[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 83 (Thursday, May 18, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S6839]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NRA FUNDRAISING RHETORIC

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I was pleased to see the National Rifle 
Association apologize for some of the statements in their recent 
fundraising letter. The NRA has done the right thing. They should not 
have used some of that language in the first place. Alleged abuses of 
power by Federal law enforcement authorities are a fair and legitimate 
subject of debate--for Congress and for the American people. But it is 
wrong to impugn the motives and actions of the courageous men and women 
who risk their lives every day in enforcing our laws.
  Mr. President, words do matter. Statements do matter. Our debate 
should recognize that fact. I ask that the article from today's 
Washington Post on the NRA apology be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                [From the Washington Post, May 18, 1995]

     NRA Executive Issues Apology for Letter Attacking U.S. Agents

       A National Rifle Association official apologized yesterday 
     to law enforcement officials and others offended by a recent 
     fund-raising letter describing some federal agents as ``jack-
     booted thugs.''
       ``I really feel bad about the fact that the words in that 
     letter have been interpreted to apply to all federal law 
     enforcement officers,'' NRA Executive Vice President Wayne 
     LaPierre said in a telephone interview from Phoenix.
       ``If anyone thought the intention was to paint all federal 
     law enforcement officials with the same broad brush, I'm 
     sorry, and I apologize,'' LaPierre said.
       Lapierre's apology comes after a week of steadily mounting 
     criticism of the NRA, which began May 10 when former 
     president George Bush revealed that he had resigned from the 
     group in protest of the letter.
       Lapierre said the letter was intended to criticize only 
     isolated actions, primarily involving the Bureau of Alcohol, 
     Tobacco and Firearms.
       But at least one section of the letter offer a more general 
     condemnation of federal law enforcement efforts.
       The letter, sent to the NRA's 3.5 million members in March 
     over LaPierre's signature, said that ``in Clinton's 
     administration, if you have a badge, you have the 
     government's go-ahead to harass, intimidate, even murder law-
     abiding citizens.''
     

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