America’s Unforgiven Face Lifelong Gun Ban: MSLF Urges SCOTUS to End the Injustice

Mountain States Legal Foundation’s (MSLF) Center to Keep and Bear Arms is asking the United States Supreme Court to hear the case of a Pennsylvania woman who was denied the right to purchase a firearm because of a ten-yearold false statements conviction.

Lisa Folajtar is by all accounts an upstanding member of society. But ten years ago, in 2011, she pleaded guilty to willfully making false statements on her tax returns — a federal felony punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment. But she was only sentenced to, and completed, three months of home confinement and three years’ probation; she also paid a $10,000 fine and a $100 assessment as well as $250,000 in back taxes, interest, and penalties.

According to the federal government, however, Ms. Folajtar can never again be allowed to own a firearm.

Current federal law prohibits individuals that have been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment of a term exceeding one year from possessing firearms—for life. The prohibition is not limited to those who commit violent crimes, felonies, or even those who were actually sentenced to more than one-year imprisonment. The law is so broad that it unconstitutionally prohibits non-violent individuals, like Folajtar, from possessing firearms.

To be clear, Ms. Folajtar is not a dangerous or violent person. She served her time and paid her penalties. Ms. Folajtar has been an upstanding citizen since her conviction and has had no further legal issues. Yet the federal government continues to deny her the ability to exercise her natural and fundamental right to keep and bear arms—a clear violation of the Second Amendment.

“The federal government has no authority to prohibit nonviolent Americans, such as Ms. Folajtar, from possessing firearms,” said Director of MSLF’s Center to Keep and Bear Arms, Cody J. Wisniewski. “Based on the Second Amendment and Founding Era regulations, the federal government can only prohibit dangerous persons from possessing arms. At the time of our Founding, these were most commonly people who were supporting or actively aiding the British Empire or engaged in violent insurrection—not people who lied on their tax returns.” Folajtar v. Rosen[CW1] , is the most recent in a group of cases being presented to the Supreme Court regarding the firearm rights of nonviolent misdemeanants and felons. MSLF’s Center to Keep and Bear Arms also recently joined with the Cato Institute and other like-minded organizations to file an amici curiae brief in Holloway v. Rosen, where Mr. Holloway has been denied his Second Amendment protected rights due to a fifteen-year-old misdemeanor DUI. ▫

by Susan Kelly, meatingplace.com

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) has published a list of the top 10 menu trends that helped its members survive in 2020 and should continue to shape the foodservice landscape in the year ahead.

The trade group also got feedback on what foods customers craved most from 6,000 operators, which named burgers and pizza among the top three in both the full-service and limited-service categories. Full-service customers also craved seafood, while limited-service patrons wanted sandwichs/subs/wraps.

About 110,000 restaurants across the country were subject to dining restrictions imposed due to the pandemic, forcing them to close either temporarily or for good, NRA said. The industry lost about $240 billion in sales and remains 2.5 million jobs below pre-pandemic levels, the group’s research found.

NRA said the trends that helped restaurants stay afloat in 2020 and will shape 2021 include:

Streamlined menus. Operators got lean fast, reducing inventories and developing items they could make well with less staff. Selections also had to travel well and satisfy customers’ cravings.

Off-premise takes precedence. Before the pandemic, 80 percent of full-service restaurant traffic was on-premises, but everything changed when restaurants were forced to quickly shift to takeout and delivery only.

Blended meals. Restaurants helped homebound customers add variety to meals cooked at home. Diners could order appetizers, sides or desserts and serve them with their home-cooked entrees, for example.

Bundled meal deals. Restaurants began selling meals consisting of an appetizer and/or side, entrée, and dessert, available in either family packs or individual meals.

Meal kits. Half of adults surveyed said they’d likely purchase a meal kit (featuring pre-measured ingredients and cooking instructions) offered by one of their favorite restaurants. The number jumped to 75 percent among millennials and Gen Zs.

Meal subscriptions. Customers sign up to get a set number of meals during the month, either delivered or prepared for pickup, for a discounted price. More than half of adults surveyed for this year’s report said they’d sign up if their favorite restaurants offered them.

Selling groceries. More than half of consumers surveyed would buy groceries (fresh, uncooked food items such as meat, produce, dairy, bread or pasta) if restaurants offered them.

Alcohol to go. A third of off-premises customers over the age of 21 said they’d order an adult beverage to go with their takeout meals and plan on continuing the practice going forward.

Comfort foods. Consumers said menus offering a good selection of comfort foods (such as burgers and pizza) influenced their restaurant choices.

Healthy food. The availability of healthful foods also influenced consumers’ choice of restaurants. Special diet menu offerings, such as gluten-free or vegan, were less of an influence on restaurant choice. ▫