ARS Calls On Ed Gillespie To Answer Public Safety Questions

September 19, 2017— In advance of tonight’s second gubernatorial debate, Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Captain Mark Kelly, called on Ed Gillespie to answer questions about his unknown record on public safety.

Peter Ambler, Executive Director, Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC:

“At a time when over 900 Virginians are dying from gun violence every year, Virginia voters are looking to support leaders who will keep guns out of dangerous hands and make Virginia communities safer from gun violence. While Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam continues to make gun violence prevention a central issue of his campaign, Ed Gillespie continues to tout his National Rifle Association endorsement, further showing he is outside the mainstream. What remains unclear is what Ed Gillespie had to promise in order to receive that endorsement. As governor, would he eliminate gun-free school zones and serve as a rubber stamp for the gun lobby’s dangerous agenda? At tonight’s debate, we hope Ed Gillespie will answer the important public safety questions that are on Virginia voters’ minds.”

5 Unanswered Questions About Ed Gillespie’s Position On Gun Safety

1. 1. As governor, would Ed Gillespie protect the loopholes that let felons, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill buy guns without a background check — a loophole that 88 percent of Virginians favor closing ? In 2014, the National Rifle Association stated that Ed Gillespie “opposes the so-called Obama-Bloomberg ‘universal’ background check system that would criminalize the private transfer of a firearm between life-long friends and many family members.” [Source: Since deleted NRA web page] 
   2. As governor, would Ed Gillespie oppose strengthening Virginia’s gun trafficking laws? Virginia has become known as a breeding ground for gun traffickers, largely fueled by individuals who legally purchase guns on behalf of those who cannot pass a background check. Efforts to repeal Governor Wilder’s attempts at combatting the state’s gun trafficking problem have made Virginia less safe. Earlier this year, two dozen people, many of whom were from Virginia, were arrested for trafficking over 200 firearms to New York.
   3. As governor, would Ed Gillespie protect the loopholes that give domestic abusers easy access to firearms? In 2012, over 100 women were killed in Virginia  by a current or former domestic partner. Many of these domestic violence-related homicides involved firearms. Unlike federal law, existing Virginia law does not prohibit individuals convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors from possessing firearms or ammunition.
   4. As governor, would Ed Gillespie support allowing guns in schools? Federal and state laws ensuring that schools are gun-free zones have helped make K–12 schools even safer, significantly reducing gun violence in these places. School-associated student homicide rates decreased after the federal laws restricting guns within 1,000 feet of schools were adopted in the early 1990s. Despite the evidence that gun-free zones make our schools safer, the gun lobby wants to arm visitors, teachers and faculty at elementary, middle and high schools and to allow college students to possess guns on campus, which will only lead to more gun deaths and injuries, not less.
   5. As governor, would Ed Gillespie oppose legislation that empowers law enforcement and families to remove firearms from individuals in crisis? Over the past three years, a growing list of states with strong traditions of gun ownership have passed Extreme Risk Protective Order (ERPO) laws that create a court-ordered mechanism for family members to work with law enforcement to temporarily prevent access to firearms for at-risk individuals. Research shows that people are more likely to die by suicide if they have easy access to firearms. ERPO laws can prevent suicidal individuals from accessing guns during a crisis, which can help prevent gun violence tragedies and save lives.

Citing his longstanding commitment to responsible gun violence prevention policies, Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC endorsed Lieutenant Governor Northam last month. Earlier this year, Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC hosted the first-ever Virginia gubernatorial candidate forum  focused exclusively on gun safety issues. The forum, which was attended by Virginia’s two Democratic gubernatorial candidates, provided an opportunity for the candidates to share their views about addressing gun violence in Virginia and their plans to keep families safe.

AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT:

In advance of tonight’s debate, the following gun policy experts are available for comment and interviews on the Virginia gubernatorial race:

• Peter Ambler, Executive Director, Americans for Responsible Solutions
• David Chipman, Former ATF Special Agent of 25 years, Senior Advisor at Americans for Responsible Solutions and a Virginia resident