U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy issued the third in a series of reports today questioning the political clout of the National Rifle Association, a message ostensibly directed at bucking up fellow members of Congress on gun control.
“The intent here is simple,” Murphy said in a conference call with reporters.
His report was drawn from previous polls, including one by GOP pollster Frank Luntz, who grew up in West Hartford, that found that even gun owners are supportive of universal background checks, something opposed by the NRA. He conducted the poll for Mayors Against Illegal Guns.
Wayne LaPierre, the chief executive officer of the NRA, recently outlined the organization’s opposition to background checks in a USA Today op-ed.
Murphy will be joining Vice President Joseph Biden and other officials Thursday at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, not far from Newtown, for an invitation-only symposium on gun violence.
“This is not going to be a debate,” he said. “This is going to be a forum for individuals who are working on solutions for controlling gun violence.”