Bill Peduto Dick Stack anti-gun leadership award
Bill Peduto and Ed Stack, together at last (AP photos by Gene J. Puskar and Scott Dalton)

By NRA-ILA

On June 4-5, the annual Yale Mayors College & CEO Summit was held in New York City. The theme of this year’s CEO Summit was “Trumpeting the Issues without Becoming the Issue: Selective Use of CEO Voice.” Making clear that much of the event was about corporate virtue signaling strategy, “Session 2” on the June 4 agenda was titled, “The Courage to Stand Alone: CEO Voice & Virtue.”

With the promotion of virtue-signaling the goal, Yale secured its two finest practitioners in their respective fields. At the event, Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto presented DICK’S Sporting Goods CEO Edward Stack with the “Maverick in Leadership Award.” According to a press release from Peduto’s office, the award was for Stack’s “work on behalf of common-sense gun safety measures.”

Peduto presented the award alongside Ethan Allen CEO Farooq Kathwari. History buffs will note the irony attendant to the CEO of a company that trades off the name of an American Revolutionary War patriot promoting gun control.

The choice of Peduto to present the award to Stack was inspired. In his pursuit of gun control, Peduto has breached his duty to the public by advocating for local anti-gun measures that are illegal under Pennsylvania law. It can be argued that Stack has deviated from his duty to shareholders in order to indulge his political predilections.

In December, Peduto’s office proposed a raft of local gun control ordinances in violation of Pennsylvania’s firearms preemption law. The relevant statute (18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6120) makes clear,

No county, municipality or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth.

Moreover, the matter of local gun ordinances had already been settled by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. In a 1996 case involving a local ordinance that restricted commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms, Ortiz v. Pennsylvania, the court determined,

Because the ownership of firearms is constitutionally protected, its regulation is a matter of statewide concern. The constitution does not provide that the right to bear arms shall not be questioned in any part of the commonwealth except Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, where it may be abridged at will, but that it shall not be questioned in any part of the commonwealth. Thus, regulation of firearms is a matter of concern in all of Pennsylvania, not merely in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the General Assembly, not city councils, is the proper forum for the imposition of such regulation.

Despite the statute and clear precedent, in April Peduto signed legislation restricting the “use” of commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms and standard capacity magazines within the city. NRA immediately filed suit against Pittsburgh to vindicate city residents’ rights.

In February 2018, Stack announced that DICK’S and its affiliated Field & Stream stores (no relation to the publication of the same name) would stop selling commonly-owned semi-automatic rifles and would no longer sell any firearms to young adults ages 18-20.

Stack also made clear that DICK’S would encourage lawmakers to pass a host of gun control measures, including a ban on commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms and standard capacity magazines, a ban on firearm sales to young adults ages 18-20, and the criminalization of private firearm transfers. The company went on to destroy its existing stock of commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms and hire corporate lobbyists to push its anti-gun agenda.

While Stack’s subsequent appearances in the national media might have boosted his ego, the CEO’s gun control push didn’t boost his company’s bottom line. In August 2018, DICK’S blamed sluggish sales partly on, “negative reactions to our policies related to the sale of firearms and accessories.”

In December, DICK’S noted that it may close its hunting and fishing-focused Field & Stream stores. In March, DICK’S announced that it would stop selling firearms entirely in 125 of its stores. Later that month, Bloomberg reported that “Dick’s estimates the policy change cost the company about $150 million in lost sales…”

Given the acclamation Peduto’s anarchic behavior has received in the legacy press and gun control circles, look for the lawless mayor to receive some dubious “award” for his gun control advocacy in the coming months. Hopefully Stack will be on hand to present the award and complete the promise of this mutual admiration society. With their haphazard attack-gun-rights-at-all-costs approach, Peduto and Stack deserve each other. Sadly, their constituents and shareholders don’t deserve either.

 

This article originally appeared at nraila.org and is reprinted here with permission. 

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56 COMMENTS

    • Lay off the exhaust fumes, Possum. We wanna keep you around… 🙂

    • There’s a Dicks a few miles from my home. Only went there once when they opened several years ago, but never went back because here (in SoCal, anyway) they only carry equipment for “safe” sports like tennis, golf, baseball, football, soccer, kayaking, snorkeling, etc. Nothing related to archery or guns. So I guess their recent “no more gun sales for us!” virtue signaling didn’t really change anything in our neck of the woods. They’re really just a glorified golfing outfit.

