in. After all, we spend thousands to carry a gun in the unlikely case we'll be in a deadly force incident. Well, if you're preparing for what might happen in a shootout, you should probably prepare for what you'll do if you or somebody else actually gets shot.

All the same principles apply here. You can't count on a medic getting to you before you bleed out. So, you better learn to help yourself.

Besides, you're more likely to run into some sort of medical emergency in your daily life than you are to run into a deadly force attack. Better to be prepared than sorry.

Special Guest: Kenny Robertson.

On this episode, investigative reporter Tim Mak joins me to talk about his new book Misfire: Inside the Downfall of the NRA.

I first met Tim at the 2019 NRA annual meeting where he was one of the only other reporters in the room when dissident members tried to oust CEO Wayne LaPierre over allegations of corruption. He has been at the forefront of covering the NRA for the last several years and produced some of the most impactful stories about the gun-rights group. That includes breaking the news that a Russian spy had infiltrated the group as part of an influence campaign run by a top Kremlin official.

His new book is the first I've seen to thoroughly chronicle how it is the NRA has ended up at disaster's doorstep and who the key players along the way were. He takes one of the first real looks at the people behind the powerhouse from Wayne LaPierre to his wife Susan to former president Oliver North. He explains not just what decisions they made but how their characters led them to make those decisions.

His book matches much of what I've heard for years from inside the organization as well as the testimony given in court I've witnessed over the past several years. It is a detailed and well-sourced book that also brings a host of new information to the fold. From now on, when somebody asks me what happened to the NRA, I'll tell them to read this book.

Plus, Jake Fogleman and I discuss Republicans flipping Virginia red and SCOTUS hearing oral arguments in its big gun-carry case.

Special Guest: Tim Mak.

On this episode of the podcast, I interview movie armorer and stunt coordinator Steve Wolf about the disastrous shooting on the set of Alec Baldwin's latest film.

Wolf has worked on a number of major tv and movie sets with some of the top actors and directors in the business. He knows exactly what the proper safety protocols on set are when handling firearms. And he explains the many ways a properly-run production is set up to avoid firearms accidents.

He said he always tries to minimize the use of real firearms and blank-firing props in order to reduce the potential for any life-threatening mistakes to occur. But, he emphasized that Alec Baldwin, the assistant director, and the armorer all had to be negligent in how they handled the firearm in question in order for something this tragic to occur. The armorer should have been able to keep live ammunition off set and never should have allowed a live round to find its way into the gun. The assistant director should have checked the gun to ensure it was not loaded with live ammunition before he handed it to Baldwin and told him it was "cold." Baldwin should have verified himself the gun was not loaded with live ammunition and should not have pointed it in the direction of the crew.

Wolf brings his own prop gun and real revolver to show the clear differences between the two. He also shows the clear differences between live ammunition, dummy ammunition, and blanks. They're all differences he said can and should be taught to everyone on a set, especially those who are actually handling the guns.

We discuss whether real guns should be used in movies going forward. These kinds of tragic accidents are rare. Do they justify a sweeping change to the way the industry works or was this purely a case of gross negligence that can't be adapted to the industry at large?

Plus, contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I discuss Firearms Policy Coalition filing a Supreme Court brief against Texas's abortion law as well as David Chipman's claim that support for gun violence is what ultimately doomed his nomination to lead the ATF.

Special Guest: Steve Wolf.

Cam Edwards of Bearing Arms joins the show this week as the Virginia elections enter their homestretch. He argues Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin has actually surged into the lead over Democrat Terry McAuliffe.

We talk about how Dominion Energy's underhanded attempt to discourage gun owners has backfired and helped Youngkin close the gap. Cam and I both live in Virginia, though very different parts of the state, and have been targeted by the disingenuous ads that attack the Republican from the right on guns despite being created by a liberal consulting group.

But, the shadowy effort to keep gun owners from voting also shows Youngkin may have miscalculated by keeping the gun-rights groups at arm's length. Should he have pursued the gun vote harder than he did? With the election so close, even though the issue hasn't been a top priority until late, the turnout of gun voters could well turn the election.

Every little bit matters when you're in a race that comes down to just a few points. Dominion's meddling backfired on them, but will Youngkin's tightrope act backfire on him too? Or, will he motivate enough downstate gun owners to vote while bringing out Northern Virginia voters who an NRA endorsement may have turned off?

Plus, we talk about how the 2019 McAuliffe comments I unearthed earlier this month could hurt his fellow Democrat Attorney General Mark Herring as he runs for re-election. And, contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I detail the big ruling from Pennsylvania's Supreme Court that could have a big impact on illegal local gun restrictions.

Special Guest: Cam Edwards.

On this episode, contributing writer Jake Fogelman and I discuss the financial situation of the country's largest gun group.

We recently obtained the NRA's 2020 annual report and compared it to previous ones to get a broad view of what the group's books look like. Despite years of operating in the red, recent internal turmoil over corruption allegations, and the pandemic, the group is back to running a surplus. A rather large one of about $54 million, in fact.

But that came about as a result of massive spending cuts. As revenues fell by more than $78 million from 2018 to 2020, the NRA cut more than $124 million in spending over that time to keep pace. Political spending took a $50 million hit. Gun safety training was slashed in half.

Then Mike Willever from the Active Self Protection podcast joined me to talk about the most incredible self-defense stories he's chronicled so far. He also provides insight from his 25-year-long law enforcement career and how those skills translate to the podcasting world. He also talks about the overheated and misleading nature of political and gun news.

Special Guest: Mike Willever.