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| OCTOBER 16, 1998
12:45 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Handgun Control (202) 898-0792 |
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| "Dirty Dozen" Got Crime Guns At Gun Shows; Legislators, James Brady Issue Calls to Close Gun Show Loophole | ||||
| WASHINGTON -
October 16 - Gun shows have armed some our nation’s most notorious criminals. In a
news conference today hosted by Handgun Control, Inc. (HCI), James Brady, U.S.
Representative Rod Blagojevich (D-IL), and Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas unveiled
the "Dirty Dozen" of gun show purchasers. Criminals who have earned this dubious
distinction include the likes of David Koresh, Timothy McVeigh, his cohorts Terry Nichols
and Michael Fortier, and, most recently, Hank Earl Carr, who gunned down his stepson and
three police officers in Tampa last spring before turning his gun on himself. A loophole in the nation’s gun laws allowed these outlaws and many other criminals to purchase the tools of their trade at gun shows. These arms bazaars provide a haven for felons and illegal gun dealers who want to skirt federal gun laws and buy and sell guns cash-and-carry. Since the Brady Law was implemented in 1994, federally licensed firearms dealers have conducted background checks on all handgun purchasers. In most states and under federal law, however, it is perfectly legal for individuals to sell guns from their "private collections" at gun shows without a waiting period or background check on the purchaser. Many unscrupulous gun dealers exploit this loophole to operate full-fledged businesses without following federal or state gun laws. And criminals are more than happy to keep these merchants of death in business. Representative Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) introduced legislation this past session that would close the gun show loophole nationwide. Additionally, the first statewide referendum on gun shows (Revision 12) will appear on the Florida ballot this November. Revision 12 would allow counties to require criminal background checks and a three-to-five-day waiting period for anyone buying a firearm at a gun show, even if the gun is purchased from an unlicensed dealer. Support for Revision 12 is overwhelming, among gun owners and non-gun-owners alike. A recent Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research poll indicated that 79% of all Florida voters approve of closing unregulated gun show loopholes. A poll conducted by Peter Hart Research Inc. in February found 68% support among gun owners. The National Rifle Association virulently opposes Revision 12. "Gun violence and tragic accidents plague our communities because guns have fallen into the hands of criminals and children," said Mayor Penelas. "Requiring background checks and waiting periods on gun sales is just common sense." "Gun shows are dangerous relics of the Wild West that still, in 1998, can be held anywhere, anytime and by anybody, where anyone can buy just about any type of gun, no questions asked," said Congressman Blagojevich. "It’s the last frontier for criminals with felony records who want guns." "I commend Mayor Penelas and Congressman Blagojevich for courageously standing up to the gun lobby and fighting to close the gun show loophole," said Mr. Brady. "How many more David Koreshes, Timothy McVeighs, and run-of-the-mill street criminals will we arm before we start requiring background checks on all sales at gun shows in Florida and across the nation?" _______________________ # # # Handgun Control, Inc., chaired by Sarah Brady, is the nation’s largest citizens’ gun control lobbying organization. Based in Washington, DC, HCI works to enact stronger federal, state and local gun control laws, but does not seek to ban handguns. |
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