By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms has added another state affiliate, and this one comes at a critical time.
CCRKBA announced Tuesday it has been joined by the Oregon Gun Owners Action League (ORGOAL), a grassroots organization founded by, and presided over, by veteran Second Amendment activist Derek LeBlanc.
“With CCRKBA’s national headquarters in Washington state, ORGOAL isn’t just a new affiliate, they’re our neighbors,” said CCRKBA Executive Director Andrew Gottlieb. “It’s been our experience that challenges developing south of the Columbia River have frequently spread north to the Evergreen State, so it is natural for the two organizations to join forces.”
The timing could be perfect, as Oregon is now a battle zone over an initiative which seeks to ban hunting, trapping, fishing, ranching; essentially anything which could be defined as “animal cruelty” by animal rights activists. Initiative Petition 28 is known as the PEACE Act (People for Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions). While it is not specifically a gun rights issue, it will have a devastating impact on every hunter in the Beaver State.
Still pending before the Oregon State Supreme Court is a gun issue, Measure 114, called the most extreme gun control measure in the country. ORGOAL was instrumental in defeating an enabling bill, HB 4145, during this year’s legislative session in Salem.
“The defeat of HB 4145 is more than a legislative victory—it is a defining moment for every Oregonian who values their constitutional right to keep and bear arms,” LeBlanc said at the time. “This outcome demonstrates that when citizens become informed, engaged, and united, they can successfully defend their freedoms against even the most aggressive legislative challenges.
“ORGOAL was founded to ensure that the voices of Oregon’s gun owners are heard in every committee room, every hearing, and every election,” he continued. “While we celebrate this historic victory, our work is far from over. We remain committed to building a stronger grassroots movement, holding elected officials accountable, and advancing policies that protect the rights of law-abiding Oregonians for generations to come. This is not the end of the fight—it is the beginning of a new chapter for the Second Amendment in Oregon.”
“Oregon’s gun owners deserve strong representation at every level—from the halls of the Oregon Legislature to the federal courts,” LeBlanc noted in a CCRKBA statement. “Our partnership with the Citizens Committee to Keep and Bear Arms marks a significant step forward in building a united front to defend and restore the constitutional rights of law-abiding Oregonians. By combining CCRKBA’s decades of national leadership with ORGOAL’s dedicated grassroots advocacy here in Oregon, we are creating a powerful alliance that will educate, mobilize, and empower citizens for generations to come. Together, we are committed to ensuring that the right to keep and bear arms remains protected, not only for today’s gun owners, but for the future of every Oregon family.”
