NYC mayor unveils TV ad against Virginia gun law

ARLINGTON -- Until Congress closes a loophole that makes it easy for criminals to buy firearms at gun shows, Virginia and other states must work to tighten their own laws, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said today.

Bloomberg joined family members of Virginia Tech massacre victims in northern Virginia to unveil a new television ad that will begin airing Tuesday, which calls on the state to end a practice allowing what are called "occasional sellers" at gun shows to sell weapons without conducting background checks.

"Many of the guns bought here are then resold to criminals and used in violent crimes across the country," Bloomberg said. "In fact, nationally . . . gun-crime guns are more likely to come from Virginia than from all but five other states, and we know that all too well in New York City."

New York City police officer Russel Timoshenko was killed in July 2007 by an illegal gun sold by a Virginia gun dealer, Bloomberg said. That crime and other incidents such as the Virginia Tech shootings have motivated him to urge states to end the so-called loophole, he said.

In February, the General Assembly rejected legislation that would have required gun shows to conduct the same federal background checks on purchasers as licensed firearms retailers must perform before each sale.

The new TV spot features Omar Samaha, whose sister, Reema, was killed in the April 16, 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech. Images of the siblings are shown as Samaha discusses state gun laws and singles out former state Attorney General Bob McDonnell, now a Republican candidate for governor, who "wants to keep this loophole open."

"I know that closing the loophole won't bring Reema back, but the question is, whose sister is next?" Samaha asks. "Ask Bob McDonnell why he's protecting criminals instead of protecting us."

Phil Cox, McDonnell's campaign manager, said the former attorney general worked with Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine after the Virginia Tech shootings to close a loophole that allowed Seung-Hui Cho, the gunman who had been previously identified as having mental health problems, to pass official background checks when he bought two guns.

The change expanded the state database used to make checks by adding people who, like Cho, have been ordered into outpatient mental health treatment. McDonnell also opposes the sale of firearms to anyone prohibited from making such a purchase, which includes criminals and the mentally ill, Cox said.

"Bob believes we must do more to enforce this strong law which is already on the books," Cox said in a statement. "Bob McDonnell supports background checks for all sales made by licensed gun dealers at Virginia gun shows."

McDonnell's campaign also said the state does not regulate private sales of firearms between citizens, and he does not support "such an expansion into the private affairs of law-abiding citizens."

Bloomberg said he used his own money to fund "the vast bulk" of the project, which is sponsored by Americans United for Safe Streets, a Washington-based nonpartisan advocacy group that works to reduce violent crime.

Though it's not his place to get mired in state politics, the mayor said he wants McDonnell and other officials to question their stance on the issue. The debate is not about the Second Amendment or ending hunting, it's about keeping guns away from outlaws, he added.

"Make no mistake, this is not a partisan issue, this is not a geographic issue," he said. "This is an issue of whether or not you want to protect criminals or you want to protect the public."

Speaking at today's news conference, Samaha said buying firearms from unlicensed sellers at gun shows is still too easy. He said he went to a gun show in Virginia with $5,000 while being videotaped by ABC News, and in less than one hour he purchased 10 guns with no questions asked.

The ad will air for four days in a cable and broadcast run across the state, including in Richmond, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Roanoke, Lynchburg and the Washington suburbs.

The ad comes as the university prepares several remembrance activities for the second anniversary of the shootings in which 33 people, including the gunman, died.

Colin Goddard, a Virginia Tech shooting victim who now works at the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence in Washington, said he hopes the ads bring the issue to the fore so that the laws will ultimately change.

"Hopefully, something like this will stem attacks and events like this in the future," Goddard said. "I think today to have Mayor Bloomberg's support is taking it to the next level."