In 2023, shortly after the Covenant School murders, a new entity
suddenly appeared in Tennessee claiming to support the interests of
Second Amendment advocates. While there are many entities and
activists working to advance and protect Second Amendment rights, you
should not assume that every entity claiming to be a Second Amendment
organization is automatically worthy of trust or support.
Tennessee Firearms Association has been active and lawfully formed in
Tennessee and with the IRS since as early as 1995. The state political
action committee,
Tennessee Firearms Association Legislative Action Committee,
is a registered state PAC since 1996 and has decades of public filings
with the state to account for its activities. In 2023, the backers of
TFA also formed
Tennessee Firearms Foundation, Inc.,
as a 501c3 charity. TFA and its related entities have a long history
of working in Tennessee and working with volunteer and donated efforts
of its administrators and members. TFA efforts has also been repeatedly
recognized by the Legislature.
TFA’s and TFALAC’s efforts were recently proclaimed by
Congressman Mark Green, conservative advocate and entertainer
John Rich and
Erich Pratt,
Sr. Vice President of Gun Owners of America at the TFALAC 2023 Annual
Event which was a massive celebration for the defeat of Governor Lee’s
Red Flag Special Session.
Aside from politically active groups,
there are other groups in Tennessee with good reputations relative to
gun owners including various shooting organizations (like Project
Appleseed), groups promoting specific shooting competitions, collectors
and hunting groups. Of relevance to this commentary, there is an
entity that has been in Tennessee for many years known as “
TN Gun Owners”
or to some simply “TGO”. TGO was formed in 1997 and is known by many
as one of the online forums that has supporters who are interested in
almost anything that is firearms related. TGO has an good reputation
among gun owners.
Following the Covenant Shooting, Gov. Lee
called for the Legislature to pass a Red Flag law. That obviously
increased public attention on 2nd Amendment issues in Tennessee and
public willingness to be involved.
On April 19, 2023, shortly
after Gov. Lee publicly demanded a Red Flag law, a new entity was formed
in Tennessee under the name “Tennessee Gun Owners” – see
Secretary of State’s Business Search.
This entity has a mailing address on 12th Avenue South in Nashville
which appears to be a private mail box at a UPS store. This entity sent
out mailers asking for money to fight the Red Flag issue and directs
people to mail them your credit card number in care of “Chris Dorr”.
The
recent formation by Dorr of a Tennessee entity appears similar to other
organizations which appear to have been set up in other states that
some reports also link to Chris Dorr or others in his family. The Dorr
entity continues to solicit funds by suggesting it is a Tennessee based
organization through its name selection (see email body below).
The purpose of this message is to make clear that Tennessee Firearms
Association, as well as the PAC, TFALAC, are not affiliated with the
Dorr entity or its attempts to fund raise from Tennesseans.
TFA
does not recommend or endorse Dorr entity and has no working
relationship with it. Further, if you check the TN Gun Owners (the one
formed in 1997) web forum you will see
its warning to those familiar with it that makes clear that it is not affiliated with the Dorr entity.
These
are samples of the kinds of pleas for money that the Dorr entity is
sending to Tennesseans. You can take whatever action you like but be
aware that this entity is not in any way related to, recommended by or
working with Tennessee Firearms Association.
