Todd J. Rathner

Todd J. Rathner is a member of the National Rifle Association of America Board of Directors where he has served since he was elected in 1999. Rathner currently serves on the following NRA committees: Executive Committee, Bylaws and Resolutions Committee, Finance Committee, Legislative Policy Committee, President's Committee on Ways and Means, and Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Committee.

Rathner grew up hunting and target shooting with his father, uncle and cousins and continues to do so today. He is a two time graduate of [http://www.gunsite.com/ Gunsite Firearms Training Academy] .

Rathner is a civil rights activist who is a passionate defender of the individual right to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the US Constitution in the Bill of Rights, Rathner also works to uphold the rights of hunters around the world to continue hunting. He is the owner of [http://www.tjsafari.com The T Jeffrey Safari Company LLC] which arranges African hunting safaris primarily in Namibia and South Africa.

In 2000 he organized and led the grassroots campaign to enact Arizona’s [http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/13/03108.htm Firearms Pre-emption Law] which prevents cities and towns in Arizona from enacting firearms laws or regulations and leaves the regulation of firearms to the Arizona legislature.

Rathner is a registered lobbyist for the [http://www.asrpa.com/ Arizona State Rifle & Pistol Association] and also represents the NRA at the Arizona Legislature, he was instrumental in the drafting and passage of the [http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/17/00602.htm Arizona Shooting Range Protection Bill] and the [http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/17/00603.htm Ben Avery Shooting Range Protection Bill] . These laws have secured the future of shooting ranges in Arizona and the [http://www.basfaz.com/ Ben Avery Shooting Facility] in particular. In addition Rathner has worked on numerous legislative measures to make life easier for law abiding gun owners and hunters in Arizona.

Rathner has worked on numerous political campaigns to elect pro Second Amendment candidates to various government offices.

Rathner currently works with various organizations to help ease firearms restrictions on American hunters who travel to hunt. These include bans on the transportation of firearms as checked luggage on commercial airliners. Rathner publishes [http://www.tjsafari.com/blog.cfm The T. Jeffrey Safari Company blog] which covers numerous topics related to hunting including issues critical to international hunters, especially those who hunt in Africa.

Rathner has also worked to assure the right of law abiding citizens of the United States to utilize public land for hunting and recreational shooting.

He is a frequent guest on [http://www.nra.org/ nranews.com] , and [http://www.libertywatchradio.com/listen Liberty Watch Radio] , and has had articles published by various news organizations on the subject of the Second Amendment, self defense and hunting/wildlife conservation related issues.

Date and Place of Birth

Born on November 6th 1965 in Flushing, Queens, New York, he currently resides in Tucson Arizona with his wife and two children.

Articles

[http://www.nrapublications.org/tah/SafariDays.asp NRA American Hunter Magazine] July 2008 Issue

[http://www.forbestraveler.com/adventure/bachelor-party-adventures-story.html Forbes Traveler Magazine] June 4, 2008

[http://www.nrapublications.org/TAH/onecountry.asp NRA American Hunter Magazine] June 2008 Issue

[http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0528vetoes0528.html The Arizona Republic] May 28, 2008

[http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/231058.php The Arizona Daily Star] March 24, 2008

[http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0312guns0312.html The Arizona Republic] March 12, 2008

[http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/archives/2007-08-02 The Outdoor Wire] August 2, 2007

[http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/170395 The Arizona Daily Star] February 27, 2007

[http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0413bar-guns13.html The Arizona Republic] April 13, 2005

[http://www.gunlaws.com/CCWBanquetIn%20ChiTrib.htm The Chicago Tribune] November 13, 2004

[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=23740 World Net Daily] July 21, 2001 [http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=43802 The Tucson Weekly] March 22, 2001

Awards and Recognition

Founded Arizona Shooting Range Coalition 2004

Named [http://www.azgfd.gov/pdfs/inside_azgfd/awards/Past%20Award%20Recipients.pdf Conservationist of The Year] by Arizona Game and Fish Commission 2002

Founder Gun Owners Of Arizona 2000

Named “Freedom Fighter Of the Decade” by Old Pueblo Friends Of NRA Committee 1999

Named [http://www.azsci.com/ Safari Club International Arizona Chapter] Member of the year 1999

Awarded [http://www.trgc.org/index.html Tucson Rod and Gun Club] Distinguished Service Award 1998

Instructor Certifications

"National Rifle Association:"

Rifle

Pistol

Personal Protection.

"Arizona Game and Fish Department:"

Hunter Education Instructor