Dear Congressman Juan Vargas, Senator Toni Atkins, Former ASM. Lorena Gonzalez, Chair Nathan Fletcher, Vice Chair Nora Vargas, Sup Terra Lawson-Remer, Mayor Todd Gloria, and Councilmember Stephen Whitburn,

Safer CA PAC and our supporters demand that you stop enabling the gun lobby in San Diego. We request that you immediately rescind your endorsement and public support for Kelly Martinez for San Diego Sheriff, and any other candidates for office who are endorsed or supported in any way by the San Diego County Gun Owners Association, the National Rifle Association, or any other gun rights organization.

San Diego County Gun Owners (SDCGO) do not share our values for common sense gun safety and legislation. They have virulently opposed all school board, city, county, state, and federal legislation in the past five years. When given opportunities to prove that they are, in fact, “responsible gun owners,” they have opposed measures such as safe gun storage requirements, and even keeping guns off of school campuses. SDCGO has sued the state of California to repeal Prop 63, passed by a majority of the voters in 2016. They have been aligned with Defend East County, a dangerous extremist group that formed after the George Floyd tragedy. SDCGO members have harassed and threatened numerous elected officials, candidates, and community leaders online. And they have also been affiliated with anti-mask and anti-vaccine groups, such as Reopen Schools and Let Them Breathe. They were also heavily involved in the costly attempt to recall Governor Gavin Newsom. They are dangerous for San Diego, and beyond. SDCGO have even been tied to lawsuits to repeal good gun laws in states such as Hawaii.

Gun violence is an epidemic in America which claims the lives of 110 people every single day, nine of them children. Gun violence costs this country an estimated $250 billion to $300 billion each year. For every 110 people who are killed, approximately 200+ are injured - often with life-long disabilities and trauma. We are a country of gun violence survivors and the cost is truly incalculable.

It can no longer be business as usual when it comes to gun violence in San Diego and California. We can not pretend to care about this issue and then walk back progress by supporting candidates that are endorsed by the gun lobby. The gun lobby does not care about our children, our families, or our workers. It is time to dump SDCGO and socially norm them out of existence in San Diego. Supporting their candidates lends them credibility that they will never deserve. San Diego deserves better!

Sincerely,

Max Coston and Wendy Wheatcroft
Founders/Co-ChairsSafer
CA PAC/ @SaferCAPAC on all socials