This week, we're taking a comprehensive look at the dozens of gun bills up for debate in Virginia.

Our guest is Philip Van Cleave. He's the president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), and one of the top gun-rights activists working in Richmond. He has been on the ground since the beginning of the session, and he has tracked every gun bill going through the legislature.

So far, 33 gun bills have passed through at least one chamber. Many have passed through both. Some are already identical copies, and on their way to Governor Abigal Spanberger's (D.) desk, where she's expected to sign them.

However, Van Cleave said there are several bills that each house will have to reconcile during what's called "crossover" in Virginia. That's where he believes gun-rights activists still have a chance to block at least some of the bills. He noted they were already able to block a few bills, such as the proposed $500 tax on suppressors.

Still, he said it's going to be an uphill battle to block big-ticket items like the "assault weapons" banand numerous gun-carry restrictions. But he said VCDL is going to keep pressuring lawmakers and the governor until the session ends. Then he said they plan to pursue legal actions if some of the more aggressive restrictions pass.

Special Guest: Philip Van Cleave.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I examine what the Department of Justice's released Epstein files reveal about how much contact he had with Michael Bloomberg, the top funder of the gun-control movement. We also cover Epstein's repeated interest in shooting sports and the gun industry well after his 2008 sex crime conviction rendered him ineligible to possess firearms.

Links:
https://thereload.com/michael-bloomberg-had-closer-ties-to-jeffrey-epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-than-previously-known/
https://thereload.com/epstein-kept-agreeing-to-shooting-trips-even-after-sex-crime-conviction/
https://thereload.com/jeffrey-epstein-considered-investing-in-major-gun-company-after-sandy-hook-despite-sex-crime-record/
http://thereload.com/epstein-guns-and-sex-crimes-a-timeline-member-exclusive/
https://www.abqjournal.com/news/bill-that-would-have-banned-extremely-dangerous-weapons-tightened-dealer-security-stalls/2984103

This week, we're looking at the bleeding edge of gun-rights legal fights: 3D-printed gun file sharing.

After a years-long hiatus, news just dropped in one of the major legal skirmishes. The Third Circuit threw out a challenge to New Jersey's file-sharing ban on Thursday. Just before that, California sued our guest for publishing gun files on the open internet.

That guest is Florida gun-rights lawyer Matt Larosiere. He joins the show to explain California's claims against him as well as the federal lawsuit he filed against California in Florida.

Larosiere accused California of filing suit for purely political reasons. He argued the state's claims are weak and its demand for nearly $8 million in damages is absurd. He claimed the state is effectively trying to impose its will on other states, even though neither he nor the other defendants ever went to California or intentionally shared information with anyone there.

He believes the Constitution is clear that gun designs and files are protected speech. Even if you drill down into more technical computer code associated with 3D printing of guns, Larosiere argued those files are protected by the First Amendment as well. That's why he was hopeful the test the Third Circuit created for judging the nexus between gun files and the First Amendment would actually help his case, despite that court ultimately dismissing a claim against New Jersey's file-sharing ban.

Special Guest: Matt Larosiere.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I discuss a long-awaited ruling out of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which tossed a lawsuit brought by gun-rights activists against New Jersey's ban on sharing digital gun designs. We also cover a major settlement against a gun accessory maker that gun-control advocates blamed, at least in part, for the Tops grocery store shooting in Buffalo, New York.

Story links:
https://thereload.com/newsletter-digital-gun-designs-back-in-third-circuits-crosshairs/
https://thereload.com/third-circuit-tosses-challenge-to-new-jersey-3d-printed-gun-file-ban/
https://thereload.com/analysis-the-third-circuits-new-test-for-whether-3d-printed-gun-files-are-protected-speech-member-exclusive/
https://thereload.com/gun-accessory-maker-agrees-to-1-75-million-settlement-in-buffalo-shooting-lawsuit/
https://thereload.com/gun-sales-slow-in-january-despite-silencer-upswing/
https://youtu.be/-L9fwWdOJ50?si=qWq6ILWBi0mmJhdn
https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/12/us/video/firearms-expert-analyzes-masked-subjects-gun-and-holster-in-nancy-guthrie-disappearance-lcl
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gun-trainers-nationwide-say-women-liberals-are-taking-interest-classes-rcna258195
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/9/virginia-gun-owners-dealers-unload-states-proposed-firearms-crackdown/

This week, we're focused on the backlash to US Attorney Jeanine Pirro's recent comments about locking up "law-abiding" gun owners who travel to Washington, DC.

