John,

The Columbine High School shooting happened my freshman year of high school. I remember people saying that my generation would be remembered as the one that had to endure school shootings. Now, over two decades later, other generations of students are still confronting this tragic reality. Virginia Tech. Sandy Hook. Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Earlier this week, we added Robb Elementary to the list – the second deadliest school shooting in US history after Sandy Hook. That means the two deadliest school shootings in our history happened at elementary schools. And this one happened just over a week after a white nationalist targeted and murdered Black people in a supermarket in Buffalo. The shooters in these mass murders were all between 18 and 23 years old.

We are told that we should not get political after a mass shooting. If not now, though, then when? We are told that we should not talk about guns in certain political campaigns. Here’s the thing, though: Reforming our laws in order to reduce gun violence in our communities is broadly popular. Elected officials in the pockets of the gun lobby would have us believe otherwise, but they are wrong – and it’s costing American lives.

I support the Second Amendment. Like the majority of Americans, I also support common-sense measures that will save lives and make our communities safer while still protecting responsible gun ownership. In my campaign for Congress, I have talked to people across this district and across the political spectrum. Many of them are gun owners. Everyone with whom I have spoken supports taking action and understands those actions will not infringe on their right to keep their families safe or hunt.

We must demand that our elected officials pass legislation that:

• Implements universal background checks
• Closes gun-show and ghost-gun loopholes
• Implements red flag laws
• Bans the sale of assault weapons
• Repeals the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which provides unique broad immunity to gun manufacturers
• Supports funding for the CDC to conduct gun violence research

If our elected officials won’t, then they must step aside because they are doing the bidding of the gun lobby, not their constituents.

I am not afraid to say these things. During my career as a lawyer, I wasn’t afraid either. I devoted hundreds of hours of pro bono time to working with the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, an organization led by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords who survived being shot in the head at a constituent event. I was part of a team that filed a lawsuit to ensure the national criminal background check system had accurate information so that guns were kept out of the hands of people who are legally not allowed to have them, like those convicted of domestic violence. Having the correct information in the system is vital so that our cities and police departments can keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people and keep our communities safe.

I am committed to carrying on this work in Congress – because it will make our communities safer, because Americans want it, and because it is the right thing to do.

Thank you,

Matt Putorti