Blumenthal Counters Mississippi Lawmaker’s Invitation To Gun Makers
The Associated Press reports that a Mississippi lawmaker has sent letters to gun makers in Connecticut and six other states, inviting them to move to his state, where, he says, they appreciate the industry and the jobs. The offer doesn’t sit well with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who issued the following response Friday
“In deciding to stay or locate here, companies will consider that our state has the best and most skilled workforce in the nation, a superlative quality of life and a superior education system. We support second amendment rights and responsible gun ownership, far from demonizing fire arms products made here. We have supported those constitutional rights along with lawful activities like recreational shooting and hunting.”
“This preposterous pitch to companies with long, successful histories in our state shows the need for national standards and statutes to reduce gun violence. Competition among states for less protective laws is a race to the bottom that should be avoided. The poison of illegal gun trafficking respects no state boundaries and threatens to cause more horrific tragedies like Newtown and the 1,900 gun violence deaths that have occurred since then. Responsible gun manufacturers and owners have welcomed reasonable, common sense measures to reduce gun violence and I will continue to reach out to both groups.”
35 Responses to Blumenthal Counters Mississippi Lawmaker’s Invitation To Gun Makers
About Capitol Watch

The Hartford Courant’s Capitol Watch blog provides insightful and in-depth coverage of Connecticut politics... read more- -- ADVERTISEMENT --
NEW! CT Politics App.
Courant.com brings you the latest CT political news, blogs, tweets and photos, powered by the Hartford Courant and FOX CT.
Download it now:
Recent Posts
- Robert Braddock, Campaign Fundraiser For Democrat Chris Donovan, Found Guilty By Jury
- Former House Speaker Donovan Finally Speaks; Says Not Involved In Ray Soucy’s Scheme And Could Happen To Anyone
- New Technology Allows Gun Owners To Disable Weapon From A Distance
- JP Morgan Chase Shareholders Vote To Let Dimon Keep Dual Roles, Defeat Proposal From CRPTF
- Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Pushes for GMO Labeling Bill
Recent Comments
- T98 on Former House Speaker Donovan Finally Speaks; Says Not Involved In Ray Soucy’s Scheme And Could Happen To Anyone
- Business Owner on Union Activists Protest Wisconsin Gov. Walker’s Connecticut Appearance
- Harry Towns on Union Activists Protest Wisconsin Gov. Walker’s Connecticut Appearance
- Gompers on Union Activists Protest Wisconsin Gov. Walker’s Connecticut Appearance
- Business Owner on Former House Speaker Donovan Finally Speaks; Says Not Involved In Ray Soucy’s Scheme And Could Happen To Anyone
Categories
- 2014 Election
- 2016 Presidential election
- Abortion
- Amtrak
- Andrew Roraback, R
- beer
- Board of Regents for Higher Education
- Brendan Sharkey
- Brian Durand
- Brown Rudnick
- Busway
- Carroll Hughes
- casinos
- Cato Institute
- CCM
- census
- Chase Rogers
- Chris Caruso
- Chris Christie
- Chris Donovan
- Chris Murphy, D
- Chris Shays
- coffee
- Columbine High School
- Congress
- Connecticut
- CRRA
- D-SNAP
- Dan Esty
- David Walker
- DC
- DCCC
- Democrats
- Denise Merrill
- Donald Williams
- Drugs
- Economy
- Education
- Elections 2012
- Elizabeth Esty, D
- Environment
- Ernie Newton
- Federal budget
- Gambling
- General Assembly
- George Jepsen
- George W. Bush
- Gov. Dannel Malloy
- Greenwich
- Gun control
- Hartford
- Health
- Henry Kissinger
- higher education
- Hillary Clinton
- Immigration
- Jerry Labriola
- Jim Himes, D
- Joan Hartley
- Joe Courtney, D
- Joe Lieberman
- Joe McGee
- John DeStefano
- John Henry Decker, R
- John Larson, D
- John McKinney
- John Rowland
