For Immediate Release
Contact: Molly Woon
press [at] dpo [dot] org
One month after Las Vegas shooting, DPO Calls on Republicans to cancel fundraising raffle of lethal semi-automatic weapon
October 31, 2017
PORTLAND — A month ago tomorrow, a single shooter using semi-automatic weapons produced the greatest loss of life in our modern history — in our neighbor state of Nevada. Today, the Democratic Party of Oregon is calling on the Multnomah County Republican Party to cancel a tasteless and offensive party fundraiser for a semi-automatic weapon. The raffle item is similar to that used by the Las Vegas shooter on October 1, 2017 that left 58 people dead and 546 injured.
“At a time when 93 Americans die every day because of gun violence, the Multnomah County Republicans’ insistence to hold this political fundraiser is tasteless and offensive,” said Jeanne Atkins, chair of the DPO. “It has been less than a month since the shooting tragedy in Las Vegas. I am appalled that the Republicans think that a semi-automatic weapon is a suitable item for a party fundraiser.”
The rifle for auction is a semi-automatic weapon that can be adapted with a “bump stock” — a modification now known to be used by the Vegas shooter to increase the deadliness of the weapon.
“While I’m glad to see that their promotion makes clear the winner must pass a background check, that doesn’t change the fact that this fundraiser is tone-deaf and offensive,” said Atkins. “It is disturbing enough to hear Republicans like Knute Buehler argue that gun violence is inevitable. For Republicans to actively promote deadly weapons is simply unacceptable.”
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