Giffords Hits Virginia With Gun Control Coalition

It seems Gabby Giffords is racking up the frequent flyer miles in her quest to spread gun control across the country. On Tuesday, the former Arizona congresswoman and her Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut husband Captain Mark Kelly announced the Virginia Coalition for Common Sense in Richmond, VA.

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“Stopping gun violence takes courage, the courage to do what’s right, the courage of new ideas,” she said in her speech at the State Capitol. “I’ve seen great courage when my life was on the line. Now is the time to come together. Be responsible. Democrats, Republicans. Everyone. We must never stop fighting. Fight. Fight. Fight!”

Giffords’ group, Americans for Responsible Solutions, unveiled similar coalitions in New Hampshire, Minnesota, Oregon and Delaware before launching efforts in Virginia.

Tim Heaphy, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, is part of Giffords’ coalition and was on hand for the event in Richmond.

“Everything that we are talking about here is completely consistent with the Second Amendment. This is about common sense restrictions on the ability of dangerous people to get to get firearms. It does not in any way affect the rights of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms,” Heaphy said.

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Del. C. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah), a former prosecutor, said Giffords’ proposed actions (universal background checks) wouldn’t stop shooters intent on killing. “People who don’t follow the law anyway find a way to break new ones,” he said in a phone interview after Giffords’ news conference in which she pleaded with Virginia to strengthen the state’s gun laws and require universal background checks on all gun sales.


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