The state of Connecticut announced Tuesday that it plans to divest from its investments in civilian gun manufacturers — the latest move in a state that has enacted stricter gun policies since the Newtown massacre.
Leading the initiative, known as the Responsible Gun Policy, is state treasurer Shawn Wooden, who said he lost his own cousin to gun violence in 2012, just months before the mass shooting that killed 26 children and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Its core components are divestment, disclosure and decision-making.
“So yes, this issue is personal to me,” Wooden said. “However, as state treasurer, gun violence is a matter of significant financial concern, which warrants the attention of this office.”
Wooden manages more than $36 billion in pension investments, which include contributions from more than 200,000 state and municipal employees, teachers and retirees. Wooden said recent court cases involving civilian gun manufacturers make them “risky financially, legally, and reputationally,” so he plans to reallocate $30 million in pension funds to more “stable” investments.
The $30 million in pension funds from the Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds (CRPTF) are invested within four companies that manufacture guns: Clarus Corporation ($114,087), Daicel Corporation ($233,668), Vista Outdoor Inc. ($626), and Olin Corporation ($1.61 million), and one that manufactures ammunition for civilian firearms, Northrop Grumman. The bulk of the funds are invested within Northrop, at $28 million.
CRPTF does not hold any investments within Sturm, Ruger & Company, nor will they in the future — based on the Responsible Gun Policy’s guidelines — “unless they move to advance smart gun technology.” The Southport-based company was one of two gun companies pushed into producing a gun violence report following a shareholder resolution driven by faith-based groups.
The policy explicitly prohibits investing state pension funds in “public securities of civilian firearms manufacturing companies.” It also asks banks to disclose their gun policies and relationships with the firearm industry when doing business with the state.
Janet Rice, the outreach coordinator for Connecticut Against Gun Violence, was among the gun-control activists who stood alongside Wooden during his announcement. Her 20-year-old son was shot and killed in Hartford in 2012.
“As a survivor and as a mother, the grief is unimaginable. You learn a pain that you never knew was possible,” Rice said. “You learn the loss is unique and universal for thousands touched by gun violence each year.”
That same year, Wooden said the nation “lost its innocence” following the fatal shooting of 20 students and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Wooden included divestment from the gun industry as a key tenet of his platform when he ran for office last fall.
“Money talks,” Wooden said. “And I want our policy to speak loud and clear. May it speak loud enough for gun manufacturers to understand it’s time to make safer, smarter products for the marketplace.”
Wooden also announced that Citibank and Rice Financial were selected as senior underwriters for the state’s next general obligation bond sale of $890 million, calling Citibank a “leader of gun safety in the financial services industry.” Its commercial firearms policy restricts its retail clients from selling firearms to individuals under the age of 21, those who have not taken or passed a background check, and prohibits the sale of bump stocks and high-capacity magazines.
The plan needs approval by the investment advisory council. He expects the policy to be reviewed in February 2020.
“The treasurer’s decision to divest from gun manufacturers and enact a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive, responsible gun policy should be applauded,” said Governor Ned Lamont in a statement. “While divesting sends a strong message, we still need a moment of action in Washington that will bring an end to the mass shootings that have become an everyday tragedy for our country.”
I missed the part where he’s divesting from all fossil fuel companies. If victims of gun violence make him squeamish then I would think an entire planet choking to death would really be a cause for concern unless he denies the scientific evidence.
How about CT Divest from Fossil Fuels also: https://campaigns.gofossilfree.org/petitions/divest-state-of-connecticut-government-from-fossil-fuels
I am not in favor of “socially responsible” investing by public entities. Their fiduciary responsibility — to both public employees/retirees and taxpayers — is to make investments that will provide sufficient returns to meet pension needs. Those investments should be responsible as far as balancing and risk go, but that’s it. If people want to invest their own accounts (IRA’s, 401k’s, whatever) in “socially responsible” ways, go for it.
I have had far more friends, acquaintances, and family members killed in car accidents (many involving alcohol); the two that died in gun-related incidents were suicides. I demand that Mr. Wooden divest any and all state funds/monies in any and all beer/liquor or automotive stocks, bonds, funds!
Such baloney… This is nothing more then a far left liberal implementing far left dogma. His responsibility is to the fiscal welfare of long term CT investments… NOT protecting CT from typical left wing bugaboos like the the gun industry!!!
No one elected you to implement such doctrine!!!
According to Inc.com (not a “liberal” web site), guns sales dropped 16.5% last year. Colt is in bankruptcy (couldn’t make a $10.5 million dollar payment to senior investors in June). So tell me again why the state should continue to invest in them? Is it just because this “liberal bugaboo” offends you?