For Common Sense Views on Keeping Guns Away From Criminals, Children, Brady Campaign Endorses Perlmutter

2 August 2006

The President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence announced today that the organization was endorsing Colorado State Senator Ed Perlmutter in the Democratic primary to serve Colorado's Seventh Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The organization rarely endorses primary candidates.

"Ed Perlmutter supports common sense laws to fight the trafficking of guns to criminals, to keep criminals from outgunning the police, and to help keep our children safe from firearms," said Paul Helmke, Brady's president. "We want the voters in Colorado's Seventh District to know that we believe Ed Perlmutter is the best candidate to restore sanity on the gun issue in Washington."

Despite repeated requests, the campaign of Mr. Perlmutter's primary opponent, Peggy Lamm, did not respond to the Brady Campaign's candidate questionnaire. "We had a lot of questions for Peggy Lamm, who is also running for the Democratic nomination, but we were disappointed that her campaign chose not to respond to our questions," said Sarah Brady.

The Colorado Seventh Congressional District includes parts of Denver and Jefferson, Arapahoe and Adams Counties. The incumbent member of Congress from the District, Bob Beauprez, who is running for Governor, recently voted for legislation championed by Rep. Marilyn Musgrave to rescind a law that requires gun sellers to provide child safety locks with handguns sold. The Brady Campaign intends to make that vote an issue in the fall elections.

"Anyone who thinks we shouldn't protect kids from loaded handguns ought to have their head examined," said Jim Brady, the former Reagan press secretary who was wounded in the assassination attempt on the former President.

"Ed Perlmutter is a father and a committed public servant who believes that we can make our nation a better place. On many issues, from energy to education to fighting crime, he's on the side of progress. We're proud to be supporting him," Helmke said.

Upon receiving Sarah and Jim Brady's endorsement, Ed Perlmutter said, "I have the deepest respect for Jim and Sarah Brady and what they have done for this country in the fight to prevent gun violence. As a father of three girls, I want to ensure that Congress stops caving into the gun lobby and does the right thing to make our streets safer. We need a change in Washington and we need to pass common sense laws like renewing the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. I am humbled by this endorsement and look forward to working with Jim and Sarah Brady to keep our people safe from gun violence."

As the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign, working with its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, is devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.

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Source: usnewswire

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