INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for Hoosiers, their families and workers, is today urging Indianapolis Republican mayoral candidate Jefferson Shreve to release his “A” rated National Rifle Association (NRA) questionnaire from his 2016 State Senate campaign, and stop hiding his record on gun issues from voters ahead of the NRA leadership forum hosted next month in Indianapolis.
Everytown For Gun Safety keeps a comprehensive list of previous NRA questionnaire grades available for public view on its website. Shreve, a self-described “conservative Republican”, received the highest grade possible for a non-elected official (a rating of A-Q) from the NRA during his 2016 campaign for State Senate on the southside of Indianapolis. Fellow conservative Republicans, former President Donald Trump, and former Vice President Mike Pence are speaking at the NRA leadership forum next month, despite Marion County residents overwhelmingly rejecting their candidacies in both 2016 and 2020.
With gun violence becoming a daily scourge in our country, Hoosiers have a right to know what the NRA asked in its questionnaire and how Shreve answered every question. Instances such as the most recent shooting in Nashville are the result of state legislatures passing bills around the country weakening firearm protections. In receiving the highest grade from the NRA, Shreve must support their ideas that have put more guns on our streets, including Indiana’s permitless carry law passed just last year.
It is no wonder Shreve wishes to hide his record from Indianapolis voters. As an unelected City-County Councilman in 2015, Shreve voted against a commonsense ordinance to fine gun owners who did not report stolen guns. Just months later, he launched his conservative campaign for State Senate and was given the NRA’s highest rating.
“Conservative Republican Jefferson Shreve clearly doesn’t want voters to know about his record on guns and his support of the NRA,” said Mike Schmuhl, Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party. “Whether as a City-County Councilman or as a failed State Senate candidate, Shreve consistently supported the efforts of the gun lobby to roll back local control on firearms and put more guns on the streets of Indianapolis. He needs to immediately release his “A” rated 2016 candidate questionnaire from the NRA so voters can see the full picture of his radical ideas on firearms.”
Simply put: a Shreve administration cannot be trusted on issues of gun safety. His office will work hand-in-hand with the state legislature to place guns in schools and support the repeal of commonsense firearm permitting requirements.
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