- Jonathan Pelto
- Journalism
- Kevin Lembo
- Labor
- Larry Cafero
- Linda McMahon, R
- lottery
- Lowell Weicker
- Mark Boughton
- Mark Greenberg
- Mark Ojakian
- Martin Looney
- Matthew Hennessy
- MetroNorth
- Michael Fedele
- Michelle Obama
- Mitt Romney
- Nancy DiNardo
- Nancy Wyman
- Newtown
- Paul Formica, R
- Paul Ryan
- Pedro Segarra
- Penny Bacchiochi
- Penny Bacchiochi
- People Magazine
- Planned Parenthood
- President Obama
- Ralph Nader
- Republicans
- Richard Blumenthal
- Rosa DeLauro, D
- Roy Occhiogrosso
- Sandy
- Sandy Hook
- Sandyhook
- social media
- State budget
- State of Connecticut
- Steve Obsitnik, R
- Still Revolutionary
- Susan Herbst
- taxes
- teacher unions
- Thomas Peterffy
- Tom Foley
- Tom Ritter
- Toni Walker
- U.S. House, 1st District
- U.S. House, 2nd District
- U.S. House, 3rd District
- U.S. House, 4th District
- U.S. House, 5th District
- U.S. Senate
- UConn
- Uncategorized
- Voices For Children
- Washington
- Wayne Winsley, R
- weather
- West Hartford
- William Tong
- women
- WWE
- Yale University
- Yankee Institute
- -- ADVERTISEMENT --





I’m confused. Danang Dick Blumenthal spent his career as CT Attorney General demonizing and suing Connecticut companies. Now as Senator he wants them to stay?
Another hypocrite liberal heard from.
Oh no, don’t tell me you are confused too. Your bosom buddy Johngaltwhererru was confused a fed days ago. Is the disease spreading among libertarians?
Blumenthal is brainless. He’s a headline grabbing hack that is driving industry out of our state so he can grab his 15 minutes of national fame. He’s a proven liar when he talked about his days in Vietnam (never went there)and he sued gun manufacturers when it was fashionable to try to imply that they were somehow responsible for crime. Now this disingenuous pitch? He’s talking out of both sides of his bony ugly mug. I hope they do move. As much as I hate to see any industry go, he’s peeing on their backs and trying to tell them it’s really raining. He completely demonizes firearms because it’s the flavor of the day.
Jimmy, behave yourself. They all talk out of the sides of their mouths. Even the conservative ones.
It sounds as if you are into golden showers.
so says the one who enjoys the freshly made milky-toast from Malloy and his fellow buddies.
there’s billyboy with his ‘considerate’ and ‘respectful’ posting once again. Keep this in mind next time he offers his pablum accusing others of being rude and combative
Whoa Sen. Blumenthal, I bet you didnt see that coming. haha. You are amazing you want to ban certain types of guns and certain magazines from “legal gun owners” and then you still want the companies that make them to stay here in Connecticut and pay taxes to support your salary. Looks like the grandstanding may have back fired on you a little this time lol. This shows why banning guns in Ct wont prevent gun violence on our streets because other states arent run by such foolish politicians as our state is. Criminals will just travel to these other states to buy their guns and bring them back here to create havok on our streets because in case you dont realize it senator criminals dont follow your laws. Thanks to our politicians and their “stupidy” law abiding citizens will some day defenseless against them.
Semper Lie Blumenthal it’s too little too late. It’s not if Colt and all these companies are leaving its when.
So do you really understand Latin? Here is some Latin: “Goum fucem yourselfum.”
you so edgy, YOLO!
So tell me is Malloy and Blumenthal really as good others have told me, you know, how they perfected the moonwalk on the grave of 20 children?
more respectful and considerate posting from he who accuses everyone else of being rude and combative. Keep this in mind, folks, next time you read his hypocrisy (which is evident with every post).
