Robin Kelly calls on Hutchinson, Halvorson to come clean on NRA questionnaires

Robin Kelly, candidate for Illinois’ second Congressional district, today called on her opponents, former Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson and State Senator Toi Hutchinson, to publically release their National Rifle Association questionnaires they filled out in previous elections.

In the case of Toi Hutchinson, The National Rifle Association’s 2012 questionnaire for Illinois state legislature candidates directly addresses questions about assault weapons bans and bans on high capacity ammunition magazines:

• Question 10: Do you support state legislation banning the lawful manufacture, possession, ownership, purchase, sale and/or transfer of any firearms?
• Question 11: Would you support state legislation restricting the possession, ownership, purchase, sale and/or transfer of semi-automatic firearms used for hunting, competitive shooting, collecting and self-defense?
• Question 12: Would you support restricting or banning magazines that hold more than ten rounds?

How does Senator Toi Hutchinson answer those questions? Can we conclude those answers were to the liking of the NRA.

Debbie Halvorson also has not released her NRA questionnaire, however, she has made it clear that she is with the NRA, having won the NRA NRA endorsement and wearing it like a "badge of honor."

Toi Hutchinson, however, has waffled on the issue of strong, effective "gun control." Until last December, Hutchinson had listed the "National Rifle Association" as an endorser on her website. Since announcing for Congress, the Hutchinson campaign has removed the endorsement of the "National Rifle Association" from their website and has steadfastly refused to discuss the issue.

“I am calling on my opponents to release their previous NRA questionnaires so that the people of the second Congressional district know what promises they have made to the NRA, and how they earned their ‘A’ ratings,” Robin Kelly said. “I earned a lifetime ‘F’ rating from the NRA and I could not be more proud of that fact. The voters deserve to know how Toi and Debbie both earned ‘A’s’ from the pro-gun lobby, which is notoriously known for only issuing ‘A’s’ to its very strongest supporters."

Politico reported that Michael Pfleger, a Roman Catholic priest and gun control activist in Chicago said, “The NRA gives Debbie Halvorson an ‘A’ rating. That tells me she should not be the representative from the 2nd District. If she gets an ‘A’ rating from the NRA, she gets an ‘F’ from me.”

Robin Kelly agrees with Father Pfleger saying that "it is a tragedy that we have lost so many lives in Chicago and the Southland to gun violence, including losing seven lives this Saturday alone. We have to stop the violence and get the guns off the streets. I am the only candidate in the race with the record of fighting against gun violence. I am ready to work with President Obama to take on the NRA and protect our communities.”

Robin Kelly is the only candidate in the race to issue a five-point pledge to combat gun violence.

• Pass a strong, comprehensive ban on assault weapons.
• Eliminate the gun show loophole.
• Ban the use of high capacity ammunition magazines, like those used in Newtown and Aurora.
• Pledge never to receive support from organizations, like the NRA, that oppose reasonable gun safety legislation.
• Support current laws that prohibit conceal and carry permits.

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Send John Presta an email and your story ideas or suggestions or even to volunteer for Robin Kelly at johnpresta@att.net.

John is the author of an award-winning book, the 2010 Winner of the USA National Best Book award for African-American studies, published by The Elevator Group Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots: How Barack Obama, Two Bookstore Owners, and 300 Volunteers did it. Also available an eBook on Amazon. John is also a member of the Society of Midland Authors and is a book reviewer of political books for the New York Journal of Books