SPRINGFIELD, Ill., March 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- During a hastily called news conference Wednesday morning, former gun ban lobbyist, now State Senator, Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge) incorrectly portrayed an Illinois- manufactured ArmaLite AR-50, a bolt-action .50 caliber rifle. This embarrassing display by the anti-gun zealot was an attempt to sway opinion within the State House to pass SB-1471, a .50 caliber gun ban.
As Kotowski incorrectly described the use of the .50 caliber rifle, he stated that this rifle was designed and manufactured for law enforcement and military applications. In contrast, Mark Westrom, President of ArmaLite, an 85 employee Geneseo, Illinois based company, stated correctly that the AR-50 displayed was, in fact, a target rifle used by legitimate, law-abiding citizens for hunting, target shooting, and collecting -- not by law- enforcement or military. In fact, ArmaLite has never sold an AR-50 to any military or law enforcement organization.
"Senator Kotowski was here today to simply portray our rifle as a weapon of choice for terrorists and easily obtained by anyone. I debunked one of his many mistruths by explaining that this rifle is a target shooting model, and has no military specifications," said Westrom.
Westrom continued, "Our manufacturing and distribution is closely monitored by the Federal Government, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives enforcing compliance with stringent laws and regulations that control manufacturing, distribution and sales to ensure that only law-abiding citizens acquire these firearms through legal channels."
Also during the press conference, Kotowski expressed little concern for the economic and social impact that SB-1471 would have on hard working Illinois citizens. If SB-1471 became law, 185 jobs in the Quad Cities area would be moved out of state so that ArmaLite and its suppliers could adhere to the gun manufacturing ban provided for in the law.
As a former lobbyist for an Illinois based gun-ban organization, Senator Kotowski should know that one's word is their credibility. It is obvious to all who were in attendance that Senator Kotowski conveniently avoided the facts while employing one mistruth after another to promote his anti-gun crusade.
"If he's willing to be this dishonest and misrepresent our rifle, I wonder what other facts he is omitting or not telling his colleagues," added Mark Westrom.
ArmaLite, a privately-held 85 employee firearm manufacturing company based in Geneseo, Illinois that combined with their supplier companies (who employ 100 jobs) supplying parts to ArmaLite would be forced to move out-of-state. This move would place their 185 employee's with tough choices to leave their homes to continuing working for these companies who except for the .50 caliber AR-50 supply many of the firearms our Armed Forces and Law Enforcement (Illinois State Police and US State Department for example) use to defend our country and communities on a daily basis.
ArmaLite, Incorporated
