Kaine Calls Gun Violence a “Public Health Crisis” in Op-Ed

On Tuesday, an op-ed by Tim Kaine was published by Time magazine in which he talks about gun violence and its threat to the public. Read the full editorial below.

Tim Kaine: Gun Violence Is a Public-Health Crisis

Time Magazine

November 1, 2016

In every elected office I have held over the past 20 years, gun violence has been a serious issue. When I was mayor of Richmond, Virginia, our city had one of the highest homicide rates in the country. When I was governor, our commonwealth experienced the worst campus shooting in U.S. history. And as I serve in the U.S. Senate and our country falls victim to one mass shooting after another, Congress has yet to pass any commonsense gun safety legislation. Like many Americans, I own a gun and am a proud supporter of the Second Amendment, yet my experiences have shown me that supporting the right to bear arms should never stop us from ensuring our communities are as safe as possible.

The worst day of my life was April 16, 2007. I had just arrived in Japan for a two-week trade mission. There was a knock on my hotel room door to inform me of an active shooter on the campus of one of my state’s universities, Virginia Tech. Half a world away, I watched the horrific tragedy unfold on television and made plans to return home as soon as possible. Thirty-two innocent lives— from all around the world, from all walks of life, students and professors alike—were lost that day. Seventeen others were shot and wounded, and another six were injured leaping from classroom windows to escape the carnage.

In the months and years that followed, we worked across the state to take concrete steps to reduce gun violence. The shooting revealed glaring weaknesses in campus security protocols at colleges and universities, in mental health standards, and in the system for background checks before gun purchases, so I convened a multidisciplinary panel to identify actionable solutions. We changed standards for mental health treatment and increased funding for community services while improving campus security and efforts to assist college students suffering from mental illness.

I also worked to make improvements to our background check system, issuing an executive order to ensure that those declared mentally ill and dangerous would be entered into a national database and barred from purchasing weapons. Unfortunately, efforts to close the gun show loophole—which allows anyone, including felons, potential terrorists, and domestic abusers, to purchase weapons without any background check—were undermined in the Virginia legislature, largely under pressure from the National Rifle Association.

When I arrived in the U.S. Senate in January 2013, our country was again reeling from another devastating tragedy: on December 14, 2012, twenty children and six adults were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. A group of Democrats and Republicans came together after this tragedy to draft compromise legislation that would have closed the gun show loophole and encouraged states to help strengthen the existing background check system. After months of debating, I was sure that this time would be different, that this time my colleagues would have the courage to stand up to the NRA and pass meaningful gun control reform to make our entire country safer. But the same special interests that prevented us from closing the gun show loophole in Virginia in the wake of Virginia Tech were at it again. Ultimately, a minority in the Senate prevented a majority from passing this meaningful, commonsense gun safety legislation.

More recently, in December 2015, the Senate failed to stand up to the NRA and rejected another commonsense bipartisan measure that would have made it illegal for people on the no-fly list to be prohibited from purchasing weapons. If someone has been deemed too dangerous to be allowed on an airplane, why should they be permitted to purchase a firearm?

We have to make a decision about what matters to us. When gun deaths in Virginia outnumber automobile deaths, we have to treat this like the public health crisis it is. Will we have the courage to stand up to a gun lobby that no longer represents the views of American gun owners but instead represents the gun manufacturers?

An overwhelming number of Americans—many of them gun owners—support commonsense efforts to reduce gun violence like background checks, but the NRA and the gun lobby vehemently oppose any efforts to make our country safer and to promote responsible gun ownership. It is in the gun manufacturers’ financial interest to sell as many guns as they can to whomever they can, whenever they can and wherever they can. That motive is what blocks so many states and even Congress from passing background check laws that would keep us safer.

Gun violence has been ever-present throughout my time in public service, but my past experiences have taught me that no matter how tough our problems may be, they pale in comparison to the combined will of the American people who are determined to make our communities safer. I look forward to the day when we, as elected officials and as Americans, live up to our responsibilities and put an end to this crisis.

