Crimp
Member
I received the following email from Jim Mullins, president of the WV Citizens Defense League (WVCDL). He's doing a great job lobbying the attorney general about reciprocity and the legislature about gun bills, but needs some commited help. If you're a West Virginian able to step up to the plate, please contact Jim.
CATCHING UP ON NEGLECTED BUSINESS
Almost a year ago, I began the effort to organize WVCDL as the only pro-right to keep and bear arms organization active at the state & local level in West Virginia. This has not been an easy task, especially given the other demands on my time. For those of you who may not know me, I am currently in my second year of law school and thus, depending on the time of year, have to devote either a supermajority or all of my time to my studies. Nevertheless, I took up this task because no one else would.
With that being said, the severe limitations law school places on my time have resulted in a lack of progress in the formal organization of WVCDL. For the last year, we have existed primarily as a Web site and e-mail list of almost 350 subscribers. It remains my goal to make us a real, active organization that achieves the same visibility and prominence of similar organizations in other states. Although we have met initial goals of successfully lobbying the Attorney General for new concealed handgun license reciprocity agreements and drafting and having introduced in the Legislature several important pro-gun bills such as recognizing all other states’ concealed handgun licenses, there remains much to do.
For us to reach the next level, your help is needed!
Officers and Directors
The first thing WVCDL needs is individuals who will step forward to become officers and members of the WVCDL board of directors. We have an immediate need to fill the organization with a vice president, secretary, treasurer, and not less than 3 other individuals to fill a board of directors that will generally oversee WVCDL as we grow into a formal organization. We will also be looking to create and fill other specialized positions that will be created to grow WVCDL and promote our goals.
As the organizer and incorporator of WVCDL, it is my duty to select an initial board of directors that will adopt our bylaws and elect our initial officers. To do this, I am calling upon you to volunteer to serve. WVCDL is a nonpartisan organization and I want to encourage anyone, regardless of their party affiliation, to step forward to help us be all we can be. We are also looking for geographic diversity, although I would prefer a treasurer in close proximity to Morgantown to ease management of our finances.
If you are interested in being an officer or director of WVCDL, please prepare a résumé that tells me about your background, education, experience in both work and political or voluntary activities, special skills, etc. I can accept documents in Microsoft Word format; if you need to submit documents in another format, please e-mail me and we can discuss it further.
Please respond to me ASAP with an e-mail containing your name, address, and phone number if you would like to be considered for a position as an officer or director (I will allow additional time for resume preparation if necessary). I will respond privately to those who are interested in these positions to schedule a telephone conference call this week at which we will approve our bylaws and elect our initial officers.
Memberships
Many of you have written me asking how to formally join WVCDL. I have been unable to respond definitively to this question because of the endless delays in establishing our formal organizational structure and electing initial officers. That is changing very soon.
As soon as the initial officers and directors are elected, I will send an announcement and post on our Web site a printable application form. Once this happens, we will accept formal membership applications, dues, and additional voluntary contributions to support our work.
Although WVCDL is a volunteer-only organization, we do have expenses and bills to pay. These expenses will grow significantly as we expand and become more active.
Say tuned for more information on WVCDL membership.
Political Action Committee
As a nonprofit corporation, which we will officially be once the initial directors are appointed and meet to approve the bylaws and elect initial officers, WVCDL cannot endorse candidates for public office or make campaign contributions. With elections for state and local offices just around the corner, we will be establishing a state political action committee through which we will be able to endorse candidates and specifically advocate on behalf of our endorsed candidates. More information on the WVCDL-PAC will be available, including how to contribute and applicable West Virginia political contribution rules, shortly.
Finally
If you need to contact me for any reason, please send me an e-mail at the address above.
Jim Mullins, President
West Virginia Citizens Defense League
[email protected]
www.wvcdl.org
