Top GOP donor: 'I will not write another check' until candidates support assault weapons ban

[mystery-ak]

Top GOP donor: 'I will not write another check' until candidates support assault weapons ban
By Max Greenwood - 02/17/18 03:33 PM EST

A top GOP donor in Florida is threatening to withhold contributions to candidates and political groups that do not get behind a ban on assault weapons, The New York Times reported.

In an email to half a dozen Republican leaders on Saturday, Florida-based real estate developer Al Hoffman Jr. decried the rash of mass shootings that has roiled the U.S. for years, and demanded that GOP politicians take action.

"I will not write another check unless they all support a ban on assault weapons," Hoffman wrote in the email, according to the Times. "Enough is enough!"

Among those who received the email were Florida Gov. Rick Scott and former Gov. Jeb Bush.

more
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/374393-top-gop-donor-i-will-not-write-another-check-until-candidates-support

[mountaineer]

Dear Al, what the hell is an assault weapon?

[Cyber Liberty]

Dear Al, what the hell is an assault weapon?

I'll bet nobody has the guts to ask him that.

[LauraTXNM]

You all, I’m seriously (and obviously) gun ignorant and trying to educate myself.  I grew up around them and believe in having them in the home.  But I was always reading and only did target practice a few times with my dad.   My sister lived out on the farm road and  kept a sawed off shotgun under her bed for protection.   My dad went hunting, but I was a “girl” so never went. 

I know the AR15 looks “scary”, but why is it so popular?  Is it faster than other rifles?  I’ve been reading about it not being as “high powered” as other long guns.  Why does everyone buy them?

And please, I don’t want to ask you all to do my research ;).   If you have links you could share, I’m happy to read on my own. 

[Cyber Liberty]

You all, I’m seriously (and obviously) gun ignorant and trying to educate myself.  I grew up around them and believe in having them in the home.  But I was always reading and only did target practice a few times with my dad.   My sister lived out on the farm road and  kept a sawed off shotgun under her bed for protection.   My dad went hunting, but I was a “girl” so never went. 

I know the AR15 looks “scary”, but why is it so popular?  Is it faster than other rifles?  I’ve been reading about it not being as “high powered” as other long guns.  Why does everyone buy them?

And please, I don’t want to ask you all to do my research ;).   If you have links you could share, I’m happy to read on my own.

A lot of folks like the ammo (.223) because it delivers a decent punch with little recoil, making subsequent shots better in terms of aim.  There are other good, practical reasons, we have an entire sub-category about shooting.  @txradioguy could give you a really good explanation.

Here's his sub-category "Shooting Sports":

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/board,53.0.html

[LauraTXNM]

A lot of folks like the ammo (.223) because it delivers a decent punch with little recoil, making subsequent shots better in terms of aim.  There are other good, practical reasons, we have an entire sub-category about shooting.  @txradioguy could give you a really good explanation.

Here's his sub-category "Shooting Sports":

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/board,53.0.html

Thank you!!!!!!!

[Frank Cannon]

Dear Al, what the hell is an assault weapon?

Dear Al......who are you again? I never heard of you and I don't think I want to.

[Cyber Liberty]

Dear Al......who are you again? I never heard of you and I don't think I want to.

According to Google, he raised money for GWB and cheerfully accepted a plum Ambassador gig in Portugal for his troubles.  Apparently he thinks that gives him the moral authority to dictate policy to politicians.  You're right, he's not the kind of slime mold you would be interested in knowing, he's a step below your average tenant.

[endicom]

Dear Al......who are you again? I never heard of you and I don't think I want to.

He's the guy with the money to get what he wants.

[Frank Cannon]

According to Google, he raised money for GWB and cheerfully accepted a plum Ambassador gig in Portugal for his troubles.  Apparently he thinks that gives him the moral authority to dictate policy to politicians.  You're right, he's not the kind of slime mold you would be interested in knowing, he's a step below your average tenant.

I figured all the Bushies were sending their money to Rats now.

[Cyber Liberty]

I figured all the Bushies were sending their money to Rats now.

