For Immediate Release
July 6, 2004
Contact: Andy Said
703-321-8585

Gun Owners of America today issued a statement in answer to questions regarding Senator John Edwards’ record on gun rights issues. Having been selected as a running mate by presidential candidate John Kerry, the “other John” — Senator John Edwards — is a virtual clone when it comes to issues of concern to gun owners.

In fact, it should come as no surprise that Kerry would pick another gun grabbing senator like himself in his run for the Oval Office.

“Presidential candidates frequently pick running mates to help ‘balance’ the ticket,” said GOA Communications Director Erich Pratt. “But voters should beware. The likely democratic ticket this November will have no balance whatsoever when it comes to freedom issues like the Second Amendment.

“As both candidates are F-rated by GOA, this ticket is tilting fully to the left.”

Consider just some of the votes which these two share in common:

* Feinstein semi-auto ban. On March 2 of this year, Kerry and Edwards both voted for a Dianne Feinstein amendment that would extend the ban that was signed into law by President Clinton in 1994 — a ban which outlaws certain magazines and more than 180 types of semi-automatic firearms.

* Outlawing private sales. Kerry and Edwards also voted on March 2 for language that would outlaw the private sale of firearms at gun shows, unless the buyer agrees to submit to a background registration check.

Even worse, the amendment could effectively eliminate gun shows altogether, because every member of an organization sponsoring a gun show could be imprisoned if the organization fails to notify each and every “person who attends the special firearms event of the [Brady Law] requirements.” Thus, if the person responsible for handing out “Brady pamphlets” took a break to go to the bathroom, everyone responsible for the event could be sent to prison.

* Free speech restrictions. In April 2001, Kerry and Edwards both voted to severely curtail the ability of outside groups such as GOA to communicate the actions of incumbent politicians to pro-gun members and supporters prior to an election. This Incumbent Protection legislation makes it even harder for Gun Owners to point out the unconstitutional votes that are cast by anti-gun legislators such as Kerry.

Hypocritically, “fat cat” Kerry supporters — like billionaire George Soros — are spending more than $100 million to circumvent that same law.

For more information on Kerry and Edwards’ Second Amendment voting records, please visit the GOA website at http://www.gunowners.org and click on the “Congressional Gun Votes” link on the main page.

Erich Pratt is Director of Communications for Gun Owners of America, a national gun lobby with over 300,000 members located at 8001 Forbes Place, Springfield, VA 22151.