Robert Allen Ricker (January 8, 1951 - December 4, 2009
[) was a member of the board of directors and Executive Director of the ]American Hunters and Shooters Association
The American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA) was a United States-based non-profit 501(c)(4) organization which operated from 2005 to 2010. The group described itself as a national grassroots organization for responsible gun ownership and ...
who resigned on January 6, 2009 after accusing gun manufacturers of "irresponsible" and "negligent" behavior.
Early career
Ricker graduated from George Mason University School of Law
The Antonin Scalia Law School (previously George Mason University School of Law) is the law school of George Mason University, a public research university in Virginia. It is located in Arlington, Virginia, roughly west of Washington, D.C., and ...
and began his career in 1977 as a trial lawyer for a Northern Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
law firm. In 1981, he was hired as an Assistant General Counsel by the National Rifle Association of America
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while cont ...
(NRA) to represent the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action and NRA Political Victory Fund The Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is the political action committee (PAC) of the National Rifle Association (NRA). The Fund contributes money to political campaigns of candidates endorsed by the NRA.
Chairman
Chris W. Cox, who has been the NRA' ...
. In 1983, Ricker moved to the west coast, where he organized and developed the California Wildlife Federation’s legislative advocacy program. That same year, he led the legislative effort in California to pass the nation's first firearm industry product liability immunity statute.
Controversy
In 1999, Ricker was appointed the Executive Director of the American Shooting Sports Council, a gun industry group.[ Subscription Required] His time in that position was brief, as he lost his post as executive director after attending a meeting with President Clinton to discuss preventing school shooting like the Columbine High School massacre
On April 20, 1999, a school shooting and attempted bombing occurred at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, United States. The perpetrators, 12th grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered 12 students and one teacher. ...
. The meeting, which was opposed by the National Rifle Association, led to the American Shooting Sports Council being disbanded.[ In an ]affidavit
An ( ; Medieval Latin for "he has declared under oath") is a written statement voluntarily made by an ''affiant'' or '' deponent'' under an oath or affirmation which is administered by a person who is authorized to do so by law. Such a statemen ...
filed in California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, and later in testimony before a federal court in Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, Ricker, pointed to what he said were "irresponsible" and "negligent" behavior on the part of gun manufacturers, distributors and dealers.
Later work
Ricker managed his own Sacramento, California based legislative advocacy and policy consulting firm.
Ricker died December 4, 2009.
See also
*Right to keep and bear arms
The right to keep and bear arms (often referred to as the right to bear arms) is a right for people to possess weapons (arms) for the preservation of life, liberty, and property. The purpose of gun rights is for self-defense, including securi ...
*Gun politics
Gun laws and policies, collectively referred to as firearms regulation or gun control, regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, and use of small arms by civilians. Laws of some countries may afford civilians a right to ...
References
External links
Rickers appearing on NOW with Bill Moyers
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ricker, Bob
1951 births
2009 deaths
George Mason University alumni
American whistleblowers