Peter Ambler on the Resignation of NRA Champion Darrell Issa: “Darrell Issa Chose to be in Lockstep with the Gun Lobby Over His Community’s Safety, Now He’ll be Gone from Congress”
January 10, 2018 – Peter Ambler, Executive Director of Giffords, the gun safety organization launched by former Rep. Gabby Giffords and her husband Captain Mark Kelly, released the following statement reacting to the news that Rep. Darrell Issa will not seek re-election this year:
“For years, Rep. Darrell Issa put cashing checks from the gun lobby before strengthening laws to keep the public safe. Just weeks ago, in the wake of two of the nation’s worst mass shootings, he voted in favor of a bill that would allow stalkers and domestic abusers to carry concealed weapons in California. Issa chose to be in lockstep with the desires of the gun lobby over his community’s safety, we called him out, and now he’ll be gone from Congress. His resignation shows that his district does not want someone who will blindly follow the gun lobby’s agenda that prioritizes profits over anything else. We’re going to continue our work in California to make sure that Issa’s seat will be filled by someone who will have the courage to stand up to the gun lobby and put the safety of California communities first.”
Giffords consistently highlighted how Issa’s support support for the House of Representatives passage of concealed carry reciprocity bill was not backed by the constituents of California’s 49th District. As the bill was being prepared for consideration last fall Giffords released a new poll that showed California swing voters, including in Issa’s district, were opposed to it. When Issa, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, voted to move concealed carry reciprocity forward, Giffords released an ad that reached tens of thousands of his voters to point out his work to weaken gun laws.
Following House passage, Ambler wrote an op-ed for the Orange County Register on how members of Southern California, including Issa, who approved the bill put their communities at risk.
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