The NRA Funds the Conservative Party Headquarters in Bay Ridge
Last weekend, I saw a discussion on twitter involving Jerry Kassar, head of the Brooklyn Conservative Party.
Kassar said that the Brooklyn Conservative Party doesn’t give any money to the NRA (the National Rifle Association).
I thought that was unusual, so I went to look at the filings. Kassar was being honest in his simple statement, the Brooklyn Conservative Party didn’t give money to the NRA. But Jerry failed to tell us that the Conservative Party headquarters located in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn RECEIVED money from the NRA regularly since 2001.
The NRA is funding: CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF KINGS COUNTY 486 78TH STREET BROOKLYN, NY 11209.
While Kassar’s Brooklyn Conservative Party group doesn’t receive funding – the Conservative Party Headquarters is a darling of the NRA:
Sometimes the Conservative Party Treasurer referred to the NRA as the National Rifle Association – sometimes as the NRA, so the listings don’t come up all together online.
What happened in 2010 that made the NRA give $15K to the NYS Conservative Headquarters? (Leave in the comments if you know – comments don’t publish).
Jerry Kassar writes a column for the Brooklyn Reporter called Common Sense. Isn’t it common sense for politicians to have the experts in guns help solve the problem with guns in America so we can put a stop to school shootings?
While parents in our community are fighting to keep the NRA out of our area, the Conservative Party Headquarters is accepting their money. Many organizations such as Gargiulos and the Grand Prospect Hall have chosen to support Brooklyn rather than the NRA.
People often ask, What’s wrong with people today? Politicians in our community are playing games for money or power – that’s what’s wrong. Years ago, the adults of the community stood up, spoke out and did what they could to keep communities safe for children. Now children are going to school and participating in Active Shooter Drills and Lockdown Drills to prepare for a “what if a crazy person comes into your building and starts shooting situation……” We have kids learning to hide and be fearful because our government won’t pass the necessary laws to protect them.
Mike Long’s acceptance of the NRA’s money quietly undermines our community. Mike Long knows that Bay Ridge has many parents who protested against the NRA because they don’t want an incident like Sandy Hook, Connecticut or Parkland, Florida happening here in Brooklyn. Long knows that Moms Demand Action founding member, Kristen Pettit lives in our community and she has been working for years to help keep our community safe. Mike Long knows there are adults in this community who are doing what needs to be done to protect kids and he is working against them by allowing the Conservative Party to accept NRA funding.
The NRA bought Mike Long’s silence. Long is silent while his community calls for common sense gun laws.
Councilman Brannan’s statistics can be found all over the web as – here and here
The NRA has a stronghold on politicians so that no laws, not even common sense ones like to deny a gun to someone with mental illness can be considered. The NRA holds the answer to our gun problem, but they won’t make any concessions because they fear it will just lead to more concessions.
Mike Long said he believes the NRA is a responsible organization and he supports them. Of course he supports them, they are throwing money at him.
Long didn’t admit that the NRA funded his political organization, but this article did.
Finally in February 2018, Mike Long said he saw nothing wrong with the Conservative Party accepting money from the NRA. (Source)
Like Mike Long, I’m a Catholic. A moral or ethical wrong is historically lying, stealing, committing adultery and murder. And Long can muddle those words all he likes, but it really comes down to: How many children have to die before Mike Long and other politicians says ENOUGH? Enough with the money….c’mon really – how much money do you really need?
In 2015, a 9 year old boy in Dyker Heights took his parent’s gun and shot his 14 year old sister with a .22 caliber rifle (see here). Thankfully, he had bad aim because if he didn’t, we would have just heard how unfortunate the incident was and how the politicians were praying and keeping the family in their prayers. When this incident happened in 2015, barely anyone spoke about it and local papers didn’t run the story. It’s almost like they were purposely silenced. Senator Marty Golden didn’t make a public statement anywhere about the Dyker Heights gun incident and neither did Mike Long. That was our neighborhood trial shooting – what has Mike Long done to stop the next one?
Mike Long should be speaking to his friends at the NRA so that tighter, common sense laws can be passed. And Mike Long should be pushing Marty Golden to pass Common Sense Laws in the NY Senate. With the acceptance of so much money from the NRA, comes great responsibility, Mike. Donate the money to Moms Demand Action where people who are bolder and braver will speak out for kids and against the NRA.
It seems that the only people not concerned with school shootings are the NRA and those who the NRA have purchased. To Jerry Kassar -> Stop funding the NYS Conservative Headquarters in Bay Ridge with money from the Brooklyn Conservative Party if you don’t support them giving to the NRA. #Silence takes many forms, Jerry.
Hugs,
marlene
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