Post by melody on Apr 8, 2014 12:56:08 GMT -5
CEASEFIRE PA RELEASES GUBERNATO RIAL CANDIDATES VOTERS GUIDE
By Jeff Cox, PLS
CeaseFire Pennsylvania held a Capitol Hill news conference to unveil its 2014 Voters Guide on the gubernatorial candidates and their positions on gun violence prevention issues. The group sent out a questionnaire to each official candidate in each political party. Democratic candidates Rob McCord, Katie McGinty, Allyson Schwartz, and Tom Wolf responded to the questionnaire; incumbent Gov. Tom Corbett and his Republican Primary challenger Bob Guzzardi did not respond.
The group’s Executive Director Shira Goodman, told reporters, “Of the four candidates who did answer the questionnaire, two unequivocally supported every proposal we suggested and that was Allyson Schwartz and Katie McGinty.” She noted that Rob McCord and Tom Wolf “did not oppose any measures and actually supported a majority of them but raised questions and didn’t answer some of the questions.” Goodman added, “The good news is that all four of these candidates support reform on gun violence prevention measures in Pennsylvania.”
Goodman explained that the questionnaire was about 19 specific policy measures and included a brief presentation of why the CeaseFire Pennsylvania believes the issue is important and the current debate surrounding each issue. She further explained that each candidate was asked to support or to oppose that particular measure. Goodman pointed out that the guide includes the verbatim response from each candidate. She said that come candidates simply checked “support” or “oppose” and in some cases made comments.
According to Goodman, “These are not radical reforms. They are common sense reforms that the courts have upheld that other jurisdictions are using to great success: expanding background check; mandatory reporting of lost or stolen weapons
so the police can find them; and tracing and indentifying the weapons by people who are trafficking and straw purchasing.”
She pointed out that the four candidates issued a joint statement in opposition to legislation considered by the House
Judiciary Committee that would eliminate Pennsylvania’s background check system and create special standing for gun
owners and organizations “to sue towns and cities that took matters into their own hands.” Goodman commented, “We are pleased they were able to come together in that way before we issued our report. We think it shows that they are willing to talk about it and be out there.” She predicted, “It is going to be an issue this election.”
Phil Goldsmith, Vice President of CeaseFire Pennsylvania, observed, “We believe it is an important thing that the public
understand where candidates stand on a very important issue of public policy in this state.” He continued, “We take pride in the fact that at one point in time candidates did not talk about this issue and, today, as they did four years ago, they talk about it and they engage in the issue.” Regarding the lack of a response from the Republican candidates, Goldsmith told reporters, “We are disappointed in that because we think it cheats the public of their understanding of where those two candidates stand on an issue.” He added, “Frankly, we would be happier if they responded to the questionnaire and disagreed with our views than simply duck the issue.”
Goodman and Goldsmith responded to questions from the news media.
Is this an endorsement?
Goodman: This is not an endorsement this time. The board at CeaseFire Pennsylvania will decide in the coming weeks
whether to endorse. Today was about releasing the report and making this information available to the voters as well as the campaigns. If we make an endorsement in the future, you will be the first to know.
Who are the candidates who did not respond?
Goodman: The current sitting Governor Tom Corbett and his Republican challenger Bob Guzzardi. Also Democrat Jo Ellen Litz when she was in the race did not submit responses.
Did they say why they did not respond?
Goodman: Bob Guzzardi actually said he might be able to but he was busy getting signatures in time and during our followup he did not respond. Representatives for the Governor’s campaign said they would not be participating.
What does it say when the Governor does not respond?
Goodman: I am concerned. We have been hoping the Governor would become a leader on this issue during his term. Since Sandy Hook he has been very quiet and his office has been very quiet about it. We think this is the time for Pennsylvania to be a leader. We think Pennsylvania is a unique state and we always knew we were a little bit different.
We have a very high hunting population and a very high NRA membership state but we also know 90 percent of people are polling in favor of such things as expanding background checks. Pennsylvania already has background checks for every sale of a handgun.
We are simply asking long guns be treated the same way. It is not a monumental shift. We think Pennsylvania could be very important to what happens in the rest of the nation. We saw our two Senators, Casey and Toomey, shift where they were. We believe you can be successful in Pennsylvania politics and be on the right side of this issue. We wished the Governor could have told us where he stands on these issues. We hope there will be ongoing debate about it because we know people want to hear about it and want to talk about it. We believe the silent majority, that 90 percent, is ending its silence and is getting louder and telling their elected officials and those who want to be their elected officials what they want to see done.
Why will this be an issue?
Goodman: I have certainly heard the Democratic candidates talk about it but I don’t think we will be able to get through
the next few months without it. It is becoming an issue in our country. We just had a second shooting at Fort Hood. An 11-year old girl was shot by her two-year old sister in Philadelphia this weekend. I don’t know how these candidates in good faith would not make it an issue. I am saddened to say there will be another horrific incident before the General Election.
The movement is growing stronger and it should be force. We know we have volunteers across the Commonwealth who are asking their current legislators and the people who want to run and doing their own questionnaires. We believe this movement is making it an issue.
Goldsmith: It is always going to be an issue and it is always going to be an issue for the person sitting in the Governor’s
Office because there is always legislation moving through the legislature on gun issues whether it be to tighten regulations or loosen regulations. A governor has to be ready to take on those issues because they are part of the day to day work of the legislature.
What questions were asked?
Goodman: The survey asked about whether they supported expanding background checks or they supported renewing a federal assault weapons ban and adding one in Pennsylvania. They were asked if they supported limits on magazine capacity and whether they supported mandatory child safety lock laws and strengthening the rules about surrendering firearms when you have a protection from abuse order. There were questions about whether background checks for employees of gun stores and whether there should be licensing of ammunition sellers. It was a full gamut of proposals we have seen other jurisdictions use that we believe are fully within the United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions.
