FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 1, 2022
GLENS FALLS, NY– Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik released the following statement on Kathy Hochul and Albany Democrats’ unconstitutional anti-Second Amendment legislation that her Far-Left Downstate Democrat opponent supports going into effect:
“Today is a dark day for Upstate New York, the North Country, New York State, and the United States Constitution as Kathy Hochul and Albany Democrats’ unconstitutional legislation that is an assault on our fundamental Second Amendment rights goes into effect. This legislation is a direct attack on the law-abiding and patriotic citizens of the North Country and Adirondack Park and would classify tens of thousands of law-abiding gun owners in NY-21 as felons.
I will do everything in my power to fight this bill and defend Upstate New York and the North Country’s Second Amendment rights, just as I did when I signed the amicus brief against New York’s unconstitutional concealed carry permitting process the Supreme Court struck down earlier this year.
Not surprisingly, this legislation is supported by my Far-Left Downstate Democrat opponent, showing the voters of NY-21 how out of touch he is with our values.
This is not a partisan issue. Law-abiding gun owners are Democrats, Republicans, and Independents all across NY-21. That is why we will send a message at the ballot box for change in New York State this November by voting out all these dangerous, radical, failed Far-Left politicians from office.”
Far-Left Downstate Democrat Matt Castelli’s History Of Standing Against The Second Amendment:
- In a June interview withWWNYTV, Castelli supported Governor Kathy Hochul’s new anti-Second Amendment legislation.
- “Although not all New Yorkers agree with Governor Hochul’s new legislation, candidate for the state’s 21st congressional district Matt Castelli says that he could no longer just sit on the sidelines and do nothing in regard to what has been happening across the country.” “To pass legislation to actually address this challenge. Right now, there’s urgency in order to make sure we’re in a position to keep our kids and our community safe,” said Castelli.
- Castelli wholeheartedly supported recent gun legislation that was signed into law by Joe Biden, which made gun owners second-class citizens. Castelli called this legislation a “common sense solution.”
- Castelli said that he supported “robust red flag” laws during an interview withNorth Country Public Radioon August 19, 2022.
- Red flag laws take away due process rights and will have no effect on deterring criminals who do not follow the law when obtaining firearms.
- On August 1, 2022, Matt Castelli said that he would look at an assault weapons ban in Congress when asked during an interview withNCPR.
- QUESTION: “Do you support an assault rifle ban?”
- CASTELLI: “I am happy to look at any kind of legislation. I think we need, those of us who support the second amendment and lawful gun owners, at the table when we’re talking about reducing gun violence in our communities and I think the best way we do that is really focusing on any firearm being kept out of the hands of someone who is going to do themselves and others harm.”
- Matt Castelli has continued to dodge whether he supports an assault weapons ban. From an August 5, 2022,Post Starreport:
- “Castelli’s campaign did not respond to two subsequent requests on Wednesday and Thursday for Castelli to answer specifically whether he would have voted in favor of the legislation, which all but five House Democrats voted for.”
- On June 11, 2022, Castelli said he was “proud to join” a #MarchForOurLives event in Potsdam andSaranac Lake.
- The organization March For Our Lives,which organized the events Castelli attended, fully supports an assault weapons ban and various other anti-Second Amendment policies, including a national gun registry.
- According to theMarch For Our Lives website, they support “a national licensing and registry system that promotes responsible gun ownership; a ban on assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and other weapons of war; policies to disarm gun owners who pose a harm risk; and a national gun buy-back program to reduce the estimated 265–393 million firearms in circulation by at least 30%.”
