Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor, alongside several other states, signed a letter addressed to the Biden Administration in response to a previous letter from Democrat-led group that was demanding that ammunition manufacturers who receive federal funds be banned from selling ammunition to the general public.
The original letter, authored by leaders of several Democrat-led states, called for an investigation into the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Missouri, claiming that federal funds recipients should not be permitted to supply ammunition to civilians due to concerns about its use in criminal activities.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy expressed his reservations about such restrictions, stating, “We have seen this administration take full advantage of wordplay to restrict the rights of American citizens. Politicians, ignorant of the tools and practices they fight to restrict, use catchphrases like ‘military grade’ to create the illusion that these rights are not meant for the average citizen. They hate that law-abiding citizens have these rights and will use these underhanded tactics to take them away if allowed.”
Gov. Dunleavy emphasized his commitment to preserving the rights granted to citizens since the nation’s founding and ensuring that citizens with the right to bear arms also have reasonable access to ammunition. “In this case, that means fighting to ensure that citizens who have the right to arms also have reasonable access to ammunition,” he said.
The response letter, signed by Alaska and other states, argues that restricting ammunition sales by manufacturers who receive federal funds would hinder law-abiding citizens’ ability to access ammunition and exercise their Second Amendment rights. It contends that these manufacturers receive federal funds to maintain expertise and staff for potential surges in production to meet military demands. The letter points out that when the need for increased ammunition production arose during the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, ammunition manufacturers were unable to meet the demand, highlighting the importance of their ability to continue civilian sales.
The response letter disputes the characterization of the ammunition produced by Lake City Army Ammunition Plant as “military ammunition.” It asserts that the ammunition available to the general public is manufactured and sold in accordance with the requirements of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and it is not the primary cartridge intended for military use.
The response letter argues that creating an artificial distinction to label such ammunition as “meant-for-military-use-only” is an “overt attempt to punish Americans’ exercise of their Second Amendment rights.”
Attorney General Taylor emphasized the importance of accuracy and honesty in policymaking, stating, “In calling for an investigation into Lake City Army Ammunition, these Democrat-led states are misrepresenting an agreement that strengthens our national defense, in an effort to erode the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”
He also highlighted the real-world consequences of such actions, particularly for Alaskans who rely on ammunition for sporting purposes, self-defense, and subsistence use. Any measures that decrease availability, access, or increase the cost of ammunition would negatively impact residents, particularly those living off the road system. Attorney General Taylor concluded, “We will continue to fight infringements of the Constitutional rights of Alaskans.”