Without insults and deragory, personal attacks, he has nothing else to offer. It’s called ‘shallow’ and irrelevant
funny how this comment from Gun control passes your muster, Rick, but calling him the ‘enema of the state’ didn’t. But I guess ‘fair and balanced’ is out of vogue
Blumenthal is pushing the Feinstein plan to kill all AR manufacturers. That legislative effort will damage the largest Connecticut AR producer, and probably close down another one or two, plus a magazine manufacturer. He’s a phony that never met a camera he didn’t like. If he’s successful pushing the Feinstein legislation hundreds if not thousands of Connecticut residents will lose their jobs.
If I wanted low taxes, limited government, few guns laws, and great beaches, I’d move to Somalia…
…or Mississippi.
I actually am a veteran of Afghanistan and I find it the scummiest thing on earth for this guy to have misrepresented himself to be a Vietnam vet. Well, that and his attack on our civil rights. I am being punished for a crime I didn’t commit and he is a liar.
Really Dick? You respect the second ammendment and lawful recreational shooting? Then why are you trying to make them illegal? Why are you trampling on the rights of Connecticut’s lawful gun owners? You jump in front of cameras demonizing guns and gun owners, yet you send out this letter lying like you did about your Vietnam service? You should be ashamed for lying like this. You are two-faced individual who is in politics for your own fame. You reap what you sow Dick. Thank you to all of the fine gun manufacturers in Connecticut, sorry to see you go but I understand why you must leave. To avoid being driven into bankrptcy by a spineless, grandstanding state governmant.
Superlative? I had to look that one up.
“Su•per•la•tive (s-pûrl-tv)
adj.
1. Of the highest order, quality, or degree; surpassing or superior to all others.
2. Excessive or exaggerated.
3. Grammar Of, relating to, or being the extreme degree of comparison of an adjective or adverb, as in best or brightest.
n.
1. Something of the highest possible excellence.
2. The highest degree….”
Does that sound like an accurate description of Connecticut’s business climate in general or for firearms manufacturers in particular? As much as I hate to see businesses go, they are doing what they have to in order to survive. You can’t blame them. Blumenthal’s answer is a blustery letter as if that solves anything.
What we should do is take this offer as an indication that we should be more (a lot more) business friendly. A good start on that would be to get rid of people like Blumenthal and Malloy as soon as possible. Maybe then these offers would not look so good.
What is more, the first part about how ConnectiCan’t supports the 2nd Amendment conflicts with the second part about gun snatching.
Are companies really leaving Connecticut? Name one company that has left, or even said they will leave.
Mississippi, by the way, has a 5% income tax and a 7% sales tax. About the same as Connecticut, and hardly a low-tax paradise. Every state has taxes, boys and girls.
Who the hell wants to live in Mississippi, much less work there?
those who are interested in freedom and government that respects the constitution, that’s who Jim.
If the truth be known, we must shut down the gun industry. No, we may not win repealing the 2nd amendment. But we can and will cut away on all fronts; the manufacturers, restriction on models, ammo. We will reduce the industry until it ceases to exist.
Good luck with that Bill. Maybe the Governor can give you a ride to Stamford when he goes back there in a year and a half. LOL
What a great concept! Once all the manufacturers are out of business we only have to worry about the 270 million in circulation. Idiot.
spoken like a true lemming of the media, you must think all firearm related homicides are a result of legal firearms or from these “assault weapons”. I lived in Bridgeport for years, and let me tell you non of those (hand)guns were not new or came from an FFL dealer. You sir are a product of a sheltered spoiled entitled closed off life. Do humanity a favor and don’t contribute to the overall gene-pool.
Answer to respondents and I will keep it brief so that I don’t loose your abbreviated attention spans:
1) Globally, this country is the only developed nation on earth with such easy access to guns.
2) We have the highest murder and assault rate committed by guns of developed nations.
