This may shock you, John: Cities across the country collectively spend more than $5 billion a year to purchase guns and ammunition for law enforcement agencies. That means that taxpayers are the number-one purchaser of firearms in the United States.
This week, we released an analysis examining some of these sales in California, and we found that government agencies have used American tax dollars to purchase firearms and ammunition from gun dealers cited for violations of federal gun laws — sometimes repeatedly.
These findings show the need for government agencies to properly vet firearms vendors to ensure that they have adopted business practices that protect public safety.
Evidence shows that better business practices by members of the gun industry can lead to reductions in gun trafficking and crime. Government agencies can play a critical role in preventing gun violence by establishing policies that require gun dealers to comply with firearms laws and adhere to best practices to benefit from taxpayer-funded purchases.
And while our analysis focuses on California, there is reason to believe this trend is happening nationwide. That’s why we’re calling on local governments to ensure that law enforcement agencies examine gun dealers’ compliance with state and federal laws before purchasing equipment from those vendors. By ensuring tax dollars are spent wisely, we can incentivize compliance and safe dealing reforms, reduce the number of firearms directed to illegal markets, promote public safety, and help stem America’s gun violence epidemic.
Please take a moment to learn more and find ways to take action in your own community. You can inquire about the procurement practices of local government agencies and take action to promote responsible firearms procurement in your area. |
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What Are So-Called “Second Amendment Sanctuaries?” |
Last week, Illinois became the 9th state to ban deadly assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Just days after this major victory for public safety, dozens of localities across the state announced that they will not enforce the new law, claiming it is unconstitutional and infringes on Second Amendment rights.
These actions are part of the so-called “Second Amendment sanctuary” movement. So-called “Second Amendment sanctuaries” are built entirely upon a tightly held and inaccurate belief that common-sense gun safety laws are unconstitutional. And in recent years, some localities are going so far as to pass resolutions declaring that they will refuse to enforce or dedicate tax-funded resources to the implementation of state gun safety measures.
To little surprise, Brady previously uncovered that the NRA was pulling the strings behind so-called "Second Amendment sanctuaries" in New Mexico, and in the years since, more states and localities have followed their approach.
This alarming trend should concern every American. Not only do so-called “Second Amendment sanctuaries” put constituents at risk by threatening to block gun safety laws, but they also undermine the very oath lawmakers are sworn to — to protect and serve the public. To learn more about “Second Amendment sanctuaries,” and how you can take action in your state, please visit our webpage and listen to our podcast explainer.
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Ethan Song would have turned 20 years old this week. But in 2015, he died after unintentionally shooting himself with a gun that had been left unsecured at a friend’s home. Had the gun, which was owned by his friend’s father, been stored locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition, Ethan would be here today.
Tragically, Ethan is not alone: Each day in America, eight children and teens are killed or injured by family fire, a shooting involving an improperly stored or misused gun in the home that results in death or injury.
In the years since Ethan's death, his parents, Kristin and Michael Song, have dedicated their lives to gun violence prevention, fighting to pass a federal safe gun storage law to protect other children from what ended their son’s life. We at Brady are in awe of the Songs and their tireless advocacy to save lives. As we remember Ethan on what would be his 20th birthday, please join us in learning more about his story and how we can all prevent family fire.
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WEST VIRGINIA: Look Out for Our New End Family Fire Billboards! |
Unintentional shootings, suicide, and intentional shootings are all forms of family fire. We can prevent these tragedies by storing our firearms locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition. |
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Episode 216 — The Gun Lobby's Lies: the Power of Disinformation
For decades, the gun lobby fueled disinformation to silence reputable research on guns and gun violence. Devin L. Hughes knows this better than many — as the co-founder and president of the non-profit GVPedia, he leads the charge to combat misinformation about gun violence in America. We’re joined by Devin to discuss the “firehose of falsehood” — how groups like the NRA use — and continue to use — disinformation to flood the research landscape with inaccuracies to change the narrative and block sensible solutions to our nation’s gun violence epidemic in courts and state legislatures across the nation.
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