The Connecticut Citizens Defense League is a non-partisan, grassroots organization devoted to advocating rights affirmed by the Constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Connecticut. We are especially dedicated to protecting the unalienable right of all citizens to keep and bear arms, for the defense of both self and state, through public enlightenment and legislative action.
We welcome anyone who believes that the defense of our constitutional rights is critical to the longevity of our freedom and to the success of this nation, and in particular that the rights to self defense and to keep and bear the arms to actualize that defense, are fundamental and undeniable.
Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL) endorses Martha Dean for Attorney General
Republican Party-endorsed candidate for Attorney General MARTHA DEAN received the unanimous endorsement yesterday of the Executive Board of the CONNECTICUT CITIZENS DEFENSE LEAGUE (CCDL). Formed in the spring of 2009, the CCDL is a non-partisan, grassroots organization devoted to advocating rights affirmed by the Constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Connecticut.
Its membership is especially dedicated to protecting gun rights of Connecticut ’s citizens through public enlightenment, as well as legislative action. Even though the CCDL has been in operation for less than two years, it boasts a membership of approximately 900 residents statewide.
Dean said, “I am pleased to receive the CCDL’s support of my candidacy for Attorney General. Their focus on protecting fundamental civil liberties and their grassroots base make them a significant new organization in this state. The CCDL’s impressive growth over the last year and a half indicates the importance of constitutional issues to a large number of Connecticut citizens.”
CCDL President Scott Wilson said, “I am confident that Martha Dean will be a different Attorney General than that which we have had for half of my life. Martha believes in the Constitution, both Federal and State. She has vowed to uphold them, as well as the laws of our state. She will not use the Office of Attorney General for political purposes.”
Dean added, “My campaign for Attorney General is truly a grassroots effort. I cherish the support of grassroots organizations that are focused on protecting the constitutional rights of Connecticut’s citizens.”
Wilson concluded, “I know that, in the past, various residents of Connecticut have inquired of the current Attorney General’s Office for information, direction or even interpretation of state statutes. Many of these inquiries have gone unanswered. I am confident that with Martha Dean as our next Attorney General, questions will get answered and our rights protected.”
Besides Mr. Wilson of New London, the Executive Board of the CCDL is comprised of: LEONARD BENEDETTO of Stratford, CT; VIRGINIA BENEDETTO of Stratford, CT; KEVIN BORGNIS of Manchester, CT; JEREMY NEWMAN of Ledyard, CT; NICK HOLIAN of Naugatuck, CT; CHERYL LEMOS of Stratford, CT; CHRIS LEMOS of Stratford, CT; STEVE LOBAN of Naugatuck, CT; BENNETT PRESCOTT of New Britain, CT; STEPHANIE CYPHER of Plymouth, CT; PHILLIP CYPHER of Plymouth, CT; ROBERT CHAMBERS of Stratford, CT; and, MARCIE TWOMEY of New Milford, CT.
Martha Dean needs your votes on the August 10th Republican Primary. In order to vote for her, you must be a registered Republican by August 9th at 12 noon. If you are currently registered as "Independent" you need to change your registration. You can always switch back on August 11. Please this is an important primary and, once again, she needs all of us to vote!
The CCDL is a Non Partisan organization but, to help protect our Second Amendment rights we need to vote for Pro 2A candidates! Martha Dean is PRO-2A!
Blue Trail/WPLR Outdoor Sports Fair And Pig Roast: Saturday and Sunday August 7th-8th CCDL will be on hand with a booth providing information on our organization, greeting fellow members, as well as helping new members join! Blue Trail is a very special place and we are very lucky to live so close to the largest public range in New England. They need our support so that they can continue to offer us all the opportunity to shoot there. For more information on Blue Trail & the Sports Fair:http://www.bluetrailrange.com/
CCDL 2nd Annual Family Picnic: August 14 11:00am - 4:00pm Booth Memorial Park 5800 Main Street - Putney Stratford, CT
This event is open to CCDL Members and to the public free of charge. Everyone is encouraged to attend this event to celebrate our right in Connecticut to Keep And Bear Arms, get to know us and learn more about what CCDL does to protect your rights as a gun owner in the state of Connecticut!
Come and enjoy typical picnic fare - burgers, dogs, salads , dessert and more. This will be an alcohol free gathering.
CCDL Merchandise and Membership Sign Up will be available onsite.
Any lawful forms of weapon carry are allowed and encouraged. If you will be carrying a firearm, please exercise safety and caution as we will be in the eyes of the public. Firearms must remain holstered for the duration of the event to ensure safety.
If you are planing to contribute a food item, please email
Please RSVP on our Facebook event page - http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137624442938814&ref=nf (When responding with your RSVP, please note on the Picnic Wall if you will be attending with additional guests and family for an approximate head count.)
This is a free event, but all donations would be appreciated to offset some of the costs.
CCDL Fundraiser Shooting Event: August 21 10:00am - 2:00pm Wolcott Landowners Protective Association 920 Woodtick Road Wolcott, CT
Everyone is encouraged to come and enjoy a day of shooting, camaraderie, and to celebrate our right in Connecticut to Keep And Bear Arms. Get to know us and learn more about what CCDL does to protect your rights as a gun owner in the state of Connecticut!