Tim Kaine is a U.S. Senator from Virginia and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s running mate.

Excerpted from Guns in the Hands of Artists, copyright © 2016 by Jonathan Ferrara. First hardcover edition published Nov. 1, 2016, by Inkshares. All rights reserved.

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News Source: Time

Tim Kaine Campaigns in Tallahassee

Tim Kaine rallied supporters in Tallahassee, Florida today as he stressed the importance of voting during a campaign stop on the campus of Florida State University. Campaigning with Mark Kelly and former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, Kaine spoke about Hillary Clinton’s plans to enact commonsense gun control, including mandatory background checks and closing a number of loopholes that allows people who should not own a firearm to obtain one. He said, “Second Amendment supports support background checks. Gun owners support background checks. NRA members support background checks. We just need a Congress that’s willing to listen.” Kaine said that Florida is an important state in the election and urged everyone to get out and vote on election day or vote early. A video from the event will be added when/if available.

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News Source: Tallahassee Democrat, Florida Politics

Hillary Clinton Delivers Keynote Address at Circle of Mothers Restoration Weekend

On Saturday, Hillary Clinton gave the keynote address during the Circle of Mothers Restoration Weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The event was hosted by the Trayvon Martin Foundation and was aimed at empowering the mothers of gun violence victims. During her speech, Clinton vowed to stand up to the gun lobby saying, “Unlike Donald Trump, I will not pander to the gun lobby and we will not be silenced and we will not be intimidated. As long as children anywhere are being killed by gun violence, we will keep fighting.” Clinton said that she would continue to press ahead with her proposals to strengthen background checks requirements for the purchase of the firearm.

At the center of her argument is her concern for the safety of families and children. She said, “Parents, teachers and schools should have the right to keep guns out of classrooms, just like Donald Trump does at many of his hotels by the way.” Clinton went on to criticize Trump for his fear tactics saying that she is not anti-gun and that she knows there are responsible gun owners. But that something needs to be done to reduce the number of deaths as a result of firearm. Clinton said, “Something is wrong when so many young people just starting their lives are dying. Something is very wrong, my friends, and this election gives us a chance to keep trying to make it right.” A video from the event will be posted when/if available.

Clinton also attended two fundraisers today. The first was in Washington, DC and was hosted by Julius Genachowski and Rachel Goslins. The second event was in Forth Lauderdale and hosted at the home of Pam Africk and Shari Olefson.

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News Source: CBS News, The New York Times

Bill Clinton Campaigns for Hillary in Connecticut

On the eve of Tuesday’s primaries, Bill Clinton spoke at Get Out the Vote events in Connecticut. The first event was in Hartford where he was joined by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly. During his speech, Bill spoke about Hillary’s plans to continue improving health care, reducing the cost of education, and continue to grow the economy. Bill talked about the importance of all Americans rising together saying, “She understands that if we don’t tear down the barriers that are keeping some people from participating, including the educational barriers, we can’t all rise together.”

Bill and Giffords held a second Get Out the Vote event in New Haven. During his speech, Bill focused on the prevention of gun violence by introducing background checks. He also advocated for holding gun manufacturers responsible for acts carried out by their weapons. He said, “The organized groups on the other side recognize that representing the manufacturers try to terrify every legal gun owner to think they’re coming to get your guns, which of course constitutionally you can’t do.” He explained that the vast majority of gun owners support background checks, but the gun lobby constantly blocks it. Videos from today’s events will be posted when/if available.

Chelsea Clinton was also on the campaign trail where she attended two fundraisers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The events were hosted by Christina Weiss Lurie, Priscilla Sims Brown, Lisa Buckingham, and Lynn Shecter.

