FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2024
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ICYMI: Maryland Republican Larry Hogan Consistently Opposed Efforts to Curb Gun Violence [American Journal News]
Hogan opposed assault weapons ban, vetoed background checks on private gun sales, refused to sign legislation
banning ghost guns
In case you missed it, American Journal News detailed Trump-endorsed Republican Larry Hogan’s extensive record putting the gun lobby before the safety of Marylanders. As a candidate for governor, Hogan opposed an assault weapons ban passed in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting, and once elected, Hogan vetoed expanded background checks and stricter requirements on gun sellers and refused to sign legislation banning ghost guns.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
American Journal News: Maryland Republican Larry Hogan consistently opposed efforts to curb gun violence
By Jesse Valentine
6/26/24
- In 2013, Hogan was an opponent of Maryland’s Firearm Safety Act, a sweeping gun-control law passed in response to the deadly mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The law banned 45 types of assault-style rifles in Maryland as well as high capacity magazines. It also enacted new permitting requirements for those seeking to buy a gun.
- Hogan’s opposition to the Firearm Safety Act helped him secure the endorsement of the National Rifle Association during his 2014 campaign for governor.
- In that same campaign, Hogan said in a radio interview that he wanted to make it easier for law-abiding citizens to buy guns. He also told the Washington Post that gun safety was not a top issue for his campaign.
- In 2020, Hogan vetoed a bill requiring background checks for private gun sales and non-sale transactions, such as gifts and trades. In 2021, the Maryland General Assembly overrode Hogan’s veto and the law was enacted.
- In April 2022, Hogan vetoed a bill that would have mandated certain anti-theftfeatures for businesses that sell firearms, including security cameras and reinforced entryways.
- That same month, Hogan refused to sign a bill banning untraceable firearms assembled from individual parts, also known as ghost guns.
- Polling suggests that Hogan’s actions are out of line with what most Americans want. A 2023 McCourtney Institute for Democracy poll found that 86% of American adults support background checks for all gun purchases. A 2021 Data for Progress poll found 73% of voters want restrictions on ghost guns.