In a statement released this morning, Assembly Candidate David Buchwald pledged to support Governor Andrew Cuomo’s call for the state legislature to pass sensible gun control in the next legislative session.
Buchwald also sharply criticized his opponent, Robert Castelli, for voting against multiple gun control bills that would have protected the public while respecting the rights of law-abiding citizens.
“Governor Cuomo, the National Night Out, and the national news reminded us this week that keeping our families and communities safe is our government’s most basic responsibility,” said Buchwald. “That means keeping guns out of criminals' hands in the first place – and tracking them down if they do use firearms to commit a crime.”
“It’s truly mind-boggling that Robert Castelli voted to allow people convicted of domestic violence to buy a gun. That kind of vote is a basic test of his commitment to Westchester values, and Castelli flunked it. When you combine that with his decision to vote with the NRA and against our Governor and law enforcement professionals on micro-stamping – which Governor Cuomo reiterated his support for just this week – it shows just how far out of touch Castelli is with us on this crucial issue,” Buchwald concluded.
David Buchwald is the Democratic, Independence, and Working Families Party candidate in the 93rd Assembly District, which covers the northeast quadrant of Westchester County. A lifelong Westchester resident, Buchwald is currently a City Councilman in White Plains.
BACKGROUND
Robert Castelli voted against banning domestic violence offenders from purchasing or possessing firearms. In one of his first votes as an Assemblyman, Castelli voted against A-7575 in early 2010. [A-7575, 3/16/2010, roll call available here]
Robert Castelli voted against micro-stamping bullets, a procedure that law enforcement officials believe would allow them to better solve crimes and crack down on illegal gun sales. Castelli voted against A-1157, which would have required all guns built or sold in NY to be capable of micro-stamping ammunition, earlier this year. [A-1157, 6/19/2012, roll call available here]
Governor Cuomo has made passage of expanded gun control - including specifically micro-stamping legislation - a top legislative priority. At a press conference earlier this week, the Governor said regarding gun control that "we have a number of legislative proposals that I think we’ll be taking up in the next legislative session" and added "I support micro-stamping." [Capitol Tonight, "Cuomo: Gun Control Measures on the Horizon," 8/7/2012, article available here]
