Mr. Hope:
You are one of 38 state representatives sponsoring HB 1588, the backdoor registration scheme currently masquerading as a universal background check bill. Such a bill violates the rights of law-abiding citizens of this state such as myself, and will have no effect on criminal purchases of firearms as criminals already do not purchase guns in a legal fashion.
I supported your recent bid for Senate. I knew you were a long shot, but I felt you would be better than your opponent. Now I doubt that conviction, and given your opponent’s voting record that is saying something. If you trample on the rights of gun owners in our state, why should I ever again vote to send you to a federal office?
This state has a great many law-abiding gun owners who will remember your actions for many years to come. Loyalty goes both ways; if you will not be loyal to those of us who voted for you in the past, we would be fools to support you in the future.
Do not give in to panicked impulses to pass some law, ANY law, to show you are “doing something” in the wake of recent events. It has been my observation that things tend to work out more favorably for the people when those of you in Olympia, and your colleagues in Washington DC, do less rather than more.