Bob McDonnell Content to Let Felons, Terrorists, Buy Firearms at Gun Shows

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being
released by Virginians for Public Safety:

One week ago, in a debate between Virginia's gubernatorial candidates, Bob
McDonnell answered a question about the "Gun Show Loophole" by reiterating his
support for unregulated firearm sales at gun shows in the Commonwealth.
Citing improvements to Virginia's mental health laws, McDonnell opined that
the Virginia Tech tragedy had been adequately addressed, and bragged of the
endorsement he received from the National Rifle Association.

In reality, Virginia legislators have taken no action to address the threat to
public safety created by the Gun Show Loophole since the tragedy at Virginia
Tech, despite the persistent pleas of victims and survivors of those
shootings. The loophole allows individuals who are "not engaged in the
business" of dealing firearms to sell guns at gun shows without conducting
background checks on purchasers or maintaining records of sale. The Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has identified gun shows as
the source of more than 30% of all illegally trafficked guns in the United
States.

At the state level, Virginia narrowly improved their Vcheck background check
database following the April 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech. After it was
revealed that killer Seung-Hui Cho had legally obtained handguns after being
detained in a psychiatric facility, Governor Tim Kaine signed an executive
order to require Virginia's courts to forward Orders of Involuntary Commitment
to the State Police so they can be considered during background checks by
federally licensed firearm dealers (FFLs). This order was later codified in
legislation.

Unfortunately, the Virginia General Assembly completely ignored a critical
recommendation of the Virginia Tech Review Panel to require background checks
on private sales of firearms at gun shows. The panel recognized that a future
Cho -- or a convicted felon, domestic abuser, or other prohibited purchaser --
could easily acquire guns through an unlicensed seller if they failed a
background check through an FFL. As the panel wrote, "In an age of widespread
information technology, it should not be too difficult for anyone, including
private sellers, to contact the Virginia Firearms Transaction Program for a
background check that usually only takes minutes before transferring a
firearm. The program already processes transactions made by [federally
licensed firearm] dealers at gun shows."

Bob McDonnell's repeated assertion that "the instant background check process
has been greatly improved" ignores the fact that unlicensed firearm sellers
have no obligation to conduct background checks, and in fact are prohibited
under current law from doing so.

McDonnell has also chosen to ignore the voices of those who were directly
affected by the Virginia Tech tragedy. In April, 50 survivors and family
members of those killed or wounded in the shootings published an open letter
in the Richmond Times-Dispatch in which they stated, "We remain extremely
disappointed in Virginia lawmakers for not closing the gun show loophole, and
we hold them accountable for their inaction on gun violence prevention." That
same month, ABC's 20/20 program aired a video of Omar Samaha -- the brother of
Virginia Tech victim Reema Samaha -- attending a gun show in Richmond and
buying 10 guns in one hour without undergoing a background check. He never
even had to show his driver's license.

According to Bob McDonnell at the October 12 gubernatorial debate, this system
of commerce "works well." A recent poll by Christopher Newport University's
Judy Ford Wason Center for Public Policy indicates that eight out of ten
Virginians disagree, and want the Gun Show Loophole closed.

"The only individuals benefiting from loose gun laws in the Commonwealth are
criminals, terrorists, and other dangerous individuals," said Virginians for
Public Safety President Jim Sollo. "Bob McDonnell needs to decide what is
more important to him: half a million dollars in NRA PAC money or the safety
of Virginia residents."

Virginians for Public Safety (VPS) is a coalition of state residents promoting
appropriate, meaningful ways to help police and public officials reduce crime
and gang violence. We support tough public safety measures that keep guns away
from criminals, domestic abusers, and children; and we oppose vigilante
efforts on the part of citizens that put our police and public safety at risk.

SOURCE Virginians for Public Safety

Josh Horwitz, +1-202-255-5575, jhorwitz@csgv.org, for Virginians for Public
Safety