There will be shooting competitions for handgun and trap - a $10 fee will be charged to participate per round of each event and prizes will be awarded. Shotgun shells are sold by the club.
Loaner guns will be available for anyone who does not have a gun and wants to shoot. Experienced shooters and instructors will be around at all times to ensure safety.
A big thank you to WLOPA for opening their club to our fundraiser. The facilities will be open to attendees. Please note that no firearms are permitted in the clubhouse.
There will be food and merchandise available for purchase.
All non-members are encouraged to join the CCDL - membership is free - applications will be on site.
Our raffle will include: Kimber Ultra Carry II .45cal Charter Arms Pink Lady .38 special (Engraved with CCDL2010) Henry Golden Boy .22cal rifle (CCDL Engraved Logo) There will also be several other non-firearm types of prizes as well!!
For us: CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS JUSTICE ALITO JUSTICE KENNEDY JUSTICE SCALIA JUSTICE THOMAS
Against us: JUSTICE STEVENS JUSTICE BREYER JUSTICE GINSBURG JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR
JUSTICE ALITO announced the judgment of the Court and delivered the opinion of the Court with respect to Parts I, II–A, II–B, II–D, III–A, and III–B, in which THE CHIEF JUSTICE, JUSTICE SCALIA, JUSTICE KENNEDY, and JUSTICE THOMAS join, and an opinion with respect to Parts II–C, IV, and V, in which THE CHIEF JUSTICE, JUSTICE SCALIA, and JUSTICE KENNEDY join.
We have previously held that most of the provisions of the Bill of Rights apply with full force to both the Federal Government and the States. Applying the standard that is well established in our case law,we hold that the Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States.
In Heller, we held that the Second Amendment protects the right to possess a handgun in the home for the purpose of self-defense. Unless considerations of stare decisis counsel otherwise, a provision of the Bill of Rights that protects a right that is fundamental from an American perspective applies equally to the Federal Government and the States. See Duncan, 391 U. S. , at 149, and n. 14. We therefore hold that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment incorporates the Second Amendment right recognized in Heller. The judgment of Court of Appeals is reversed, and the case is remanded for further proceedings. It is so ordered!
This past Monday, a bill titled H.R. 5175 cleared committee and is headed for a vote in the House of Representatives. According to certain political experts, it is expected to pass the House. This Bill would in effect silence many Organizations (The NRA Is Exempt) from expressing political opinions and endorsement of candidates seeking office at the Federal level for up to 90 days prior to a primary election.
Other provisions of this Bill include:
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It would expand the window for "electioneering communications," which was 30 to 60 days under McCain-Feingold, to 90 days before a primary or caucus. During that period, corporations and nonprofits would face stringent procedures for any corporate advertising. The electioneering window, once opened, would continue through to the general election. So because presidential primaries fall well before the election, the restrictions could conceivably be in place for over a year.
The bill requires a mountain of paperwork, because companies must submit a list to the FEC of all donors who contributed more than $600. "In the 1950s, the NAACP went to court to say it should not have to disclose its membership list," Heritage Foundation legal scholar Hans Von Spakovsky says. He contends the provision to disclose members' names poses constitutional problems "because it interferes with their right to associate."
It prohibits any company that received government contracts, or that received TARP bailouts, from spending any money on election advertising.
In a precedent-setting exemption, the Disclose Act for the first time would restrict the activities of nonprofits and companies, but not unions in some cases. Opponents point out that unions recently spent over $10 million in an unsuccessful bid to defeat Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the Democratic primary. "This is the empower-labor-unions-over-everybody-else act," says Norquist. "It's making it illegal for Americans to participate in politics."
It bans any advertising from foreign companies, including domestic companies that have 20 percent or more foreign control.
The names of all donors who give $1,000 or more to an organization must be disclosed to the FEC, if the organization spends more than $10,000 on political advertising. Labor unions are included in this provision.
It requires CEOs to appear on camera stating they "approve this message." Those familiar with how political fundraising work say this alone would scare away political speech by the vast majority of companies and associations. Curt Levey of the Committee for Justice, one of the groups that signed the anti-Disclose Act letter, tells Newsmax: "I see this as a threat especially to conservative nonprofits, but really to nonprofits in general, because that's ultimately where the corporate spending that is being attacked here is coming from. Donors very often ask about anonymity. That's important to them. I could see the groups losing a lot of donations. It's meant to have a chilling effect, and it will have a chilling effect. I think it's going to have a horrible effect on nonprofits groups."
The top donor to the organization, who might not have donated any money for that particular ad, would be required to appear in the commercial to provide the public with information on those funding the commercial. Also, a TV ad would have to list the top five funders to the organization, and radio ads would have to disclose the top two funders. Disclose Act opponents point out the additional time required for the burdensome disclosures would make the ads prohibitively expensive.
Organizations such as CCDL will be limited in the political arena if this is to pass. Not only will it be an infringement of our 2nd Amendment rights, but our 1st Amendment rights as well.
