Lt. Governor Sears Shocks Virginians, Echoes Insulting Gun Lobby Talking Points after Tragedy

Richmond, VA — GIFFORDS, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, released the following statement in response to Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears displaying a stunning lack of empathy for victims of a shooting at a high school graduation in Virginia yesterday. During a press conference, Sears callously made the incident political, bringing up unrelated topics such as gangs, bail, and law-abiding gun owners. The display shows a disregard for the victims of this tragedy and undermines the urgent need for effective solutions to address the devastating impact of gun violence in communities.

“Virginians are fed up with this administration’s callous disregard for protecting us from gun crime. Lt. Governor Sears wasted no time launching false political attacks to distract from the fact that Republicans have done nothing of substance to close the loopholes that still remain in Virginia’s gun laws and keep their constituents safe over the last two years,” said Sean Holihan, GIFFORDS State Legislative Director. “Virginians are clamoring for leaders who support and enforce commonsense laws that both keep guns away from dangerous people and respect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. Elected officials who choose the gun lobby over Virginia families will cost more lives and pay the price at the ballot box.”

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