A Stark Contrast on Gun Safety: Mayor Joe Hogsett vs. Republican Nominee Jefferson Shreve
The Indiana Democratic Party is today showing the striking contrast between Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Republican mayoral nominee Jefferson Shreve when it comes to gun safety.
“The record is clear: NRA member Jefferson Shreve as mayor would be a pawn of the gun lobby and the Republican supermajority in the Statehouse,” said Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Mike Schmuhl.
“Mayor Joe is standing up to the gun lobby and using every tool at his disposal to target illegal and stolen firearms. Mayor Joe understands that stopping crime starts with targeting the root of the problem: gun violence. That’s why he has a plan to hire more police officers, support businesses and organizations in keeping events gun-free, and fight Republicans’ preemption laws.”
In the midst of a nationwide epidemic of accidental shootings of minors, including three tragic incidents in Indianapolis within hours on Friday and over 20 people shot over the weekend, Shreve continues to lack a gun safety plan, perhaps due to his long history of supporting the gun lobby over the safety of children. The NRA, of which Shreve is a member, has consistently opposed laws to require safe storage of guns around children.
We don’t have to wonder what Shreve as mayor would mean on guns — as a City-County Councillor, Shreve defended irresponsible gun owners that endanger the community by voting with Republicans against 2015 Proposal 228, a commonsense ordinance to require the reporting of stolen firearms to the police.
If voting to deny law enforcement more knowledge of stolen firearms wasn’t bad enough, Shreve ran for State Senate in 2016 as an ‘A’ rated candidate by the NRA to join the Republican supermajority that ignored the pleas of police to not institute permitless carry.
Portions of Mayor Joe’s $150 million, multifaceted gun safety plan are being considered by the City-County Council this week. It sends a message to the gun lobby that Indianapolis wants stronger gun measures that protect families and the rights of responsible gun owners like raising the age to purchase a firearm to 21, banning assault weapons, and halting permitless carry in Indianapolis.
It also takes meaningful steps to support businesses and organizations that strive for gun-free environments, and continues record investments in gun violence prevention and mental health services.
