South Carolina’s up-and-coming governor, Nikki Haley has let it be known that she’s in favor of constitutional carry (the ability to exercise Second Amendment rights without first obtaining government permission). But the Palmetto State Senate Judiciary Committee isn’t quite so enthusiastic. The committee’s chairman, Larry Martin, is credited with killing the bill. As wltx.com reports, he’s really not a fan of open carry: “You can carry a weapon openly if this bill is adopted and I’m offended by that,” said committee chair Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens).” . . .

The Palmetto State is one of only six that ban the open carry of holstered handguns. That seems likely to be reduced to five in the near future. Both of the likely candidates for governor in Texas have said that they are in favor of restoring legal open carry.

Governor Haley signed a gun law reform bill just a few days ago. Perhaps the committee members want to digest the current reforms before taking a bigger bite toward restoring second amendment rights in South Carolina.

Senator Lee Bright, the primary sponsor of the deceased bill, is expected to be endorsed by several Tea Party groups in his primary bid for the U.S. Senate, challenging current Senator Lindsey Graham. And he’s not shy about his efforts on behalf of the state’s gun owners:

“Many thanks to Rachel Maddow and MSNBC for [inadvertently] spreading the word about my Constitutional Carry bill! I’m proud to have the terrific support of Governor Haley in this effort.”

Bright, who raffled off an AR-15 rifle as part of his campaign, wasn’t happy about his bill’s fate.

“This is the right to self defense,” Bright said. “We sit up here in this ivory tower here in the South Carolina Senate and decide who and who can not defend themselves.”

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Gun Watch

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52 COMMENTS

  1. This is my surprised face.

    This had overwhelming support last year when I lived there and they still killed it. The government is no longer the will of the people.

  2. OH NOT NOT OFFENDED. HE WAS OFFENDED STOP THE PRESSES! MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS. RED ALERT RED ALERT SOMETHING OFFENSIVE HAPPENED WEEE WOOO WEEE WOO WEE WOO

  3. ”You can carry a weapon openly if this bill is adopted and I’m offended by that,” said committee chair Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens).” . . .

    It’s really not about what YOU want though, Larry; you were elected to represent what your constituents want. I wonder if he’ll conveniently change his tune right around election time and put up a pro-gun front to get himself re-elected…

  4. “You can carry a weapon openly if this bill is adopted and I’m offended by that,” said committee chair Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens).”

    Boo hoo.

    It’s not your job to legislate your weak sensibilities, sir. It’s your job to represent your constituents and stand for their rights.

    I’m sure Pickens County is proud to have leadership of such strong backbone.

  5. “Senator Lee Bright, the now deceased bill’s sponsor, is expected to be endorsed by several Tea Party groups in his primary bid for the U.S. Senate…”

    Has the Tea Party stooped so low as to endorse a deceased candidate?

    Copy!

  6. ”You can carry a weapon openly if this bill is adopted and I’m offended by that,” said committee chair Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens).

    I’m offended by you thinking it’s fine to infringe South Carolinians’ rights just because the exercise of those rights offends you.

    In a just world you’d be run out of town on a rail and wearing feathers by the end of the day.

  8. RINOs exist, everywhere. Perhaps the good citizens of Pickens can have a little come to Jesus meeting with Martin.

    • This guy is an idiot. Pickens is one of the deepest red parts of this state, he will get his ass handed to him if there is someone else running.

  9. Time for the NRA to get together with pro gun candidates and show some of these anti gun RINO’s the door.

  10. Hopefully he and his easily offended titanium spine will be out of their collective duff real soon now.

  11. “You can carry a weapon openly if this bill is adopted and I’m offended by that,” said committee chair Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens)”

    Good, good…. Come on, little Republicans, show your true colors and push more people to vote Libertarian.

  12. That sounds borderline comical (except it isn’t): he kills the bill because it “offends” him. No talk about how it could maybe, in his mind at least or due to misconceptions, lead to people being harmed or whatnot? Nope, it’s just offensive to him.

  13. “the now deceased bill’s sponsor…”
    If he is deceased, how can he be running for the Senate?
    Oh wait…Strom Thurmond was senator from South Carolina, and I think he died years before he left office.