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News Source: KITV, MassLive.com

Hillary Clinton Addresses Gun Violence in Wisconsin

Hillary Clinton was in Wisconsin her the second day of campaigning in the state. She began the day by taking part in a community event at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Milwaukee. The focus of the meeting was gun violence prevention. Clinton spoke about her plans to take on the gun lobby, including the NRA, and pass mandatory background checks for all firearm purchases. She said, “We lose, on average, 90 people a day from gun violence. That is 33,000 people a year.” Joining Clinton at the event were Congresswoman Gwen Moore and a group of parents who have lost children as a result of gun violence. A complete video of the event is below.

In LaCrosse, Clinton turned her focus to the economy and the ways she would work to improve the standard of living for everyone, not just those at the top. She spoke about her plan to create jobs and expand clean energy and expand heath care to ensure that 100% of Americans were covered. Speaking at Western Technical College, Clinton said, “We have to restore the potential of America’s dream for everybody. I don’t want Americans giving up on themselves.” A video of Clinton’s speech is below.

Her final event of the day was in Green Bay where she covered a number of platform topics including the expansion of heath care coverage, increasing the minimum wage, and making the economy work for everyone. She also spoke about her plans to make college more affordable and to reduce the student loan debt for those currently paying for their education. During her speech, Clinton also criticized Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker for cutting education funding in the state and his anti-labor stance. She asked those in attendance for their support in the state’s primary on April 5.

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News Source: Fox 6, Winona Daily News, Green Bay Press-Gazette

Bill Clinton Campaigns for Hillary in Ohio

On Saturday, Bill Clinton campaigned on behalf on Hillary Clinton at three events across Ohio. Rallying crowds before this Tuesday’s primary, Clinton flew in to Portsmouth where he stopped for coffee and visited with local residents and kids from the Autism Project of Southern Ohio. He then went to his first rally in Cincinnati where he focused on Hillary’s plans to help those in Ohio and across the country. He said that she is the best presidential candidate to raise wages and break down racial, social, and economic barriers. He also took a shot at the Republican race for president saying it was like watching a “sixth-grade playground fight.”

This afternoon, Bill attended a rally in Akron where he cautioned the crowd in regards to the recent violence at a number rallies held by Republican front-runner, Donald Trump. Clinton referenced a conversation he once had with Nelson Mandela to make his point that anger and violence is not the answer to our problems. Mandela famously forgave those who imprisoned him in South Africa, but even he admitted there was a time when he hated them. Clinton said that Mandela told him, “I realized they could take everything from me except my mind and my heart. Those things I would have to give away. And I decided not to give them away. And then he looked at me and said ‘neither should you’.”

Clinton’s final event of the day was a Get Out the Vote rally in Toledo.  During the event the at University of Toledo, Clinton was joined by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly. The focus of the conversation was gun violence and the need for strict background checks for all purchasers of firearms. Clinton said Hillary would stand up to the NRA and protect innocent victims of gun violence by ensuring that guns to do wind up in the wrong hands. Videos from today’s events will be posted when/if available.

For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: ABC, The Blade, Portsmouth Daily Times, Cincinnati.com

Clinton Endorsed by Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly

Yesterday, Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly for her plans to increase gun control and gun safety. In an op-ed published on Medium, Giffords and Kelly praised Clinton for her “common sense” plan to reign in gun violence and hold gun manufacturers accountable. Giffords and Kelly founded Americans for Responsible Solutions in an effort to lobby Congress to enact common sense gun regulations. The full text of their op-ed is below:

Why Mark & I Are Supporting Hillary Clinton for President

To Mark and me, our principles are what have always mattered most.
As a Navy fighter pilot, NASA astronaut, and registered Independent, Mark never spent much time caring about the ‘who’s up, who’s down’ of partisan politics.

A registered Republican when I was younger, I was always committed to Southern Arizona values: independence, freedom, and common sense.

When the Republican party began to veer away from its core values, I ran for office as a proud Democrat. When I served my community in the Arizona legislature and later in Congress, I joined other like-minded Democrats and Republicans to work for energy independence, military readiness, a better life for our military families and returning soldiers, a woman’s right to have freedom over her own health choices, and a more secure border.

