The Second Amendment Foundation and its lobbying arm, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms recently wrapped up the biggest and most successful Gun Rights Police Conference to date, according to SAF founder Alan Gottlieb, and the organizations are moving forward into the elections and beyond with several new additions to the groups’ leadership.

On Wednesday, Gottlieb announced that renowned firearms instructer Massad Ayoob is the new president of the Second Amendment Foundation, succeeding the late Joseph Tartaro, who passed away in June of this year at the age of 89 after a fight with cancer.

“The election to president of SAF is one of the most cherished honors of my life,” Ayoob said. “I have been proud to serve for many years on SAF’s Board of Trustees and will do my best to continue my commitment to what I consider a civil right and indeed, a human right.  

“I am humbled at the thought of replacing my long-time friend and mentor Joe Tartaro,” he continued, “and frankly doubt that anyone, myself included, can truly fill his shoes. I accepted the position only after being assured that it would be an interim appointment, and one of my primary goals is to find a dedicated 2A warrior with a longer life expectancy than my own to eventually serve in this position. In the meantime, I will support the goals of SAF, particularly to further strengthen our ties with the law enforcement community and to enhance the organization’s policy of embracing diversity in the community of the ‘gun culture.’”

Gottlieb says he’s both “proud and delighted” to see Ayoob assume the role of president of SAF, adding, “I’ve had the pleasure of working with him over the years as a SAF trustee, and look forward to working with him more closely in his new role. Without a doubt, Mas Ayoob is true defender of the Second Amendment, and his devotion to protecting and advancing the right to keep and bear arms will be critical as we face new challenges.”

In addition to Ayoob’s elevation to president of the Second Amendment Foundation, the group recently announced that several other individuals have been added to the board of directors of SAF and CCRKBA.

Major General Allen Youngman, who retired in 2003 after 34 years in the military and is now the senior consultant at the American Business Development Group joins Jim Irvine, president of the Buckeye Firearms Association and Ammoland.com editor-in-chief Freddy Reihl on the board of directors for the Second Amendment Foundation, while attorney Dan Zalenka, who also serves as president of the Louisiana Shooting Association has been added to the board of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms along with yours truly.

“With all of the challenges facing gun owners in the next few years,” Gottlieb said, “having Dan and Cam coming aboard with their combined years of experience in the grassroots gun rights movement is going to be critically important.

“The Citizens Committee is assuming a greater role in the firearms community as the Second Amendment remains under constant attack, on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures. The gun prohibition lobby is being fueled by anti-rights billionaires such as Michael Bloomberg, who have weaponized their wealth to erode the rights of honest citizens.

“Where we lack billions of dollars,” Gottlieb said, “we make up for with boots on the ground. The interests of Second Amendment activists will be well-served by leaders such as Dan Zelenka and Cam Edwards.”

I’m honored and humbled to join the board of the Citizens Committee, and I look forward to working with the organization in helping to secure and strengthen our Second Amendment rights at both the federal and state levels in the months ahead. We’re going to face a number of challenges regardless of who wins in November, because even a Trump/Pence victory and a Supreme Court that recognizes the importance of the Second Amendment and is willing to hear challenges to gun control laws won’t make the anti-gun groups and their billions of dollars disappear. They’ll continue to use their First Amendment rights to attack the Second Amendment, and gun owners will need to use our own freedom of speech to fight back against their unconstitutional infringements on our right to keep and bear arms.