      The closest “real” brick-and-mortar source for a wide selection of guns and archery gear is Bass Pro Shop, located over an hour away. Worth the drive a couple of times per year.

      • BassPro in Rancho Cucamonga is amazing!
        That said, all of the DICKS that I have been to have archery stuff now and they didn’t use to have any archery. Even most Turners don’t carry archery, so DICKS becomes the default archery place unless you want to drive to Escondido or Bass Pro.

        • There’s something like 22 Turners in SoCal for all yout shooting, fishing and archery needs!

      • My local Dick’s had a shooting and hunting section. I don’t think I ever bought a gun there, but I bought air guns, targets, and supplies quite frequently (as well as some camping gear, soccer stuff for the kids, and some clothing). That was before Dicks earned a spot on my boycott list some years ago.

      • Some malls regulate what businesses can do. We had a regional chain (Garts) with a store in the mall, and one across the street. The one across the street carried guns and ammo. That chain was bought by Sports Authority, which went under, and Dick’s took the mall store.

  4. “Pittsburgh Anti-Gun Mayor Gives Dick’s CEO Ed Stack Award for ‘Leadership’”

    Well then, isn’t that’s what’s always important, getting an award…whee…

  5. For some markets, DICK’S actually helped hunters. SoCal has enough gunstores, ARs or other common assaults weapons are not on the menu, and there were very few archery stores. Now, all DICKS locations have a good archery selection after they almost eliminated guns. Would be surprised if their sales have not increased!

      • I was stating a factual observation that has nothing to do with your amateur Supreme Court reading of the 2A. Please refrain from ad hominem attacks.

        • I agree that people should calmly and rationally discuss issues without emotion or employing personal attacks, but, amateur Supreme Court reading? The founders wrote the constitution in plain and readily understandable language so that amateurs could grasp it. The first and second make clear that government shall have absolutely no part in those rights. None. Nada. Zip. Yet, we have a governmental branch that specifically regulates certain firearms. This is illegal and the entire branch is nothing more than a criminal organization. It’s agents are criminals and any and all LEO’s that enforce laws that pertain to owning and carrying of firearms are criminals in the truest sense of the word. The constitution is pretty clear on what powers the government is allowed, but the government is hell-bent on determining what we are “allowed” to do. Government is our enemy. The police are our enemy. Oftentimes, our fellow citizens are our enemies. Just my take.

        • So, it’s OK to repress the rights of free enterprise because you believe there are too many gun stores in your area? The business law of supply and demand should be the driving force behind how many gun stores stay in business.

          Dick’s is continuing to lose money because of their clear anti second amendment stance. More and more people are choosing to do business elsewhere because of their Communistic actions. However, sheeple like you conduct business with them rather than boycotting them for their repression of the Constitution. When will you have the courage to stop doing business with them? Will it be ok for you when the libtards and this clown say that archery should be banned too? If you don’t think that will happen, you need to wake up to reality.

  7. We haven’t seen businesses involving themselves in political issues like this since Germany in the 1930’s. The fascist Libs are now using Big Business and Big Tech to enforce their “progressive” social norms. We see it every day in banking, on social media platforms, and retail outlets.

    This alliance between politicians and businesses to shape how we citizens live, what we say, and how we think is dangerous as hell.

  8. We hand out awards for being unConstitutional now? Next it will for how many babies one kills?

  10. I’m waiting for the going out of business sale. Hope it’s coming soon.

  11. I’ve got nothing but scorn for the un American head Dick head of Dicks,may they soon go out of business.

  14. Leadership. You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means!

  15. The article says the NRA immediately filed suit. Bullshit. FOAC and ACSL, state level organizations, immediately filed suit. NRA jumped on the bandwagon later.

    Dicks always had too limited a selection of gun stuff and their prices were too high, so I never bought much gun stuff there. But we bought tons of fishing and kayaking gear from them and they lost all of our business with their anti gun crap.

  16. Way to go Stack. “Leading” your company to stock prices half of what they used to be. Keep that up and the next democratic president will make you head of the VA hospital.

