New billboards to shame the GOP's failure on guns

After the mass shooting at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee Republicans took the extraordinary step of expelling two Black Democrats for protesting in support of gun reform.

Dear MoveOn member,

After the mass shooting at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee Republicans took the extraordinary step of expelling two Black Democrats for protesting in support of gun reform.¹

There was a mass shooting at a Louisville bank in Mitch McConnell's own state, and the Senate minority leader offered nothing more than "prayers to the victims."²

That was just in the last week. A new report shows that a majority of American families have been impacted by gun violence, with 1 in 5 American adults having lost a family member to gun violence.³ But Republicans remain in the grip of the NRA death cult and the gun manufacturing industry.

From expanding and strengthening background checks to banning assault weapons, there are commonsense and widely popular measures Congress could take—if only Republican members of Congress listened to their constituents rather than to the NRA.

We're going to bring this message directly to them. If MoveOn can raise the funds, we will run billboards in key districts, calling out the most vulnerable Republicans in Congress for their loyalty to gun lobbyists over voters—and we'll either push them to support gun reform or defeat them and elect representatives who will act. Will you pitch in $3 so we can raise the funds for this ambitious, high-profile effort?

MoveOn members joined allies to protest George Santos this week and demand he take action on guns. Protests like this one help make sure Republicans can't avoid this issue—and help expose these complicit Republicans more clearly to voters.

There are 18 Republicans, including Santos, who represent congressional districts that President Biden won in 2020. These Republicans represent constituents who want gun safety laws—but are choosing the NRA over their own voters. If we slam and shame these Republicans, we can push some of them into action, and if we can defeat just five of them, we can end Republican control of the House of Representatives.

These folks masquerade as moderates to win votes. But who are they, in reality, when it comes to gun violence?

MAGA Republican Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) voted against seven gun safety laws when he was in the New York legislature and hasn't joined Democratic colleagues in calling for the effective, popular assault weapons ban.

Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) took more than $15,000 from gun interests and has received an A rating from a gun-owners' group.⁴

George Santos (NY-03) responded to a recent mass shooting by wearing an assault weapon lapel pin and co-sponsoring legislation to make the deadly AR-15 "the national gun."⁵

Right now, many of these 18 vulnerable Republicans are running scared from their own constituents on these issues—dodging questions about commonsense legislation.

That's why we need to confront them in ways they can't ignore—including hard-hitting billboards that will ask whose side they are on: the gun lobbyists or the children and families in their district.

Can you pitch in $3 to this work? We'll pressure them with calls and actions—and if we can afford to, we'll post visible, public, attention-grabbing billboards in their districts.

MoveOn members in these districts are already doing this work—organizing protests, making phone calls, and talking to neighbors. MoveOn members across the country can add our support—by contributing to put up high-profile billboards that will add to their efforts.

Please pitch in $3 now as we continue to push for an assault weapons ban, for commonsense gun safety laws, and to defeat Republicans who stand in our way.

Thanks for all you do.

–Justin, Nadia, David, Bekir, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Tennessee House GOP expels 2 Democrats in retaliation over gun control protest, on 'sad day for democracy,'" CNN, April 7, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/171941?t=5&akid=349724%2E53570607%2E_YEnFs

2. "Leaders react to deadly downtown Louisville bank shooting," WLKY, April 10, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/172027?t=7&akid=349724%2E53570607%2E_YEnFs

3. "Gun violence has affected most families in the US, new survey finds," CNN, April 11, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/172028?t=9&akid=349724%2E53570607%2E_YEnFs

4. "Money to Congress, OpenSecrets, accessed April 12, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/172029?t=11&akid=349724%2E53570607%2E_YEnFs

5. "Lauren Boebert, George Santos Co-Sponsor Bill To Make AR-15 The 'National Gun,'" Forbes, February 26, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/172030?t=13&akid=349724%2E53570607%2E_YEnFs

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