Richard Aborn "Proud" to be "anti-endorsed" by NYSRPA

[rheaj]

Let's show this guy just how proud he can be - vote him down hard!

Richard Aborn: An Anti-Endorsement I'm Thrilled to Have

Our campaign for Manhattan DA has received many endorsements -- like Congressman Jerry Nadler, the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton, to name a few -- but today it's an anti-endorsement I'm particularly proud to receive.

Specifically, the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, the official NRA-affiliated State Association in New York, urged its members yesterday to vote against me in the race for DA. And I couldn't be prouder.

Taking aggressive but common-sense measures to keep New Yorkers safe from gun violence is what this city needs, but is something the NYSRPA doesn't seem to get. What they did get right is that as someone who has worked as a national leader in handgun control, I will do everything in my power as District Attorney to make sure that laws are passed and real action is taken on this issue.

As Assistant District Attorney, one of the most frustrating and difficult things I had to face wasn't just the prevalence of homicides committed by the use of handguns, but the realization that the fight against gun violence cannot be won one gun at a time, simply persecuting the violent crimes committed with guns. Since then, I have worked tirelessly to pass national and state gun control laws, as the President of Handgun Control (now called the Brady Campaign) where we masterminded the passage of the Brady Bill, the national Assault Weapons Ban, and the ban on large volume clips. The recent defeat of the Thune Amendment in the Senate was also a victory to be celebrated -- but the fact of the matter is that violence still persists; the number of guns entering New York from out of state continues to be a major problem; and people are still dying from illegal guns.

I have been fighting the NRA on gun control for many years, and as District Attorney, taking common-sense gun control measures will be one of my priorities in keeping New York safe. If the NRA can't get behind that, then I'm not their candidate for DA.

I would, however, like to be yours. Please visit our web site, abornforda.com, for more information or to get in touch with our campaign.

[rheaj]

An email from the NYSRPA:

Richard Aborn is the former head of Handgun Control (Brady
Campaign.) He's directly responsible for the Brady Law and the '94
Clinton gun ban. He based his campaign for Manhattan DA entirely
upon his gun control record. He hadn't tried a case in like 20 years
so it's not as if he could base it on his extensive legal experience.

He spent the last year on the campaign trail talking about gun
control. He raised over a million dollars for his campaign. He had
more endorsements than either of his opponents including ones from
Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, State Senators Eric Schneiderman and
Eric Adams, Assemblypersons Jonathan Bing, Deborah Glick, Richard
Gottfried, Brian Kavanagh, Daniel O'Donnell, Linda Rosenthal and
Michelle Schimel, the Brady Campaign, Gun Free Kids, Million Mom
March and New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. The Brady Campaign
donated $1000. NYAGV founder Barbara Hohlt and current mouthpiece
Jackie Hilly each made personal campaign contributions.

Aborn repeatedly attacked the NRA and accused them of being out to
get him. He attacked opponent Cy Vance for a small campaign donation
he made years ago to a politician in Seattle who just so happened to
be pro-gun. He sent out a mailer of him shaking hands with Bill
Clinton, implying Clinton endorsed Aborn, which pissed Clinton off
because he didn't. Aborn attacked the R&P and thought it was funny
we would tell members to vote against him. He finished up by making
a last minute
personal loan of $50,000 to his campaign.

The end result?

Aborn had his butt kicked up and down the boro. He didn't just lose;
he came in dead last with only a quarter of the votes. He did so
badly it should damage the creditability of those who endorsed him
because a solid majority of Manhattan Democrats wanted nothing to do
with him or his agenda.

And it gets better.

Middletown Mayor Marlinda Duncanson lost her primary. Duncanson
joined Bloomberg's antigun mayor's coalition earlier this year and
started parroting their agenda. She lost her race 2 to 1. She is
the 2nd Bloomberg buddy we've been able to remove.

In Albany, Common Councilman James Scalzo lost his race. He was one
of the sponsors of ORD 48.41.07, the Bloomberg inspired omnibus gun
control package introduced two years ago.

Finally, in the Town of Kent, our member John Greene defeated an
incumbent to win the GOP endorsement. Good for him.