Maloney statement in response to Gun Owners of America Executive Director Larry Pratt’s call for death threats against elected officials

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) today released the following statement in response to Gun Owners of America Executive Director Larry Pratt’s praise for threats on her life and call for threats of armed violence against elected officials. Pratt’s statement was highlighted in a Rolling Stone Article published this week.

“As someone who has been on the receiving end of violent threats, I can tell you that it is no small matter. To hear Mr. Pratt say he was ‘glad’ about the threats made against me shows just how unhinged he is.

“Let there be no doubt about it, Mr. Pratt is actively encouraging his members to threaten violent action against members of Congress they disagree with. This rhetoric has no place in a democracy and law enforcement should consider investigating the extent to which Mr. Pratt’s organization is involved with making threats against other elected officials.

“These comments are especially reprehensible in light of what happened to my good friend Congresswoman Gabby Giffords who suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a gunshot wound received during a public event, a shooting that also cost the lives of six other people. Pratt’s rhetoric essentially invites similar attacks on other members of Congress.

“These statements show just how outrageous the extreme pro-gun movement has become. Most Americans and most gun owners don’t support a violent overthrow of the government. They believe we can and should address our difference through the democratic process – not through violence. It is unfortunate and disturbing that Mr. Pratt disagrees.”

Background:

In April 2013, Ronald Buchanan of Elmira, New York contacted Rep. Maloney’s New York office and made several death threats. Buchanan later plead guilty to making the threats and was sentenced to 10 days in jail, one year of probation and extensive anger management training.

A Rolling Stone Article published on July 14, 2014 highlighted Gun Owners of America Executive Director Larry Pratt’s praise for the death threats:

"The Second Amendment is not for hunting, it's not even for self-defense," Pratt explained in his Leadership Institute talk. Rather, it is "for restraining tyrannical tendencies in government. . .Especially those in the liberal, tyrannical end of the spectrum. There is some restraint, and even if the voters of Brooklyn don't hold them back, it may be there are other ways that their impulses are somewhat restrained. That's the whole idea of the Second Amendment." He reiterated the point this March during an interview with conservative talk show host Bill Cunningham. Speaking of a New York Congresswoman who had expressed fear that one of Pratt's members wanted to shoot her, Pratt said, "You know, I'm kind of glad that's in the back of their minds. Hopefully they'll behave."

And if they don't? When speaking before smaller, conservative audiences, Pratt explains that it is necessary to both generate an undercurrent of fear and muster the organization and will to defeat the dictator prophesized in the Book of Samuel. When asked during a 2010 Q&A session, "Do we have the will to stand up to the government when they trample our rights?" Pratt replied, "That is an exceptionally important point to raise. We can have all the guns in the world, and if we don't have the will to use them [against the government], then they are useless."