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.