Mayors Against Illegal Guns Announces New Ad Thanking Senator Toomey For Leading The Fight For Background Checks

NEW YORK, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mayors Against Illegal Guns today announced a new television ad thanking Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey for co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation with West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, both of whom have received A-ratings from the National Rifle Association, that would have closed the loopholes that make it easy for guns to end up in dangerous hands.  The ad will air in Philadelphia and Harrisburg through May 22 and can be viewed here: www.DemandAction.org/Toomey

"Americans want elected officials that have the courage and independence to stand up for common sense legislation, even when special interests oppose it – as Senator Toomey did when he co-sponsored gun safety legislation with Senator Manchin," said Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-Chair and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.  "We need more leaders who are willing to reach across the aisle and find common ground, so that we can keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill and reduce the gun violence that results in 33 murders every day in our country."                    

"Senator Toomey stood with the more than 90 percent of Americans who support background checks for all gun sales," Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-Chair and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said. "We applaud his willingness to work across party lines on this issue and we hope he will keep fighting for sensible reforms that will save American lives."

In addition, Pennsylvania Republican Representatives Pat Meehan and Mike Fitzpatrick are original co-sponsors of the King-Thompson bill (HR 1565), the House version of Manchin-Toomey, along with all Democratic members of the Pennsylvania delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The bill currently has 155 co-sponsors.

Statements from Pennsylvania Mayors 

Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray (D)
"We've been saying it for years: enforceable background checks are the most effective way to reduce gun violence in America.  It takes political courage to sit down at the table and hammer out a compromise on sensible legislation. I commend Senator Toomey for his leadership and for representing the will of the people of Pennsylvania."

Oxford Mayor Geoffrey Henry (R)
"This is not a matter of partisanship, it's a matter of common sense.  Pennsylvanians want our lawmakers to put partisanship aside, and an overwhelming majority support background checks for every gun sale. Background checks save lives.  We're proud to have a senator who's willing to stand up for what's right." 

Upper Darby Mayor Thomas Micozzie (R)
"Simply put, the Toomey-Manchin amendment enforces the laws we have on the books. We all agree that we should keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and domestic abusers, but we look the other way as they evade the law and purchase guns in private sales without background checks. Senator Toomey is working to fix this dangerous loophole, and I encourage his colleagues to follow his lead." 

Wilkinsburg Mayor John Thompson (D)
"I commend Senator Toomey for standing up to the extremists and introducing legislation that will reduce violence and save lives. Expanding enforceable background checks to private sales at gun shows does not fully close the private sale loophole, but it's a solid compromise. It's good to see that there are still a few senators in Washington willing to work across the aisle to get things done." 

About Mayors Against Illegal Guns 
Since its creation in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 members to more than 950 mayors from across the country. We have more than 1.5 million grassroots supporters, making us the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country.  The bipartisan coalition, co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united the nation's mayors around these common goals: protecting communities by holding gun offenders accountable; demanding access to crime gun trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other dangerous people to get guns.  Learn more at www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org

CONTACT
Erika Soto Lamb: [email protected] or 646-580-5281
David Scholnick: [email protected] or 717-723.8864

SOURCE Mayors Against Illegal Guns