Pirro said she would send anyone who carried a gun into the city straight to jail. Her comments came on the heels of President Donald Trump, who appointed her, saying he didn't like that Alex Pretti was carrying a gun before being shot to death by immigration agents. Gun-rights activists, longtime allies of the president, have been outraged by all of this.

We've got Bearing Arms editor Cam Edwards on the show to weigh Pirro's walkbacks and the political cost of all this.

He argued Pirro's follow-up comments don't even really qualify as walkbacks, and he doesn't think gun-rights activists are likely to forgive or forget soon. He also criticized Pirro and other DC officials for a lack of transparency over how frequently they arrest or charge people with standalone gun-carry crimes.

Still, Cam argued that, while many Democrats have made pro-gun statements in the wake of Pretti's killing, he didn't see any good reason to believe they are becoming a viable alternative for gun-rights advocates. He pointed to Virginia and New Mexico Democrats advancing sweeping new gun sales bans, and even a ban on the ammunition magazines Pretti carried as evidence the party hasn't actually changed. Though he noted there may be reason to think that at least some Democratic voters are shifting on the issue.

Cam said the Trump Administration's recent approach to guns leaves activists between a rock and a hard place. He said it could try to win back gun owners by making a splashy announcement reversing course on enforcing DC's gun carry restrictions. However, he isn't sure whether Trump even wants to reverse course, and Republicans may end up paying a price at the polls in November over all this.

Special Guest: Cam Edwards.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I discuss US Attorney Jeanine Pirro's recent comments promising to crack down on gun carry in Washington DC, which drew widespread criticism from gun-rights supporters. We discuss how they arrived as DC police still haven't resumed publishing data on gun crime arrest statistics despite pledging to do so. We also cover the relatively uncontroversial confirmation hearing for Trump's ATF Director nominee, Robert Cekada.

Episode links:
https://thereload.com/trump-atf-director-nominee-faces-little-pushback-in-confirmation-hearing/
https://thereload.com/ninth-circuit-upholds-parts-of-california-switchblade-ban/
https://www.ms.now/opinion/jeanine-pirro-trump-gun-rights-second-amendment-comments
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6999636/2026/01/26/packers-rasheed-walker-arrested-gun/?unlocked_article_code=1.JVA.RvRf.j3r9ekb6_g1x&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_copylink&smid=url-share-ta

This week, we're taking a close look at the key moments in the Alex Pretti shooting.

To do that, we've got one of the best use-of-force experts out there: John Correia. John has run Active Self Protection for years, where he has analyzed countless videos of self-defense and police-involved shootings over the last decade. He is also a gun-safety instructor and expert witness.

He said there are several key moments from the shooting that provide insight into the likely legality of the agents' actions. He pointed to the moment the first agent came over to shove the woman next to Pretti, the moment he interceded with that agent, the point where he was taken to the ground, the moment Pretti was disarmed, and the point where the first shots were taken as important to understand. He explained why those interactions would be paramount for a potential jury considering the case.

He also discussed Pretti's decision to carry a gun. He said, despite President Donald Trump's comments to the contrary, carrying an extra magazine isn't unusual. Though, he also said he wouldn't advise people to carry places where they know there may be an elevated level of risk. But he said that if it's legal, it's ultimately up to the carrier to decide.

Ultimately, Correia gave his overall assessment of Pretti's killing and the agents' conduct.

Special Guest: John Correia.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I discuss the ongoing fallout from the Alex Pretti shooting as it relates to gun politics, including the fact that Trump administration officials have repeatedly questioned common gun carry practices. Meanwhile, prominent Democrats and gun-control advocates have rhetorically defended Pretti's Second Amendment rights, even as their allies in Virginia are advancing legislation that would have criminalized nearly every aspect of his conduct.

Links:
https://thereload.com/newsletter-the-fallout-from-the-alex-pretti-shooting/
https://thereload.com/trump-doubles-down-on-attacking-gun-carry-in-wake-of-alex-pretti-killing/
https://thereload.com/analysis-will-trumps-anti-carry-comments-translate-to-policy-member-exclusive/
https://thereload.com/several-gun-rights-groups-call-for-investigation-into-ice-killing-of-ccw-permittee/
https://thereload.com/virginia-democrats-advance-assault-weapon-ban-magazine-confiscation-language/
https://thereload.com/analysis-is-the-atfs-new-rule-for-drug-users-a-curb-your-enthusiasm-scenario/
https://www.ms.now/opinion/trump-alex-pretti-nra-cbp-minneapolis-shooting-essayli
https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2026/01/29/doj-sides-with-2a-groups-in-challenge-to-massachusetts-gun-ban-n1231386
https://www.abqjournal.com/news/gun-bill-sparks-emotional-debate-at-roundhouse/2970242