From http://insidedenver.com/election/1024guns1.shtml
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Virginia group outspends NRA in battle over Amendment 22
Americans for Gun Safety fund ads, donate cash in bid to close gun-show loophole
By Lynn Bartels, Denver Rocky Mountain News Capitol Bureau
The National Rifle Association is being outspent by another Virginia-based gun group in the battle to sway voters on Amendment 22.
The NRA has donated about $350,000 to fight the Colorado ballot initiative, which requires background checks on all people buying firearms at gun shows.
That's less than the $500,000 Americans for Gun Safety spent to air an ad featuring Arizona Sen. John McCain appealing to Coloradans to close the so-called gun show loophole.
Today, Americans for Gun Safety will unveil its next television ad, which shows Denver's public safety manager, Ari Zavaras, making the same pitch to voters.
Americans for Gun Safety was founded by billionaire Andrew McKelvey, who made his money with monster.com, the job placement Web site. .
In addition to paying for ads, the group also has donated $150,000 to help SAFE Colorado in its effort to pass Amendment 22.
With the election two weeks away, SAFE Colorado may hit the $1 million mark in donations. Talk show host Rosie O'Donnell on Monday became the latest big contributor, donating $10,000.
Gun-rights activists charge that out-of-state fat cats are buying the election
"I think voters need to be aware that the bulk of the money that's coming in on this whole cockeyed issue is from California and the East Coast," said Bill Dietrick of the Colorado State Shooting Association, the state arm of the Fairfax, Va.-based NRA.
"This isn't a Colorado issue. It's out-of-state people with an ax to grind on gun control," he added.
Arnie Grossman, co-founder of SAFE Colorado, pointed out that $440,000 of the group's $815,900 in donations came from Coloradans.
"Where do the opponents get their money from?" Grossman said. "It all comes from the NRA and that's out of state."
Hugo Teufel, an attorney and the registered agent for Citizens for Responsible Lawmaking, said the NRA is just responding to its Colorado members.
"The NRA has more than 80,000 members in Colorado and they want something done about the initiative," said Teufel, whose group will begin airing two radio ads this week.
One ad features a retired Denver police officer who says Colorado already has myriad local, state and federal firearms laws so the issue is not more laws, but better enforcement.
The second ad touches on Colorado's historic relationship with guns.
"Pointing at cans with Grandpa's .22 was almost a rite of passage for a lot of youngsters, as well as learning the basic rules of firearm safety. Like any firearm not handled carefully, a .22 can be dangerous," says the announcer.
"This Nov. 7, we've got another 22 to deal with that can also be dangerous. It's called Amendment 22."
Contact Lynn Bartels at (303) 892-5405 or bartelsl@RockyMountainNews.com [/quote]
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Virginia group outspends NRA in battle over Amendment 22
Americans for Gun Safety fund ads, donate cash in bid to close gun-show loophole
By Lynn Bartels, Denver Rocky Mountain News Capitol Bureau
The National Rifle Association is being outspent by another Virginia-based gun group in the battle to sway voters on Amendment 22.
The NRA has donated about $350,000 to fight the Colorado ballot initiative, which requires background checks on all people buying firearms at gun shows.
That's less than the $500,000 Americans for Gun Safety spent to air an ad featuring Arizona Sen. John McCain appealing to Coloradans to close the so-called gun show loophole.
Today, Americans for Gun Safety will unveil its next television ad, which shows Denver's public safety manager, Ari Zavaras, making the same pitch to voters.
Americans for Gun Safety was founded by billionaire Andrew McKelvey, who made his money with monster.com, the job placement Web site. .
In addition to paying for ads, the group also has donated $150,000 to help SAFE Colorado in its effort to pass Amendment 22.
With the election two weeks away, SAFE Colorado may hit the $1 million mark in donations. Talk show host Rosie O'Donnell on Monday became the latest big contributor, donating $10,000.
Gun-rights activists charge that out-of-state fat cats are buying the election
"I think voters need to be aware that the bulk of the money that's coming in on this whole cockeyed issue is from California and the East Coast," said Bill Dietrick of the Colorado State Shooting Association, the state arm of the Fairfax, Va.-based NRA.
"This isn't a Colorado issue. It's out-of-state people with an ax to grind on gun control," he added.
Arnie Grossman, co-founder of SAFE Colorado, pointed out that $440,000 of the group's $815,900 in donations came from Coloradans.
"Where do the opponents get their money from?" Grossman said. "It all comes from the NRA and that's out of state."
Hugo Teufel, an attorney and the registered agent for Citizens for Responsible Lawmaking, said the NRA is just responding to its Colorado members.
"The NRA has more than 80,000 members in Colorado and they want something done about the initiative," said Teufel, whose group will begin airing two radio ads this week.
One ad features a retired Denver police officer who says Colorado already has myriad local, state and federal firearms laws so the issue is not more laws, but better enforcement.
The second ad touches on Colorado's historic relationship with guns.
"Pointing at cans with Grandpa's .22 was almost a rite of passage for a lot of youngsters, as well as learning the basic rules of firearm safety. Like any firearm not handled carefully, a .22 can be dangerous," says the announcer.
"This Nov. 7, we've got another 22 to deal with that can also be dangerous. It's called Amendment 22."
Contact Lynn Bartels at (303) 892-5405 or bartelsl@RockyMountainNews.com [/quote]