Today, during our second chance at service, Mark and I continue to fight for what we’ve always fought for: independence, freedom, and common sense. That’s why we’re fighting for a Congress and White House that stand up to the corporate gun lobby’s intimidation and bullying. And that’s why, today, we are endorsing Hillary Clinton for president.

For far too long, the gun lobby has had a stranglehold on Washington. Members of Congress and even some of our presidents have been intimidated into inaction. Bipartisan action has been blocked. Loopholes in our laws that let dangerous people get guns have been fiercely protected. Lies have been spread, fears have been stoked, and a dangerous, unacceptable status quo has been furthered all while gun sales have skyrocketed.”

Throughout all of this, the corporate gun lobby has moved further and further away from the gun owners they claim to represent.
Most of the people running for president talk a lot about how tough they are. But most of them have shown they aren’t tough enough to stand up to the gun lobbyists.

Take it from me: Talk is cheap.

In fact, a lot of the people running for president seem downright terrified to even have a rational conversation about the problem of gun violence in America. We’ve listened closely to all of them, and we’ve looked at all of their records.

Only one candidate for president has the determination and toughness to stand up to the corporate gun lobby — and the record to prove it. That candidate is Hillary Clinton.

Time and time again, Hillary has done and said what is right, not what is politically expedient. That’s why Mark and I are supporting her for President of the United States.

As a United States Senator, Hillary voted for laws that keep guns out of the wrong hands and make our communities safer places to live. She voted against protecting gun manufacturers at all costs and insisted on putting the safety of our communities over manufacturers’ bottom lines. And we believe that as president she will continue working to respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners like us while working to achieve practical solutions like a reliable background check system that prevents dangerous people from getting guns, closing loopholes to protect women and families by keeping guns out of the hands of abusers and stalkers, and cracking down on the illegal gun trade.

Hillary and I share a proud tradition of women leading on issues that impact all Americans and getting things done. We have taken on tough races, relied on other strong women to have our backs — and we have never, ever shied away from a tough fight or a tough vote.

Today, Mark and I are proud to have Hillary’s back, and to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her to, once and for all, break the stranglehold the corporate gun lobby has had on American politics — and American families — for too long.

Speaking is still physically difficult for me. I do hours and hours of speech therapy. And in January, I hope to call my friend Hillary ‘Madam President.’

Today, Clinton responded to the endorsement with the following statement:

“As an admirer of their courage in the face of incredible odds, their service to the country that they love, and their commitment to ending the epidemic of gun violence, I am humbled to receive the endorsement of these American heroes.

“Gabby and Mark know too well what is at stake in this debate and in this election. Three Americans die every hour we don’t act. 90 die every day. 33,000 die every year. We cannot accept this as normal. Gabby and Mark certainly do not. Since being shot and partially paralyzed five year ago, Gabby has worked tirelessly for progress—founding Americans for Responsible Solutions, traveling across the country to tell her story and promote commonsense gun safety laws, launching a bipartisan coalition in New Hampshire to prevent gun violence, and fighting in support of President Obama’s recent executive actions. Through it all, Mark has been by her side—as her partner, her champion, and her biggest fan. I am honored to join them in their fight for common sense gun reform.

“As President Obama said last week, we must hold our leaders accountable for continuing to put the interests of the gun lobby ahead of the safety of American families. And that starts with electing a president. We need a president who would never vote against common sense background checks. We need a president who will hold gun makers and sellers accountable, not provide them with sweeping immunity from lawsuits. We need a president who will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous felons, not create loopholes that allow shooters like the one in Charleston to buy guns. We owe that to the countless families who have lost loved ones. We owe that to all America’s children. We owe that to Gabby and Mark.”