My little synopsis doesn't contradict that.  This guy's plum gig was during Shrub's term, and that was a long time ago.  He still carries the "Ambassador" honorific.

[Wingnut]

I think he's an acquaintance of the Jebster of the house of shrubbery too. 

[Cyber Liberty]

I think he's an acquaintance of the Jebster of the house of shrubbery too.

He'd have to be.  I daresay big Al is one of the reasons Jebbie had so much money to flush down the toilet.  If I were this guy I'd stop giving money to Republicans too, he's been getting a crap-lousy ROI.

[txradioguy]

Dear Al, what the hell is an assault weapon?

Sad thing is this guy has no clue.

[txradioguy]

A lot of folks like the ammo (.223) because it delivers a decent punch with little recoil, making subsequent shots better in terms of aim.  There are other good, practical reasons, we have an entire sub-category about shooting.  @txradioguy could give you a really good explanation.

Here's his sub-category "Shooting Sports":

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/board,53.0.html

@Cyber Liberty thanks for the plug.

We're a friendly little Pro 2A corner of TBR 

[edpc]

You all, I’m seriously (and obviously) gun ignorant and trying to educate myself.  I grew up around them and believe in having them in the home.  But I was always reading and only did target practice a few times with my dad.   My sister lived out on the farm road and  kept a sawed off shotgun under her bed for protection.   My dad went hunting, but I was a “girl” so never went. 

I know the AR15 looks “scary”, but why is it so popular?  Is it faster than other rifles?  I’ve been reading about it not being as “high powered” as other long guns.  Why does everyone buy them?

And please, I don’t want to ask you all to do my research ;).   If you have links you could share, I’m happy to read on my own.

The AR platform is very simple the operate, has low recoil, is easily customizable, and accurate.  The smaller caliber ammo is light, so more can be carried.  The ballistic performance inside 200M is more than good enough to cause massive wounds and death.  It’s not as high-powered as 7.62, but it’s more controllable in full auto fire for suppression.  There’s always a trade off in any weapon.

[LauraTXNM]

The AR platform is very simple the operate, has low recoil, is easily customizable, and accurate.  The smaller caliber ammo is light, so more can be carried.  The ballistic performance inside 200M is more than good enough to cause massive wounds and death.  It’s not as high-powered as 7.62, but it’s more controllable in full auto fire for suppression.  There’s always a trade off in any weapon.

Thanks for the explanation!

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Here's what I found on his bio. Pretty well sums up that this big GOP donor has been against conservatism for some time, so we will not lose out much.

Hoffman served as co-chair of George W. Bush's 2000 campaign for president, and also served as finance chair of the Republican National Committee and the chairman of Florida Governor Jeb Bush's re-election campaign. Hoffman fundraised for John McCain's 2008 candidacy and Mitt Romney's 2012 candidacy. Hoffman donated $1 million to Right to Rise, a Super PAC supporting Jeb Bush's 2016 presidential candidacy. Hoffman served as chairman of Marco Rubio's successful 2010 Senate candidacy, but tried to dissuade Rubio from running for president in 2016.

[driftdiver]

Good that means Jeb is done.

[mrclose]

I can assault you with a baseball bat, a rock, my purse () or even a salami roll!

Are they next? 

[sneakypete]

Among those who received the email were Florida Gov. Rick Scott and former Gov. Jeb Bush.

more
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/374393-top-gop-donor-i-will-not-write-another-check-until-candidates-support

Don't know about Scott,but JEBBY would get so excited over that he'd get the vapors.

[aligncare]

Dear Al, what the hell is an assault weapon?

Okay, I’ll play along in the role of Captain Obvious.

An “assault weapon” is a term of art used in politics. It’s purpose is to convey the nefarious intent of this particular inanimate object, as opposed to, say, a pistol that a policeman might carry. That weapon (in reality having greater stopping power than the assault weapon under discussion) would instead be referred to as the friendlier sounding, indeed, the benevolent sounding peace keeper or side arm, or perhaps service revolver (before being replaced by semi automatics in most departments).

