WA CeaseFire Exploits Slain Officer to Push Agenda, Says CCRKBA

BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today condemned Washington CeaseFire President Ralph Fascitelli for capitalizing on the murder of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Q. Brenton by announcing a plan to lobby for a ban on so-called "assault weapons" using Brenton's killing as a launch pad.

"Over the years," said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, "I have watched as anti-gun extremists rushed to exploit violent crimes to push their agenda, but this case, as reported by Nina Shapiro in the Seattle Weekly, signals a despicable new low in behavior. Fascitelli is essentially dancing in Officer Brenton's blood, and he ought to be ashamed."

According to the Seattle Weekly article, "Even though police say they have not yet determined what type of weapon was used, Ralph Fascitelli, president of Washington CeaseFire, says he plans to cite Brenton's murder when lobbying for the bill in the next legislative session."

"A police officer has been murdered and the killer or killers remain at large," Gottlieb said. "A police department is mourning, and a family is grieving. A memorial service has not even been held. This is hardly the time to be exploiting Saturday's cowardly crime to advance a political agenda.

"If we are to judge any movement by its leadership," he observed, "the citizens of Washington State and especially its state legislators should be outraged at the callousness now being exhibited by Washington CeaseFire. Frankly, I am appalled.

"The Citizens Committee and Second Amendment Foundation extend their sincere sympathy to Officer Brenton's family and to the Seattle Police Department," Gottlieb stated.

With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (www.ccrkba.org) is one of the nation's premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States.