Posted on 08/13/2004 6:02:13 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
Sarah Brady Endorses Joe Hoeffel
8/12/2004
Press Release
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
United with the Million Mom March
1225 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
www.bradycampaign.org
Contact:
Peter Hamm
Phone: 202-289-5792
"It's Time for Senator Specter's 19th Century Gun Policies to be Retired"
Philadelphia, PA - Admired gun violence prevention advocate Sarah Brady today endorsed Congressman Joe Hoeffel in his race for the U.S. Senate. Mrs. Brady also sent a strong message to Senator Arlen Specter that his opposition to the assault weapons ban will put law enforcement officers at risk if the ban expires September 13.
Standing alongside Hoeffel and local elected officials, Mrs. Brady recalled Senator Specter's prolonged efforts to block the Brady Law from being passed. She reminded Pennsylvanians that the law has kept more than a million fugitives, felons and stalkers from buying firearms. She told the crowd that her husband, Jim Brady, joins her in endorsing Congressman Hoeffel - who supports the assault weapons ban -- in his race against Specter. Mr. Brady, former Press Secretary to President Ronald Reagan, was shot and critically wounded in an assassination attempt on the President in 1981.
"It's time for the people of Pennsylvania to gracefully retire Senator Specter, and hand over the reins to someone whose policies aren't lost in the 19th century," Mrs. Brady said. "Congressman Joe Hoeffel is that someone." She urged Pennsylvanians to reject the scare tactics of the extreme gun lobby, which pillories support of any sensible gun laws like the assault weapons ban. Even notable conservatives such as Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater supported the assault weapons ban.
The ban will expire September 13 if President Bush -- who said he supported it during his 2000 campaign -- doesn't prod Congress to act. Senator Specter voted against renewing the assault weapons ban this past March.
"I am proud to stand with Sarah Brady today," Hoeffel said in accepting the endorsement. "For more than two decades she and Jim have provided leadership that transcends partisan politics. Their priorities are mine: stopping the tragic and preventable deaths that are happening in Pennsylvania and all across our country nearly every day and stopping the logjam in Washington when it comes to reasonable, responsible legislation that will help slow the tide of gun violence in our country."
Mrs. Brady criticized Senator Specter's positions on numerous common sense gun safety laws:
Specter opposes requiring background checks at gun shows, despite the discovery of a terrorist manual that teaches students of terror that gun shows are the best way to buy guns in the United States. Joe Hoeffel voted to close the gun-show loophole.
Specter opposes protecting Pennsylvania's police by outlawing 30- 50- or 100-round ammunition clips. Joe Hoeffel supports outlawing large-capacity ammunition clips.
Specter opposes requiring that trigger locks be provided with handguns, to keep children from harming themselves or others. "Sen. Specter has grandchildren," Brady said, "How can he be against that?" Joe Hoeffel supports trigger locks on handguns.
Specter voted to destroy background check records after only a single day, taking away a tool the FBI wanted to use to trace terrorists. Hoeffel supports holding on to background checks.
Specter supported taking away the rights of Pennsylvanians to seek justice in court if a gun seller acts irresponsibly: People like Tennille Jefferson of Philadelphia, whose seven-year-old son died because of a reckless gun dealer. Hoeffel voted against similar legislation in Congress.
"Am I exaggerating? Not in the slightest," Mrs. Brady said. "You can find all of these votes on Senator Specter's campaign website. He's proud of them."
"Cities like Philadelphia are suffering from an epidemic of handgun violence -- much of it against innocent children," Hoeffel continued. "These unnecessary deaths might have been prevented if Congress had been willing to take responsible action against a culture and a gun lobby that makes it far too easy for criminals and children to get their hands on a handgun. But Pennsylvania has a clear choice this year. When it comes to combating gun violence and keeping weapons out of the hands of children, criminals and the mentally ill, Arlen Specter has decided where he stands, and it's not with those in communities that have seen too many children die."
Mr. Hoeffel, an experienced legislator who served at the local level and in the state legislature before being elected to Congress six years ago, "cares about our public health - he married a nurse and he's worked to strengthen healthcare," Mrs. Brady said. "He knows the world is a dangerous place -- and that we don't need to make it more dangerous by giving terrorists and unstable people access to Uzis and AK-47s that can fire a hundred rounds of ammunition before reloading. Senator Specter voted against renewing America's assault weapons ban in March, just as he voted against it ten years ago. And unless President Bush forces action, that ban will expire a month from tomorrow. Joe Hoeffel is a good man. He's worked hard for Pennsylvanians. He wants to make our streets safer, and to protect the safety of police officers in Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, and all across America. Jim and I are proud to stand squarely with him in this race."
Mrs. Brady and Cong. Hoeffel were joined by leaders of the Pennsylvania Million Mom March, which is a partner organization of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Mrs. Brady serves as honorary chair of the Brady Campaign, previously Handgun Control Inc. The organization was renamed in 2001 in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Brady and their efforts.
On Thursday, Mrs. Brady urged Pennsylvanians to reject the fear tactics of the National Rifle Association and the rest of the extreme gun lobby, which caricatures any effort to place common sense restrictions on firearm access as efforts to limit the rights of law-abiding hunters and sportsmen. "The extreme gun lobby has been misleading Americans for decades, saying that any law affecting guns is an attack on the Constitution, an assault on our nation. They know they're just plain wrong," Mrs. Brady said. "Senator Specter is a smart man -- he knows they're wrong, too. And he carries their water anyway. Enough is enough."
I'm wondering if there isn't a special place in Hell for those who make large sums of money pushing their invalid spouse around in public like some sort of circus attraction,
I'm amazed Specter is on the right side, for a change.
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