JOINT STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, October 6, 2016
CONTACT:
Elliot Imse, Director of Communications, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
Jason Lindsay, Executive Director & CEO, Pride Fund to End Gun Violence
Taylor Maxwell, Deputy Press Secretary, Everytown for Gun Safety
Orlando, FL – Tuesday’s debate proved Mike Miller can’t be trusted in the state legislature to pass common sense gun reforms or even to keep in place existing critical public safety laws that keep Florida safer from unnecessary gun violence. Despite representing the district home to the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, Miller continued to defend the indefensible: his shameful record in the legislature in favor of gun lobby-backed bills that weaken public safety.
Mike Miller has repeatedly voted to weaken or relax what are already some of the worst and weakest gun laws in the country. Forty-nine people, some of them Miller’s own constituents, were murdered at Pulse Nightclub in his district. Yet Miller did not support a call by some state senators immediately following the shooting to convene a special session to consider a measure to close the “terror gap,” a loophole in our laws that allows suspected terrorists to purchase firearms.
Worse, Miller has voted repeatedly for open carry and for allowing concealed weapons on college campuses. He has consistently maintained an “A” rating from the extremist NRA leadership, perpetuating the bought-and-paid-for problem in Tallahassee preventing common sense reform. Too many of our state legislators are in the pocket of the entrenched gun lobby that prevents any gun violence prevention bills – however sensible – from becoming law, and threatens existing public safety laws. Mike Miller has proven – repeatedly – with his voting record – that he’s neither a leader nor the common sense reformer we need to tackle the gun violence crisis in Florida.”
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Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America’s politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government.
Pride Fund to End Gun Violence
Pride Fund to End Gun Violence (Pride Fund) is a Political Action Committee (PAC), organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect pro-LGBTQ candidates at the national level who support sensible gun reforms.
Everytown for Gun Safety
Everytown is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than three million supporters and more than 125,000 donors including moms, mayors, survivors and everyday Americans who are fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and help save lives. At the core of Everytown are Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and the Everytown Survivor Network. Learn more at www.everytown.org and follow us @Everytown
