After a terrible mass murder in Lewiston, Maine, back in October 2023, gun-ban advocates began to push all manners of new gun control laws, despite the fact that few if any would actually make anyone safer.
One such was a so-called “red-flag” law, which would allow the state to confiscate firearms from lawful owners without due process, the same as most such laws. Gun grabbers didn’t get everything they wanted, though, as the legislature instead passed a “yellow-flag” law that sought to protect due process rights of Pine Tree State gun owners.
That law required law enforcement to request emergency restraining protective orders, and there was also a requirement for mental health consultation. That, however, wasn’t enough restrictions for gun-ban advocates, who wanted to make it where family members can turn in their gun-owning kin, without due process of law, of course.
Fast forward to Nov. 4 of this year, and gun-ban advocates finally got what they wanted. Despite that fact that important voices across the political spectrum, from Governor Janet Mills to Governor Paul LePage, advised voters to oppose Question 2, the problematic measure passed with nearly 63% approval. About 306,000 people voted for the measure, compared to 180,000 who voted against it.
If you wonder exactly how that happened, look no further than the money trail. According to a report at ammoland.com, anti-gun groups spent 12-times more money to get the scheme passed than pro-gun groups spent trying to defeat the proposal.
Citing Ballotpedia, ammoland.com reported that supporters of red flag laws raised $1,041,090.81 and spent $974,220.84 on their campaign. The pro-2A forces took in $103,919.23 and spent $81,393.23.
Ultimately, the gun-ban advocates raised 10-times as much and spent 12-times as much as pro-gun organizations. In fact, the group Giffords single-handedly spent more on pushing the law than pro-gun advocates raised for the election.
Of course, anti-gun proponents of the initiative were quick to take credit. And given the amount of money they spent getting the measure passed, it was probably well deserved.
“VICTORY: Maine voters decisively passed a strong Red Flag law—also known as an Extreme Risk law,” so-called Everytown for Gun Safety posted on it Facebook page. “This is a crucial tool that helps prevent gun violence before it happens by allowing family members and law enforcement to intervene and temporarily limit access to guns when a person is a threat to themselves or others.”
In the end, according to NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), Maine’s lawful gun owners will now have to put up with a number of new threats from the law, which organization says will allow the state to confiscate firearms without due process, endanger law enforcement officers and erode citizens’ Second Amendment rights.