  15. I am not the greatest contributor to TTAG but I do contribute occasionally and I love reading it. I am new to the gun sort of…been away for a long time but back now! I am very happy to say that I was lucky enough, thanks to TTAG, to be the winner of Senator Bright’s AR-15 drawing! The rifle shipped today and should arrive sometime next week here at my favorite gun shop, according the Senator’s campaign director!

    • Put that baby to good use & open carry it past the nearest mothers against illegal mayors popcorn stand./// congrats on your win!

    • IThat’s awesome, Nimda. You beat me, and everyone else. Now, please do try to contribute what you can to Bright’s campaign. Just like in Texas, we don’t have to win the primary outright. Bright can even come in second place and that’s fine. We just need to be in the top two and keep the incumbent under 50% so as to force a run-off.

      In a run-off, the hardcore activists have the advantage because they show up while low information voters are apt to blow it off. That’s how we successfully got Sen. Cruz into the Senate in 2012’s election. Give what you can and spread the word.

      Congrats on the rifle! Welcome back to the People of the Gun fold.

      • Yeah guys, please help support Lee Bright in his primary bid. South Carolina(and America), deserves a real clnservative fighting for our rights in the US Senate.

  16. State Senator Larry Miller is a 57 year old guy who’s butt has been planted continuously in the SC State House and Senate Since 1979. Yeah, do that math. The guy’s never had a real job in his life.

    Oh, sure, he did attend an institution called Tri-County Technical College for about a cup of coffee in 1975. With those qualifications, why shouldn’t we defer to his interpretation of Constitutional Law?

  17. ”You can carry a weapon openly if this bill is adopted and I’m offended by that,” said committee chair Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens).” . . .

    Hey, Larry, I’m offended by your dumbassery.

  19. ”You can express your [religion, opinion, political stance, etc.] openly if this bill is adopted and I’m offended by that,” said committee chair Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens).

    FIFY

  20. There is a Country in Europe protesting their president because he ignored the will of the people too..But we are much to civilized for protests.. SC will accept him as official babysitter and live with it…

  21. For everyones’ information, the picture is of Lee Bright, Not Martin. I called Martin so let’s see what his response is. I live in SC and will contribute to his opponent. I did contribute to Lee Bright.

    SC has a “part time” Senate so you have to have a real job too.

    Jim K

  22. I’m offended by the fact that some fat fvck with delusions of adequacy can screw with the rights of South Carolinians.

    • I’m offended that one (or two or three) politicians on a committee can prevent the legislature and governor from enacting a law that a majority of the legislature and governor supports.

      What is wrong with the U.S. of A.?????

  23. Backwater, proto-fascist state. They like to eat goats. I ate goat once, at some Bangladeshi friends’ house. It made me jumpy.

  24. Why do people vote for neocons? I can talk on many subjects with prospective pols. Open carry is the first thing I ask them about. Quite possibly the best litmus test for respect of freedom in general.

    Also, don’t be so quick to fall in love with the governor. It’s likely she knew the bill will go nowhere, SC is a very neoconned state. This way she looks really good, but doesn’t have to be in a position to sign the bill. This is how these kinds of people do business, day in day out.

  25. hell, let me throw it out: since Nikki Haley is of East Indian descent, well, Larry Martin is a RACIST for opposing her!!!!

    • Yes, but action by Martin takes pressure off Haley to sign/veto a constitutional carry bill hitting her desk. Perhaps he’s thrown himself on this particular grenade for her for a favor to be named later.

  27. [q] ”You can carry a weapon openly if this bill is adopted and I’m offended by that,” said committee chair Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens).”[/q]

    Holy Cr@p this guy reminds me of a kid we had in the mess hall down at Hood, 8″ Arty Bn, in front of a Cooks meeting with about 45-50 cooks present he stood up and asked; [q]Why is everybody picking on me?[/q] Wow, well just blow me down lmao, the kid would have done better to hang a sign on his back saying I’m and idiot KICK ME! He did not last but a few more months and got a chap 13=failure to adapt.

    Now if we could just make sure this idiot NEVER gets to forget these word he uttered! maybe he could just go home and cry on his wife’s shoulder.

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