By Jeff Cox, PLS
CeaseFire Pennsylvania held a Capitol Hill news conference to unveil its 2014 Voters Guide on the gubernatorial candidates and their positions on gun violence prevention issues. The group sent out a questionnaire to each official candidate in each political party. Democratic candidates Rob McCord, Katie McGinty, Allyson Schwartz, and Tom Wolf responded to the questionnaire; incumbent Gov. Tom Corbett and his Republican Primary challenger Bob Guzzardi did not respond.
The group’s Executive Director Shira Goodman, told reporters, “Of the four candidates who did answer the questionnaire, two unequivocally supported every proposal we suggested and that was Allyson Schwartz and Katie McGinty.” She noted that Rob McCord and Tom Wolf “did not oppose any measures and actually supported a majority of them but raised questions and didn’t answer some of the questions.” Goodman added, “The good news is that all four of these candidates support reform on gun violence prevention measures in Pennsylvania.”
Goodman explained that the questionnaire was about 19 specific policy measures and included a brief presentation of why the CeaseFire Pennsylvania believes the issue is important and the current debate surrounding each issue. She further explained that each candidate was asked to support or to oppose that particular measure. Goodman pointed out that the guide includes the verbatim response from each candidate. She said that come candidates simply checked “support” or “oppose” and in some cases made comments.
According to Goodman, “These are not radical reforms. They are common sense reforms that the courts have upheld that other jurisdictions are using to great success: expanding background check; mandatory reporting of lost or stolen weapons
so the police can find them; and tracing and indentifying the weapons by people who are trafficking and straw purchasing.”
She pointed out that the four candidates issued a joint statement in opposition to legislation considered by the House
Judiciary Committee that would eliminate Pennsylvania’s background check system and create special standing for gun
owners and organizations “to sue towns and cities that took matters into their own hands.” Goodman commented, “We are pleased they were able to come together in that way before we issued our report. We think it shows that they are willing to talk about it and be out there.” She predicted, “It is going to be an issue this election.”
Phil Goldsmith, Vice President of CeaseFire Pennsylvania, observed, “We believe it is an important thing that the public
understand where candidates stand on a very important issue of public policy in this state.” He continued, “We take pride in the fact that at one point in time candidates did not talk about this issue and, today, as they did four years ago, they talk about it and they engage in the issue.” Regarding the lack of a response from the Republican candidates, Goldsmith told reporters, “We are disappointed in that because we think it cheats the public of their understanding of where those two candidates stand on an issue.” He added, “Frankly, we would be happier if they responded to the questionnaire and disagreed with our views than simply duck the issue.”
Goodman and Goldsmith responded to questions from the news media.
Is this an endorsement?
Goodman: This is not an endorsement this time. The board at CeaseFire Pennsylvania will decide in the coming weeks
whether to endorse. Today was about releasing the report and making this information available to the voters as well as the campaigns. If we make an endorsement in the future, you will be the first to know.
Who are the candidates who did not respond?
Goodman: The current sitting Governor Tom Corbett and his Republican challenger Bob Guzzardi. Also Democrat Jo Ellen Litz when she was in the race did not submit responses.
Did they say why they did not respond?
Goodman: Bob Guzzardi actually said he might be able to but he was busy getting signatures in time and during our followup he did not respond. Representatives for the Governor’s campaign said they would not be participating.
What does it say when the Governor does not respond?
Goodman: I am concerned. We have been hoping the Governor would become a leader on this issue during his term. Since Sandy Hook he has been very quiet and his office has been very quiet about it. We think this is the time for Pennsylvania to be a leader. We think Pennsylvania is a unique state and we always knew we were a little bit different.
We have a very high hunting population and a very high NRA membership state but we also know 90 percent of people are polling in favor of such things as expanding background checks. Pennsylvania already has background checks for every sale of a handgun.
We are simply asking long guns be treated the same way. It is not a monumental shift. We think Pennsylvania could be very important to what happens in the rest of the nation. We saw our two Senators, Casey and Toomey, shift where they were. We believe you can be successful in Pennsylvania politics and be on the right side of this issue. We wished the Governor could have told us where he stands on these issues. We hope there will be ongoing debate about it because we know people want to hear about it and want to talk about it. We believe the silent majority, that 90 percent, is ending its silence and is getting louder and telling their elected officials and those who want to be their elected officials what they want to see done.
Why will this be an issue?
Goodman: I have certainly heard the Democratic candidates talk about it but I don’t think we will be able to get through
the next few months without it. It is becoming an issue in our country. We just had a second shooting at Fort Hood. An 11-year old girl was shot by her two-year old sister in Philadelphia this weekend. I don’t know how these candidates in good faith would not make it an issue. I am saddened to say there will be another horrific incident before the General Election.
The movement is growing stronger and it should be force. We know we have volunteers across the Commonwealth who are asking their current legislators and the people who want to run and doing their own questionnaires. We believe this movement is making it an issue.
Goldsmith: It is always going to be an issue and it is always going to be an issue for the person sitting in the Governor’s
Office because there is always legislation moving through the legislature on gun issues whether it be to tighten regulations or loosen regulations. A governor has to be ready to take on those issues because they are part of the day to day work of the legislature.
What questions were asked?
Goodman: The survey asked about whether they supported expanding background checks or they supported renewing a federal assault weapons ban and adding one in Pennsylvania. They were asked if they supported limits on magazine capacity and whether they supported mandatory child safety lock laws and strengthening the rules about surrendering firearms when you have a protection from abuse order. There were questions about whether background checks for employees of gun stores and whether there should be licensing of ammunition sellers. It was a full gamut of proposals we have seen other jurisdictions use that we believe are fully within the United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions.