Critical news of interest to our readers.

Action Alert! Stop Kavanaugh Supreme Court Nomination!

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THE FIGHT TO #StopKavanaugh CONTINUES thanks to the efforts of Senator Blumenthal (D-CT). There’s still time to get your out-of-state friends and family to call their senators. Every call makes a difference!

Alaska: Lisa Murkowski (202) 224-6665
Alabama: Doug Jones (202) 224-4124
Arizona: Jeff Flake (202) 224-4521
Colorado: Michael Bennet (202) 224-5852
Indiana: Joe Donnelly (202) 224-4814
Maine: Susan Collins (202) 224-2523
Missouri: Claire McCaskill(202) 224-6154
North Dakota: Heidi Heitkamp (202) 224-2043
West Virginia: Joe Manchin (202) 224-3954

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CAGV Endorsements for the Primaries

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CAGV Endorses William Tong (Attorney General) and Matt Lesser (State Senate 9th District) in Primary Elections

CAGV has endorsed State Representative William Tong for CT Attorney General and Representative Matt Lesser for State Senate in the 9th District for the primary elections on August 14, 2018. The endorsements recognize candidates running in primaries who CAGV believes will be true leaders in advocating and taking action to promote and pass common-sense gun laws if elected—and have already distinguished themselves with a history of championing gun violence prevention legislation as central to their agenda and core beliefs.

 

William Tong, Candidate for Attorney General

Candidates’ positions on gun laws will be an important factor for voters in the upcoming fall elections—especially among youth. According to a recent Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics poll, among 18-29 year olds who say they will definitely vote, 77 percent consider gun regulation an important factor in determining their vote. According to a Quinnipiac national poll, gun policy is one of the top five issues voters of all ages will consider when deciding how to vote.

Candidates’ positions on gun laws will be an important factor for voters in the upcoming fall elections—especially among youth. According to a recent Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics poll, among 18-29 year olds who say they will definitely vote, 77 percent consider gun regulation an important factor in determining their vote. According to a Quinnipiac national poll, gun policy is one of the top five issues voters of all ages will consider when deciding how to vote.

Matt Lesser, Candidate for State Senate, 9th District

CAGV endorsements for candidates running in primaries were made using responses to the CAGV Candidate Questionnaire about Gun Laws and, if the candidate is an incumbent, his or her General Assembly legislative record. Also considered are candidate interviews, public statements, testimony, appearances at public events and press conferences and remarks made to gun violence prevention and gun rights advocacy organizations.

CAGV is continuing the process of grading candidates. After the primaries it will publish candidate grades and will make additional endorsements for the general election.

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CAGV CALLS For Ban of Bumpstocks NOW

CAGV Expresses Surprise that Public Safety Committee Refuses
to Hold Vote on Governor’s Bill to Ban Bump Stocks

FAIRFIELD, CT – Jeremy Stein, Executive Director of CT Against Gun Violence, Inc. released the following statement today in reaction to the Public Safety Committee’s refusal to vote on Governor Malloy’s  “Rate of Fire Enhancements” bill, S.B. 18.

“We were in full support of the Governor’s bill that would ban bump stocks, binary trigger systems, trigger cranks and other devices used to dramatically increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic firearms to rates similar to those of machine guns. It is alarming, in the wake of tragedies such as Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs and Parkland that the Public Safety Committee would not even vote on the measure. It is clear that the people of Connecticut, and the rest of the country, do not want bump stocks in our society. Four states now ban bump stocks: California, Massachusetts, New Jersey and most recently Washington State. Other states are considering bans and President Trump has agreed that bump stocks should be banned. We can do better. We should do better.”

The Las Vegas shooter used bump stocks to fire more than 1,100 rounds in just 10 minutes, killing 58 and injuring more than 500 concertgoers in the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Devices that increase the rate of fire such as bump stocks and trigger cranks have been responsible for at least 2 mass shootings in the U.S.

According to an October, 2017 poll by Quinnipiac University, three-quarters of voters nationwide support a ban on bump stocks, including 62% of Republicans, 82% of Democrats, 76% of Independents, and 67% of households with guns.

“Our legislators will have a second chance to do the right and sensible thing” Stein said. “A similar bill in the Judiciary Committee, H.B. 5542, which also bans bump stocks, is scheduled for a public hearing on March 23 in Hartford. We encourage citizens to come forward to have their voices heard, to tell our legislators that it is their responsibility to ensure the safety of our families and children. Connecticut should continue to lead the way on common-sense gun laws that save lives, and be the change the country wants to see.”

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