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Tallahassee Faith Leaders Applaud Closing of Leon County Gun-Show Loophole

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 11, 2018

MEDIA CONTACT

Michelle Nealy, mnealy@faithinpubliclife.org, (202) 735-7123

Joey McKinnon, jmckinnon@faithinpubliclife.org, (843) 364-4403

Tallahassee Faith Leaders Applaud Closing of Leon County Gun-Show Loophole

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On Tuesday, April 10th, the Leon County Commission approved an ordinance to close the gun show loophole which expands background checks and adds a waiting period for private sellers. The vote passed with a 6-1 vote and with a compromise replacing the originally-proposed five day waiting period with a three day waiting period. Faith leaders, citizens and communities groups spoke in support of the ordinance during public comment and against the efforts of the National Rifle Association (NRA) to defeat the ordinance.

Pastor Brant Copeland, First Presbyterian Church, Tallahassee:

“Just over a month ago, I stood on the Old Capitol steps, just steps from where we stand now, with those brave students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School whey they declared ‘Enough is enough.’ The Legislature responded with baby steps and last night was the time for local government to act. This was a step towards sanity and safety. The students of Parkland have shown us the light and last night the Leon County Commission followed the light and took a small step forward.”

Rev. Joe Parramore, New Journey Ministries, Quincy:

“Florida’s capital city, Tallahassee, has the highest crime per capita in the state. The Leon County Commission has taken steps that not only could change that headline, but also do something where many governing bodies have failed as a direct result of the influence of the NRA lobbyists, and that is close the gun show loophole and further expand background check and waiting periods. We have a moral obligation to do what is sensible when it comes to people’s safety and that happened last night.”

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Faith in Public Life is a national network of nearly 50,000 clergy and faith leaders united in the prophetic pursuit of justice and the common good.

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