The method is simple, yet effective: demonize the tool you as a politician wish to ban, convince voters that this tool is only used for one purpose, to kill innocent bystanders (an assault), and voilà, pollsters can then document that the people agree with you! After all, no one, not even voters, would ever want to be “assaulted.”

[sneakypete]

You all, I’m seriously (and obviously) gun ignorant and trying to educate myself.  I grew up around them and believe in having them in the home.  But I was always reading and only did target practice a few times with my dad.   My sister lived out on the farm road and  kept a sawed off shotgun under her bed for protection.   My dad went hunting, but I was a “girl” so never went. 

I know the AR15 looks “scary”, but why is it so popular?

To answer your first question first,WHY do you think it looks scary? Is it because that is the adjective the media automatically attaches to any sentence with the word "AR-15" in it? I think it's funny people are saying that because I was in the army when they were new to the army,and almost nobody liked them because everybody was saying they look like toys and the bullets are too light and small. It was often refereed to as "Made by Mattel",the toy company. Now,thanks to a media devoted to sensationalism,it's "scary looking".

As for why it's so popular,that beats the  hell out of me. I can only guess it's because the military uses them and all the heroes in the movies carry and shoot them. Or more correctly,the military version that looks like the AR-15. The .223/5.56mm round it shoots is pretty useless for hunting and like all other rifle rounds over-penetrates too much for self-defense. It mostly good for target shooting in the military rifle classes because it looks like a military rifle and shoots the same ammunition.

Seems like a lot of veterans also like to have one because they look like the rifles they carried while in the US military. They mostly have them to have them.

Is it faster than other rifles?

If you mean "does it shoot faster than other rifles?",the answer is "It shoots faster than some,but no faster than any other semi-automatic rifle,and nowhere near as quickly as an actual military rifle. It's semi-automatic,which means you have to pull a trigger each time to get it to shoot. The "faster" military rifles have a fire selector switch on them that allows them to shoot like a machine gun,where you just pull the trigger and hold it back,and the rilfe will shoot until it runs out of ammunition.

The AR-15 just LOOKS like a military rifle. It's not an actual military rifle.


 

I’ve been reading about it not being as “high powered” as other long guns. 

It's not.

Why does everyone buy them?

Answered above,but keep in mind that people (NOT "everyone") have a legal RIGHT to buy and own one,so they don't need a reason other than "I want one ." The rifle itself is nothing more than an inert object.No more harmful than your sneakers.  It has no mind of it's own and no will of it's own. It is completely harmless. It's SOME people that are dangerous,and because of that, people who are NOT dangerous often wish to arm themselves so they can defend themselves and their families against attack by the criminals and the loons.

The TRUTH is that probably 90 percent of the dangerous people walking around free today would be and SHOULD be locked away in mental institutions,like they were prior to LBJ's "Great Society" decided it was more humane to just turn them loose to wander the streets,live in dumpsters,and murder innocent people. There were damn few gun laws BEFORE that nonsense emptied the mental hospitals because there were no reasons to have them. For almost 200 years any citizen running around free could buy a rifle,pistol,revolver,or shotgun by mail order,and did,and no one had a problem with it. Sears and Roebuck used to sell handguns,rifles,and shotguns through their catalogue,as well as their stores,for example.

 No gun laws and no background checks were needed until the Dims emptied the mental institutions and left the nutcases to wander around freely. The Florida shooter is a perfect example of this. They knew he was nuts,but couldn't have him committed to a mental institution until AFTER he committed a crime. Now he will spend the rest of his life in lockup waiting to die,and it only took 17 + innocent murder victims to accomplish what would have been automatic prior to the 1960's.

Ain't "progress" and "being a progressive Dim" GREAT!

And please, I don’t want to ask you all to do my research ;).   If you have links you could share, I’m happy to read on my own.

Search using the keywords "LBJ and the Great Society." There are many,many others,but that's where is all began.

[sneakypete]

Dear Al, what the hell is an assault weapon?

@mountaineer

A butter knife or a shoe if you attack someone with it. Even your fist is an assault weapon.

[sneakypete]

I can assault you with a baseball bat, a rock, my purse () or even a salami roll!

Are they next? 

@mrclose

Yes. Eventually.