In Advance Of Final VA Gubernatorial Debate, Gun Safety Organization Calls On Ed Gillespie To Release NRA Questionnaire, Answer Public Safety Questions

October 9, 2017

October 9, 2017 — Inadvanceof tonight’s finalgubernatorial debate, Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC, the gunsafetyorganizationfounded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Captain Mark Kelly, called once again onEdGillespieto answerquestions about his unknown record onpublicsafety.

Throughout his Virginia gubernatorial campaign, EdGillespie has touted his NRA endorsement and has accepted over $1.5 million in campaign assistance from the gun lobby, but has refused to disclose whether or not he would support their dangerous agenda that threatens the safetyof Virginia’s families and communities.

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

“Last week, our nation experienced the deadliest mass shooting inmodern American History. The tragic impact ofgun violence is one that Virginia knows all too well, and Virginia’s next governor must be determined to combat this deadly epidemic. “Ralph Northam has worked tirelessly to improve publicsafety for Virginia families, and has committed to taking action as governor toreduce gun violence. EdGillespie has received an A-rating an an endorsement from the NRA, but it remains unclear exactly what EdGillespie had to promise in order to get that endorsement. As governor, will EdGillespie support allowing guns in K-12 schools? As governor, will EdGillespie eliminate the permitting system for carrying concealed firearms, so that there is no background check and no safety training required? Does EdGillespie still want toprotect the loopholes the let felons, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill buy guns without a background check — a loophole that 88 percent of Virginians favor closing? “The answers to these questions are important, and EdGillespiehas provided them to the NRAin their questionnaire. We believe Virginians deserve to know where EdGillespie stands, and whether he will put the profits of the gun lobby over the safetyof Virginia children and families. At tonight’s debate, we hope EdGillespie will finally answer these critically important publicsafetyquestions.”

5 Unanswered Questions About EdGillespie’s Position OnGunSafety

As governor, would EdGillespie protect the loopholes the let felons, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill buy guns without a background check — a loophole that 88 percent ofVirginians favor closing ?In 2014, the National Rifle Association stated that EdGillespie “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]
As governor, would EdGillespie 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.
As governor, would EdGillespie 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.
As governor, would EdGillespie support allowing guns inschools? 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.
As governor, would EdGillespie 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 ofgun 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 ongunsafety 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 gunviolence in Virginia and their plans to keep families safe.

AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT:

Inadvanceof 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

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

New York Times : In Virginia, Gun Control heats Up the Governor’s Race
Washington Post : Gillespie backs ‘bump stock’ restrictions; declines toreleaseNRAquestionnaire
Augusta Free Press : Mark Kelly, Virginia GunSafety Advocates Call toReleaseNRAQuestionnaire