Giffords Endorses Candidates for Attorney General in Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, and New York

Washington DC — Today, Giffords PAC, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, announced its endorsements of Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings and New York Attorney General Tish James for reelection, Anthony Brown in his bid for attorney general in Maryland, and Raúl Torrez in his bid for attorney general in New Mexico.

“Attorneys general are a critical component of defending gun safety laws. As the gun lobby tries to overturn popular and effective gun violence prevention laws across the country, it is more important than ever to have gun safety champions serving in office and fighting back against these reckless lawsuits. Giffords is proud to endorse this strong slate of candidates for attorneys general today – with them leading the charge, a safer future is possible.”

• Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings: A longtime advocate for gun safety, Attorney General Kathy Jennings works to protect Delaware communities from senseless gun violence every day. Before serving as Attorney General, Jennings worked at the Delaware Department of Justice where she prosecuted those responsible for gun violence. In this role she saw firsthand the tragic effect violence can have on Delaware families and dedicated herself to building a safer future. Following the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, then-State Prosecutor Jennings worked alongside the Governor and Attorney General to advocate for several new gun safety laws. In her first term as Attorney General, she secured an 85% conviction rate on gun violence cases and helped pass historic new laws to crack down on ghost guns. Attorney General Jennings also advocated for the recent package of gun safety laws that bans assault weapons and high capacity magazines while raising the age of gun possession to 21. The new legislation also empowers the Attorney General’s office to hold gun manufacturers and dealers accountable for their role in our gun violence epidemic for any knowing or reckless conduct.

• New York Attorney General Tish James: Attorney General Letitia James is the first woman of color to hold statewide office in New York, and the first woman to be elected New York Attorney General. This fall, she is running for reelection to finish the job that New Yorkers chose her to do four years ago: to hold powers like the corporate gun lobby accountable and to make New York a more fair, more just, and safer place for all. As New New York’s chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General James has played a key role in busting major gun trafficking rings, taking down hundreds of illegal dealers and distributors in the process. Over the past four years, her office has removed over 3,000 illegal guns from the streets and cracked down on the proliferation of ghost guns by stopping 17 companies from selling untraceable gun parts online in New York. She’s also taken on the NRA for their years of fraud and abuse. When New York’s concealed carry law was challenged in federal court, Attorney General James stepped up to defend it because she knows that it kept people safe from harm. 

• Congressman Anthony Brown (Democratic Nominee for Maryland Attorney General): Congressman Anthony Brown has dedicated his life to public service and to keeping families safe. Sadly, like too many others, the fight to end gun violence is personal for Congressman Brown. In 2008, while Brown was serving as Lt. Governor, his cousin, Cathy, was shot and killed by her estranged boyfriend. In the aftermath, Rep. Brown worked with the Maryland General Assembly to strengthen gun safety laws and keep firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers. In Congress, Rep. Brown has made gun safety a legislative priority, co-sponsoring legislation such as the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act. Rep. Brown also introduced legislation to raise the purchase age for semi-automatic rifles and to close the boyfriend loophole. Rep. Brown proudly supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, helping to pass the first major federal gun safety legislation in decades. Rep. Brown understands that the fight to stop gun violence takes courage and commitment, and he will continue his record of fighting for solutions as Attorney General. 

• Raúl Torrez (Democratic Nominee for New Mexico Attorney General): Raúl Torrez has spent nearly two decades fighting to make America a safer place for all. Torrez has deep experience in government—from assistant Attorney General, assistant US Attorney, and senior advisor in President Obama’s Department of Justice to his current role as Bernalillo County District Attorney. He has been a fervent advocate for gun violence prevention through it all, earning him a reputation as a public safety champion. As Bernalillo County District Attorney, Torrez has always been a staunch advocate for commonsense solutions in New Mexico. Torrez has repeatedly gone to the State Legislature to advocate for lifesaving legislation including universal background checks and extreme risk protection orders. He supports the Second Amendment and understands the importance of responsible gun ownership which has led him to push for safe storage laws. Torrez was also the first prosecutor in the country to sue a heavily armed, extremist, right-wing militia for using weapons to stifle free speech.

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