by Guy Page
Democratic candidate for Congress Becca Balint of Brattleboro sees nothing good in Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of S30, this year’s gun control bill. On the other hand, Republican candidate Ericka Redic of Burlington applauds Scott’s veto – and says Balint unfairly maligns gun purchasers.
““Fundamentally, this bill is about keeping guns out of the hands of people with histories of domestic abuse or other dangerous behavior. I’m surprised Governor Scott wouldn’t support that,” Balint said in a Feb. 22 campaign statement.
In a campaign statement released today, Redic said she supports the Governor’s veto of bill S30 because all Vermonters have the right and deserve the ability to protect themselves and their families.
Redic added: “Balint seems to think the only people who purchase guns are criminals or domestic abusers. She wants to take away a woman’s ability to protect herself and her family from domestic violence. At a time when Senator Balint is calling to defund the police, and prosecutors and judges are refusing to keep violent criminals behind bars, handcuffing a woman’s right to protect herself is unconscionable.”
“The government’s first responsibility is the safety of its citizens. We want to provide a mechanism for rehabilitation of people who commit crimes, but not at the expense of safety and justice for the victims,” Redic said.
Balint, the Vermont Senate President, explained the Senate wanted to close the so-called “Charleston Loophole” that she says allowed Dylan Roof to commit mass murder at an African-American church. “Our intent in the Senate was to truly close the loophole, so guns couldn’t get into the hands of people who shouldn’t have them. The Governor’s proposal leaves it open. This proposal could be particularly risky to victims of domestic violence, as it takes an average of close to 10 days for federal background check denials related to domestic violence.”
She also promised she won’t give up on gun restrictions for this session. “I’m discussing next steps with my colleagues in the Senate and in the House,” Balint said. “I will keep fighting for all the protections we’ve put in place. We know Vermonters want to see these sensible efforts to prevent gun violence.”
Balint faces Lt. Gov. Molly Gray and fellow Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale in the Democratic primary for U.S. Congress later this year. At present, Redic is the only announced Republican candidate. Vermont’s lone House seat is open because Peter Welch is running for U.S. Senate.