Veterans Slam Gun Industry for 'Despicable' Tactics Against Illinois State Senator
Newswire Services
April 25, 2007
Gun Industry Trade Association is said to falsely claimsthat a bill sponsored by Senator Kotowski to ban civilian sale of cop-killing assault weapons and armor-piercing 50-caliber sniper rifles would 'shut down' defense contractors - even though legislation explicitly exempts military suppliers.
CHICAGO - Iraq war veterans and their families today labeled an 'under-the-radar' postcard campaign by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) against Illinois State Senator Dan Kotowski "despicable and dishonest" and demanded that the gun industry trade association apologize. The NSSF targeted Senator Kotowski of Park Ridge, because he is a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 16, which would regulate the civilian sale of cop-killing, semi-automatic assault weapons and armor-piercing 50-caliber sniper rifles.
In attacking Kotowski, the NSSF postcard falsely claims that the Illinois legislation would shut down defense contractors providing weapons to troops in Iraq. Even the most cursory reading of the legislation reveals the NSSF's claims to be clearly and categorically untrue. Senate Bill 16 explicitly exempts manufacturers who supply weapons to the United States military.
For the full text of Senate Bill 16, please visit the following link.
For the NSSF postcard please see the following link.
Dan Tobon, an Army specialist and sniper who recently returned from Iraq stated, "I disagree with the National Shooting Sports Foundation using my service in Iraq to claim that Senator Kotowski is planning to deny our troops the weapons they need on the battlefield. I was a sniper in Iraq who used a 50-caliber sniper rifle and I can tell you these weapons have no practical use whatsoever in the civilian world. It's really unfair to falsely claim that any lawmaker isn't supporting our troops just to further their own policy interests."
"Where does the National Shooting Sports Foundation get off distorting the facts and using my son's service in Iraq to promote their own political and economic agenda? A cheap shot is all this is," said Larry Friel, a former Alderman from Park Ridge, Illinois, whose son recently returned from Iraq. "They're using the troops to further their own profits. A ban on semi- automatic assault weapons in Illinois will not take away full-auto machine guns from our troops on the battlefield. It's disingenuous. This industry should be ashamed and they should apologize for lying about a very honorable man like Senator Dan Kotowski."
Brian Maye, who served in Iraq in 2004 as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy added, "The NSSF has stooped to a new low with this dishonest smear campaign. Not only have they completely lied about the substance of Senate Bill 16, but they have done so at the expense of our servicemen and women. The troops need to hear that they are being supported back home. The NSSF, however, has made it clear that that is not a priority for them. Instead, they are committed to denigrating good public servants like Senator Dan Kotowski despite the cost to our troops. The NSSF should be ashamed of their reckless and destructive agenda."
CHICAGO - Iraq war veterans and their families today labeled an 'under-the-radar' postcard campaign by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) against Illinois State Senator Dan Kotowski "despicable and dishonest" and demanded that the gun industry trade association apologize. The NSSF targeted Senator Kotowski of Park Ridge, because he is a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 16, which would regulate the civilian sale of cop-killing, semi-automatic assault weapons and armor-piercing 50-caliber sniper rifles.
In attacking Kotowski, the NSSF postcard falsely claims that the Illinois legislation would shut down defense contractors providing weapons to troops in Iraq. Even the most cursory reading of the legislation reveals the NSSF's claims to be clearly and categorically untrue. Senate Bill 16 explicitly exempts manufacturers who supply weapons to the United States military.
For the full text of Senate Bill 16, please visit the following link.
For the NSSF postcard please see the following link.
Dan Tobon, an Army specialist and sniper who recently returned from Iraq stated, "I disagree with the National Shooting Sports Foundation using my service in Iraq to claim that Senator Kotowski is planning to deny our troops the weapons they need on the battlefield. I was a sniper in Iraq who used a 50-caliber sniper rifle and I can tell you these weapons have no practical use whatsoever in the civilian world. It's really unfair to falsely claim that any lawmaker isn't supporting our troops just to further their own policy interests."
"Where does the National Shooting Sports Foundation get off distorting the facts and using my son's service in Iraq to promote their own political and economic agenda? A cheap shot is all this is," said Larry Friel, a former Alderman from Park Ridge, Illinois, whose son recently returned from Iraq. "They're using the troops to further their own profits. A ban on semi- automatic assault weapons in Illinois will not take away full-auto machine guns from our troops on the battlefield. It's disingenuous. This industry should be ashamed and they should apologize for lying about a very honorable man like Senator Dan Kotowski."
Brian Maye, who served in Iraq in 2004 as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy added, "The NSSF has stooped to a new low with this dishonest smear campaign. Not only have they completely lied about the substance of Senate Bill 16, but they have done so at the expense of our servicemen and women. The troops need to hear that they are being supported back home. The NSSF, however, has made it clear that that is not a priority for them. Instead, they are committed to denigrating good public servants like Senator Dan Kotowski despite the cost to our troops. The NSSF should be ashamed of their reckless and destructive agenda."
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