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News Source: Medium, The Briefing

Clinton Hosts Town Halls in Iowa

Yesterday, Hillary Rodham Clinton attended two town hall events in Iowa. The first was held in Coralville, where Clinton hosted an outdoor event on an unseasonably warm day. Clinton opened the event with remarks about several of her policy points including gun control. Clinton then answered a number of questions from those in attendance. She was asked about a variety of topics including the backlog at the Department of Veteran Affairs, tensions with China, and immigration. Clinton then went to Grinnell College in Grinnell. Clinton held a very similar event where, again, she proposed tougher gun regulations and taking the National Rifle Association. She said, “A majority of Americans and a majority of gun owners know we have to make the changes. What stands in the way? One of the most powerful lobbies in our country. The NRA, that intimidates and bullies legislators and governors into doing what they want. That must end.”

Videos from yesterday’s events will be posted when/if available.

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News Source: The New York Times, The Guardian

Clinton Unveils Gun Control Plan During NH Town Hall

Hillary Rodham Clinton laid out her plans to combat gun violence today during a town hall event on the campus of Manchester Community College in Manchester, New Hampshire. Clinton’s plan, which was also released in a post on The Briefing, contains many parts to help cut down the 33,000 deaths every year that occur because of guns and to combat the fact that 20% – 40% of gun purchases in the United States are completed without a background check. Clinton calls for comprehensive background check reform, closing the “Charleston Loophole,” which allows a gun purchase to continue if a background check is not complete after three days, and to introduce tighter restrictions on internet and gun show sales.

Clinton vowed to fight the National Rifle Association (NRA) and other lobbying efforts to curb gun control. She would repeal the “Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act,” a law that protects gun manufacturers and dealers from being held responsible for the violence their guns commit. She is also calling for stricter regulations and more frequent inspects of gun dealers.

Clinton argued that checking a person’s background is key to ensuring whether they should own a gun. She vowed to support legislation which would prevent domestic abusers from buying and possessing guns, make “straw purchasing” (buying a gun for someone who is a convicted felon) a federal crime, improve existing regulations to ensure guns stay out of the hands of those who are mentally ill, and renew the ban on military-style assault weapons. Clinton points out that a lot of what she proposes is not new, but existing legislation is either extremely weak or was allowed to expire. She spoke strongly during the event, but she broke down for moment when she introduced, Nicole Hockley, the mother of a child killed in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. She is now the executive director of the group Sandy Hook Promise.

She vowed to make gun control a top priority because too many people have died as a result of weak laws. She said, “It’s time for us to say, ‘Wait a minute, we’re better than this, our country is better than this, and there are steps we can take that improve gun safety and further prevention of violence. We haven’t done what we need to do to try and make our children safe. That’s what’s behind the proposals I’m making. They’re not new — there’s nothing unique about them other than that I’m so determined to do everything I possibly can.”

A full video from the town hall event is available on C-SPAN.

Tomorrow, Clinton begins a two day campaign trip to Iowa where she is schedule to take place in four events. For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The New York Times, International Business Times, The Briefing

Clinton in Florida

Today, Hillary Rodham Clinton made several appearances in Florida. Her only public event was a grassroots organizing event at Broward College in Davie where she gave a speech. In her speech, Clinton responded to yesterday’s shooting at a community college in Oregon by criticizing Republicans for backing down from imposing stricter gun regulations because they are heavily influenced by the NRA. She used strong language saying that Republicans continue to, “put the NRA ahead of American families.” During her half hour speech, Clinton also addressed a number of topics including climate change and the expansion of Medicaid for Floridians. A video from Clinton’s speech is below.

While in Florida, Clinton also attended three private fundraisers. The first, in North Palm Beach, was hosted by Robin Noyes and Fred Cunningham. Cunningham is a founding partner of Cunningham, Whalen & Gaspari. The second event was held at the home of Sharon and Mitchell Berger in Fort Lauderdale. The final fundraiser took place this evening at the Miami Beach home of prominent Democratic fundraisers Abigail and F.J. Pollak. As with all private fundraisers, the event was closed to the press.

Tomorrow, Clinton is scheduled to attend the Human Rights Campaign’s National Dinner before appearing on Saturday Night Live. For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: WFLA, Tampa Bay Times, CNN