Gun control won’t help reduce violence, according to CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp.
“Where we have the highest rates of gun control we also have the highest rates of crime,” said Schlapp, who also chairs the American Conservative Union, one of the largest and oldest conservative lobbying groups in the country.
“If we’re going to jump to gun control as a solution to this problem of violence, we’re being deceitful to people,” he adds. “It’s really not going to solve the problem.”
His statements, though, do contrast with other research. The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, for example, found that states with stricter gun laws, such as California, Connecticut, and New York, generally have lower rates of gun-related deaths.
The most recent mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., hung over this year’s CPAC conference, which kicked off in Maryland on Wednesday.
The attack has ignited a national movement -- helmed by the teenage survivors -- pushing for reform.
Perhaps their efforts were responsible for a concession from Schlapp.
“I would also admit that we’re at a time where I think we ought to do a lot more listening and learning and hearing people out,” adds Schlapp.
There are 38 openly gay mayors across the country, according to the Victory Fund, an advocacy group working to elect LGBTQ politicians. Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa, was elected in April with an overwhelming 72 percent of votes, becoming the city's first openly gay mayor.
Illinois is now the 11th state in the U.S. to legalize recreational marijuana. Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the legalization bill into law on Tuesday, just a few weeks after the proposal was passed by the state legislature.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, June 25, 2019.
Green Growth Brands has added another retail veteran to its team. A former executive at Victoria’s Secret, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein, Jann Parish joins the CBD-infused beauty and skincare company as chief marketing officer, as it seeks to tap into the cultural movement surrounding cannabis and hemp.
Congressman Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) is hoping to break through on the Democratic Primary debate stage Wednesday night by emphasizing his Ohio working class bona fides.
Companies from every sector of the economy are celebrating Pride this month with rainbow logos, LGBTQ-themed marketing campaigns, and new product launches. Yet branding experts note that simply acknowledging Pride in June can undermine a corporate brand as well as undercut the fundamental message of Pride, which is rooted in human rights and celebrating a community that has long been discriminated against.
June is the first Pride month for the 116th Congress, which includes 10 openly gay politicians — the most in the nation’s history. From hometown parades to policy speeches, members of Congress are marking the celebratory month and using the occasion to push for equality legislation.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) is polling somewhere in the neighborhood of zero to one percent in most national polls, but she doesn't believe she can be counted out of the race with the first Democratic primary debates still looming.
REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: Democratic presidential hopefuls descended on South Carolina Friday to meet voters and chow down at House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn's "World Famous Fish Fry."
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Monday, June 24, 2019.
