Redding's State Rep. Dan Carter Says Blumenthal Used Tragedy to Exploit Sandy Hook Families

REDDING, CT — U.S. Senate candidate Dan Carter who currently represents Connecticut's 2nd District towns of Bethel, Newtown, Redding and Danbury, said on Friday that the dismissal of the case against Remington Arms by the victims' families of the Sandy Hook School shooting is "an awful reminder of the evil perpetrated on those innocent victims of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook.

Carter said he proposed legislation in the General Assembly that would have made the community safer and prevented another tragedy, however, he said his opponent, Democratic incumbent Senator Richard Blumenthal, wanted to go after legal gun owners and gun makers instead.

"The conclusion of this case is an awful reminder of the evil perpetrated on those innocent victims at Sandy Hook," said Carter. "What's worse is politicians like Dick Blumenthal who've used this tragedy to exploit these poor families and this tragedy for political gain. It wasn't enough to raise money off this tragedy, like Senator Blumenthal did in the months following the shooting," said Carter. "But Senator Blumenthal continues to use the tragedy as a means to a political end."

Carter voted against the gun bill approved by the state legislature after the shootings and if elected said he will propose legislation in the U.S. Senate to keep guns out of the hands of mentally ill people such as the Sandy Hook shooter "without wrongly persecuting gun manufacturers and responsible gun owners."

"We need common sense gun legislation," said Carter. "We don't need people like Dick Blumenthal pushing a political agenda to raise money for their campaigns and make a name for themselves on national television, while gun crime is rampant on our streets. Dick Blumenthal should be ashamed of himself," said Carter.

Photo by Wendy Ann Mitchell