3) Guns as a protection against state oppression is the most idiotic, paranoid view ever heard in modern times for a developed nation.
4) The gun industry creates the paranoid need to arm you uneducated primates fall prey to their marketing efforts.
5) Proof that gunless societies reduce the gun murder and assault rate caused by guns is evident. but I know you choose to read false studies that augment your limited capacity to understand statistics. You probably get your numbers from Rush Limpboug.
Lastly, we, the super and formerly silent majority, are raising up and we will have our way now. Your piddily 4 million plus or minus gunnies will not stop us (290 plus or minus million) from reaching our goal. The tipping point has been breached and we are not retreating.
billyboy: you wouldn’t recognize truth if it were handed to you in a document, for example the Constitution.
There’s that ‘we’ again, as if you speak for others. More delusions
You shouldn’t be surprised at what he says or how he votes :
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/02/20/Connecticut-s-Sen-Blumenthal-Rated-Most-Liberal-Senator
According to the rankings, Blumenthal voted for the liberal position on legislation 90.7% of the time.
Connecticut has an unemployment rate of 8.6%, one of the highest in the nation. Its financial status is the worst in the nation, with a $49,000 debt burden per taxpayer.
Connecticut’s credit quality was ranked 50th in the nation, and the state was ranked the worst in the country in which to retire by TopRetirements.com. Connecticut also ranked 44th in a CNBC report as one of the states least friendly to business.
In 2012, the Tax Foundation found that Connecticut had the latest Tax Freedom Day, May 5th, of all the states, meaning that Connecticut citizens had to work longer than all other American citizens into the year to earn enough money to pay their combined taxes.
The state of Connecticut’s educational Achievement Gap is the worst in the nation, and Connecticut’s Governor Dannel Malloy (D) received a rating of “F” by the Cato Institute in its Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s governors.
They can relocate the workers and have a higher standard of living with the same pay. When you push at them just may leave. If you think they can’t, BMW put a plant in South Carolina. It can be done. I will remind the Senator that Marlin, Remington and Winchester already left the state of Connecticut.
Mississippi should be inviting the Connecticut citizens to move to their state. More opportunity, lower taxes, less union crap, less regulations and so forth. They may be a good alternative to Texas who is courting Californians.
Does Mississippi really have lower taxes and better opportunity than Connecticut? Think again.
Mississippi has a 5% income tax and a 7% (or higher) sales tax. About the same as Connecticut, and hardly a low-tax paradise.
Mississippi has an 8.6% unemployment rate in Dec 2012, same as Connecticut.
Median yearly income in 2011:
$66,000 Connecticut (number 4 in USA)
$37,000 Mississippi (number 50 in USA)
Your paycheck will be much smaller in Mississippi, almost half the size of a Connecticut paycheck on average.
Why any business would stay in CT is beyond me? There are states that are growing business but they have lower taxes, and cost of living as well as right to work laws. CT the land of taxes and regulation does not understand wealth is portable! CT has for years been a place that wants to punish business and then can not understand why business does not love the state. CT has among the toughest gun laws in the country. Yet from 2001 to 2007 there were 27,000 gun law related arrests with 71 percent not being prosecuted. The answer more gun laws not fixing the application of existing laws. Which ever business is here last turn out the lights when you leave!
I think this is hillarious. I have always found it amazing how some politicians can talk out both sides of their mouths at the same time. I wonder how many millions of dollars in damage control this is going to cost state residents to keep these jobs here.
“In deciding to stay or locate here, companies will consider that our state has the best and most skilled workforce in the nation, a superlative quality of life and a superior education system.”
“A superlative quality of life”: Right, if you’re a recipient of any sort, including government employee. The rest of us taxpayers aren’t finding things so ‘superlative’ lately.
“A superior education system”: Sure, the stats bear that out. Praise Obama
“A superior education system”: Sure, but only if you work for the educational establishment in CT.