The political action arm of a left-wing nonprofit that advocates for gun control is moving into Tennessee, according to new lobbyist registration documents.
Three members of the Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund, Calandrian Kemp, Samuel Tolliver, and Aurora Vasquez, have registered to become lobbyists on behalf of the organization in the Volunteer State.
“The Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund (SHPAF), a 501(c)4 organization, works to pass bipartisan legislation at the state and federal levels that supports school safety, mental wellness, and gun violence prevention,” according to the organization’s website.
“The SHPAF team researches, writes and supports policies to protect children from violence in their schools, homes and communities – including the successful passage of state and federal legislation,” the site says. “The laws provide investments in evidence-informed school violence and youth suicide prevention programs and offer communities tools to keep guns out of the hands of those seeking to harm themselves or others.”
Kemp is the group’s State Police manager and is based in Houston, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Tolliver is a senior associate for State Police based in Lexington, Kentucky.
Vasquez is an attorney who lives in Washington, D.C. Her LinkedIn profile says she is SHPAF’s vice president of State Police and Engagement.
“Ms. Vasquez is a former community-based, civil rights attorney with proven experience managing teams of staff and volunteers in matters of racial, social, and economic justice, employing a human rights lens,” according to her biography. “She has also designed and implemented a number of creative and successful campaigns, programs and projects in the education equity, voting rights, economic justice and immigrant justice sectors. Aurora transitioned her skills into the gun violence prevention sector after her youngest niece was murdered while a sophomore in college.”
None of the newly registered lobbyists are from the state of Tennessee.
SHPAF boasts endorsements from some of the most ardent anti-gun Democrats currently holding elected office, including Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT).
“I am so grateful to my friends at Sandy Hook Promise, who, despite 10 years of setbacks and frustrations, never gave up,” says an endorsement from Murphy on the group’s website. “Today would not be possible if it weren’t for the strength of this movement and the tireless efforts of every survivor, family member, and advocate to end our nation’s epidemic of gun violence. Mark [Barden] and Nicole [Hockley] are my heroes, and our fight together doesn’t end here.”
Barden and Hockley founded the organization.
The group raised more than $10 million last year, and spent $5.6 million of it on “program services.” It says 69 cents from every dollar donated goes directly towards funding gun control initiatives.
SHPAF joins a number of gun control groups that are new to Tennessee.
Tuesday, The Tennessee Star reported that Voices for a Safer Tennessee, a nonprofit run by wealthy Republicans and Democrats, is beginning to advocate for gun control in the state.
Gov. Bill Lee (R) called a special session of the General Assembly to be held in August after taking heat in the wake of The Covenant School shooting in March.
He has called for the passage of red flag laws, despite opposition from the Republican majority in the Tennessee House and Senate.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Photo “Sandy Hook Promise Poster” by Sandy Hook Promise.
Seems like a waste of time for them to lobby “state police” in Tennessee. The THP and Tennessee Sheriff’s Association already constantly lobby in legislative sessions against law-abiding citizens keeping and bearing arms.
And fail to control Megaphone Jones and anti-gun rioters in the capitol…but then they are on the same side.
Go home, Yankee Dogs!
Please allow me another post.
I would like to address the key issues listed on the SAPAF website;
“We celebrate the Bipartisan passage of background checks legislation in the House and calls for immediate Senate action”.
They claim that internet firearms sales are completed without background checks. I have yet to see an online site that does not require the firearm be shipped to an FFL. Also, most of the deranges people who commit these crimes passed a background check. Fat lot of good that did.
“ERPOs allow family members or law enforcement to seek the court’s help to temporarily separate people in crisis from firearms.”
There are already laws that enable law enforcement to remove people who are a danger to others and the community. But what good does it do when these same people are just returned to the streets with no bale or jail time? Add to that the potential for false claims against an individual.
“Firearms should be stored safely and away from ammunition. Safe storage prevents children and other prohibited persons from accessing a firearm.”
Of course they should be, but unfortunately too many people are just too damn stupid it understand this. Just because you pass a law stating that firearms must be locked up doesn’t mean people are going to do it. Dah, just like convicted felons are not allowed to be in possession firearms. If my house is broken into I’m sure the criminals would have no problem waiting while I go retrieve my handgun from the safe.
“Assault-style rifles are increasingly being used to target communities of color in violent acts of hate and racism.”
This is a good one. Liberals playing the race card. ICYMI, it’s members of the black community that commit the most violent crimes against the black community. AND, handguns are the weapon of choice.
“Please help ensure ghost guns are kept away from criminals and those who would harm children.”
There’s that scary phrase…ghost guns! Criminals are already not supposed to possess firearms, but they ignore that because they’re criminals. They’ll just find another gun or other weapon somewhere else.
“High-capacity magazines allow shooters to discharge weapons rapidly and repeatedly without reloading.”
That is a true statement. And there is nothing I want more in my weapon in a self defense situation than a high capacity magazine.
There are plenty of cost effective ways to protect school children that do not require limitations on the type of firearms people are allowed to own. This organization, just like most others are made up of people with good intentions but lacking in common sense. You either; don’t care about my right to own firearms, you foolishly believe the police are going to magically appear in time to save your life, or you have given up all responsibility for yourselves and believe the government should completely run your lives. Well guess what, there are still millions of Americas who take complete responsibility for their own safety and well being. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let the behavior ignorant individuals be the catalyst for the disarmament of America. You just return violent criminals back on the streets where they commit more violent crime, while at the safe time working tirelessly to take away the rights of law-abiding Americans to protect themselves from these same criminals. The hypocrisy of the democrats knows no bounds.
The manifesto will be released soon – Gov. Lee…….
Still waiting……
It is not just Tennessee that is NOT any of their home, they are also not from Sandy Hook – or any other town in Connecticut.
I may be reading into this (I’d have to look at the non-profit’s financial statements – which I don’t care to take the time to do), but it seems they take in about $10M per year and spend $6.9M on gun control initiatives which leaves about $3.1M for salaries and perks. Of course they are going to show up in ANY state where they can hope to expand their fundraising. They must love that Governor Lee is forcing this. cha ching
Here come more out of state agitators sticking their liberal noses into Tennessee’s business. You people can’t be satisfied stripping the Constitutional rights from the citizens of Connecticut, now you think you can pull the crap in our state. Well, go pound sand.