Democrats Respond to Scarcelli’s Challenge
At the AGC of Maine debate candidates were asked if they supported “mandatory background checks on the purchase of a firearm.” Only three candidates answered yes: Eliot Cutler, Bruce Poliquin, and Rosa Scarcelli. After the debate Scarcelli issued a challenge to her Demoratic opponents, saying she was surprised that none of her fellow Democrats agreed.
Image courtesy of Time Magazine
“I am proud to stand up to prevent domestic violence with common sense restrictions like this one,” said Scarcelli. “I only wish my Democratic opponents would join me in doing the right thing for the hundreds of potential victims of domestic violence in Maine.” We have asked the Democratic candidates to elaborate on their answers at the AGC debate. We will post their responses as we receive them.
Steven Rowe:
Complex issues demand and deserve more than one word solutions.
The question asked at the AGC forum had some faulty premises: it failed to note that federal law already requires criminal background checks for the sale of firearms by federally licensed firearm dealers. I support that law. This law does not apply to many sales at gun shows; I support closing this so-called “gun show loophole,” as well as similar loopholes that currently allow kids and criminals to buy guns. My support for closing the gun show loophole is a matter of public record.
However, there are and should continue to be exceptions to requiring criminal background checks for every gun transfer: for example, a father selling or giving a hunting rifle to his son. I grew up hunting, and support a person’s Constitutional right to possess a firearm. As Governor, I’ll protect the Constitutional rights of law-abiding Mainers, while making sure criminals and unsupervised young children don’t have access to firearms. And, of course, I will build on my life’s work of making Maine safer.
As Attorney General, I sat with grieving parents and children who had their daughters and mothers taken from them by unthinkable acts of violence. I worked tirelessly to prevent domestic abuse and to protect victims, leading the effort to enact a law to protect victims of domestic violence during the time when they are most vulnerable — when they leave the abuser. I worked to modernize Maine’s stalking laws and implemented visionary programs aimed at connecting victims to help. For that work, I received National Sexual Violence Resource Center Visionary Voice Award, the only state Attorney General to receive that award. As Governor, I will continue to work to prevent domestic violence and to protect its victims.
