Americans for Responsible Solutions Launches Accountability Campaign

Senator McConnell of Kentucky and Senator Ayotte of New Hampshire are First Focus of Growing Grassroots Movement Led By Giffords and Kelly

On the heels of the Senate’s failure to heed the will of the American people and pass common sense expanded background checks, Americans for Responsible Solutions (ARS) is holding two senators accountable for their vote.

ARS, founded by Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly, will begin airing radio ads today in Kentucky and New Hampshire, highlighting Senator Mitch McConnell and Senator Kelly Ayotte’s vote against this sensible solution to keeping our families safe from gun violence.

The ads highlight McConnell and Ayotte’s putting loyalty to the special interest gun lobby in Washington instead of supporting wildly popular sensible policies that would keep their communities safer. In Kentucky, 82 percent of people support background checks; in New Hampshire, 89 percent of residents support them.

In NH, the ads will air in Concord, Manchester, Keene, and the Seacoast and encourages listeners to call Senator Ayotte and let her know how disappointed they are by her decision to “go Washington” instead of remaining loyal to her constituents. In Kentucky, the ads will run in Louisville and Lexington, targeting women voters, and will reach saturation over the course of the two week buy.

“As Gabby said last week, if we can’t keep our communities safer with the congress we have, we will work to change congress, “ said Pia Carusone, Executive Director of ARS. “Senator McConnell and Senator Ayotte turned their backs on their constituents at home in order to do the bidding in Washington of the corporate gun lobby. We’re going to make sure their constituents know that, effective immediately.”

Since the vote less than a week ago, Americans for Responsible Solutions has received contributions from more than 24,000 individual online donors in amounts less than $50 – a sign of extraordinary anger and determination from Americans throughout the country who are angry at their elected representatives for ignoring their will and fed up with business as usual in Washington.

Additional advertising targets – including some thanking Senators who listened to their constituents and voted for the legislation – will be released later in the week.

“Ignored”

“Listen”

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Americans for Responsible Solutions

“Ignored – Ayotte” FINAL

RADIO:60

(SFX: Coffee shop)

Woman 1: Remember that ad Kelly Ayotte ran saying she’s one of us.

Woman 2: Oh, where she’s out for a run?

Woman 1: (SFX: Newspaper rustling) Yeah. Well, it sure didn’t take long for her to “go Washington.” Says here Ayotte voted against improving background checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Woman 2: Are you serious? 89 percent of the people in New Hampshire support universal background checks. She just ignored us?

Woman 1: Sure did. This was common sense legislation written by a Republican and a Democrat. Supported by law enforcement. And it protected Second Amendment rights. But Ayotte voted against it anyway.

Woman 2: And ignored the will of the people.

Woman 1: Well, I’m calling Senator Ayotte and telling her to listen to the people for a change. You should too. The number is202-224-3324.

Woman 2: Paid for by Americans for Responsible Solutions.

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Americans for Responsible Solutions

“LISTEN”

RADIO: 60

(Montage of News clips from Newtown of the shooting).

Announcer: We watched. We listened. We felt it. Newtown.

But Senator McConnell won’t listen to us.

Eighty-two percent of Kentuckians support universal background checks.

But Senator McConnell voted against them.

McConnell opposed common sense checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Written by a Republican and a Democrat. Supported by law enforcement officers. It was a common sense plan that protected Second Amendment Rights.

But Senator McConnell ignored the will of the people. Making our children and our families less save…. And putting the Washington special interests ahead of Kentucky… AGAIN.

Call Senator McConnell at 202-224-2541. And tell him to start listening to us, for a change.

Paid for by Americans for Responsible Solutions.