  17. Not sure about you guys, but I know I would rather have an “award” for leadership from some craphole city mayor instead of millions in lost profits.

  18. “A firm well placed slap on the behind” . There tugging each other’s throbbing idiocies

  19. “Session 2” on the June 4 agenda was titled, “The Courage to Stand Alone: CEO Voice & Virtue.”

    I’ve got a better title for it:
    “The Arrogance to be an Ignorant, Bigoted, Hoplophobic Dick: CEO virtue-signaling by insulting and shaming their own customers, driving away their customers so they shop at competitors instead.”

  20. Has anyone told his honor that Circle K doesn’t sell guns? Maybe they should get an award, too.
    How about the Colonel?
    Or the kid down the block selling lemonade?

  22. If Dick’s board had any guys, they’d fire this twit and not pay him his “golden paraschute” for doing whatever he can to kill their business. I have never been in one and will never shop at one. EVER. I don’t play sport, I shoot. I can go to Academy and get whatever I need. Guns, ammo, anything.

  25. Way to go Peduto, give the guy an award who cost the company $150 million in sales for some virtue signaling. Explain that to the shareholders.

  26. There is a Prick’s about a mile from me and I drive 15 miles to a cabelas if I need anything hunting related.

    Kinda sums how I feel about Ed Stacks company.

  27. This isn’t any different than the hacks in Hollywood giving each other awards.

  29. My first and only trip to Dicks was for ice hockey skates and sticks. The employees new little about the skates and sticks they sold. Had a similar experience in the hunting dept. where I was looking at binoculars and found their knowledge lacking.

    The CEO’s comments and the leadership award were bogus for all he did was make a business decision based upon personal moralistic convictions; that he has stood behind them even in the face of lost revenue says a lot about him. Do not be surprised at future corporate downsizing.

  30. So, long story short, some Dick gave another Dick an award for being Dick of the Year. In the end, Dick’s have been real Dicks over supporting the 2nd Amendment. The Dick stockholders are upset at the low returns the Dick CEO’s policies and general Dickness are seeing in their sales. They feel like they’re getting Dicked around. Moral of this story, Don’t be a Dick.

  31. FUCK ED STACK AND DICKS SPORTING GOODS. HE DOES NOT SELL A DAMN THING YOU CAN NOT BUY SOME WHERE ELSE FOR A LESSER PRICE. AND HE CLAIMS TO BE A HUNTER? WHAT PART OF FUCK YOU ED STACK CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND???????

  32. Know what u r saying just keep on standing for our rights cause stacks will hang him self his rope is getting shorter by the day Dicks; will get a huge dicking because of Dick. His mouth / knees must be getting pretty sore. By the way I have never been in dicks but once that was the grand opening 15 years ago I wasn’t impressed an never been back. To many great other places.

  33. J & Whitedevil, I don’t believe there are too many gun stores in the area, but the fact is that since the bullet button rifles were called “assault weapons”, gun sales have been slow and gun stores are not doing well.
    Combine the fire conditions that ban rifle and shotgun hunting with the California ban on lead Ammo, amdvi see two archery ranges I used to run past that used to be empty are now full.
    Dicks took full advantage of the shift to archery, which even Turner’s missed at many stores.
    I agree with the common reading of 2A, but the reason I call it the “amateur” Supreme Court is that this view has not stood up to the “professionals” reading of 2A which has been far more restrictive. We have to find a way to play within the boundaries set by the “professional” Supreme Court.

    • Benjamin Franklin once said: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” The people of your state have rolled rolled over for too long.

      The second amendment is very clear “shall not be infringed”. If someclown uses the “high capacity magazine” argument, tell them they are absolutely wrong. The proof is this: Thomas Jefferson revered and collected the Girandoni “air” rifle which was .46 caliber had a capacity of 20 rounds that could be emptied in 60 seconds. He gave several of them to Lewis and Clark for protection during their expedition, which they used.

  34. Two clueless maroons giving and receiving a participation trophy, how nice. The one at least it is his business to run however well or poorly he chooses so whatever. The other is elected and as such swore an oath to uphold the law which he has violated and as such ought to be arrested and charged.

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