Shots fired over local legislator's NRA rating

Rep. Jan Malik says he does not deserve the A-plus rating

By Josh Bickford
Posted 7/21/16

Jan Malik said he has never owned a gun. He said he has never fired a gun. And he said he cannot understand why the NRA has given him an A-plus rating.

The local legislator has been the target …

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Shots fired over local legislator's NRA rating

Rep. Jan Malik says he does not deserve the A-plus rating

Posted

Jan Malik said he has never owned a gun. He said he has never fired a gun. And he said he cannot understand why the NRA has given him an A-plus rating.

The local legislator has been the target of criticism for his rating and for donation money he accepted from the National Rifle Association between 1996 and 2010. 

His rating from the NRA was the focus of two recent letters to the editor in the Barrington Times; Heather McNamara and Robert Stewart wrote that Rep. Malik was "tone deaf" on gun issues and should not be excused for accepting donation for the first 14 years of his legislative career.

Rep. Malik says his recent voting record should have earned him a lesser rating from the NRA.

"I believe in responsible legislation," he said. "I believe that if you break the law you should lose your privileges."

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Rep. Malik says he put those words into action when he voted to support a bill that "requires the surrender of firearms within 24 hours by anyone who is either convicted of a felony charge of domestic violence, or pleads no contest." (There is a federal law that prohibits individuals convicted of domestic violence felonies and misdemeanors from owning guns, but there was no law on the books that forced the individuals to turn in their firearms.)

"I don't think Jason (Knight) and I are that different on guns," said Rep. Malik, referring to his challenger in the upcoming Democratic primary for the District 67 seat in the RI House of Representatives. 

In fact, Mr. Knight said he would have voted the same way as Rep. Malik on a recent bill that focused on the application process for concealed carry gun permits. 

The proposed legislation removed local police chiefs from the application process. Initially Rep. Malik voted to approve the bill, but he later changed his vote to no. 

Mr. Knight, who lives in Barrington, said of Rep. Malik's vote: "I feel the same. That was the right way to go on that bill."

Mr. Knight, a US Navy veteran, said he grew up in a household where guns were commonplace. He added that his father was former military and law enforcement.

"I grew up in Idaho. I had guns growing up in my house," he said. 

But, Mr. Knight added, he has not owned a gun for a long time and is staunchly opposed to the platforms supported by the NRA. He said there is a clear reason why some legislators earn strong ratings from the NRA.

"If you're in alignment with the positions of the NRA — those positions are dangerous to the public's interest and to the public's safety," he said. 

Mr. Knight said he believes there are certain "people out there who should not own firearms."

Rep. Malik did not disagree with Mr. Knight on that point.

"I think if you're on the (federal) No Fly List then you shouldn't be able to buy a gun. But we also need to give people the right to appeal (being on the list)," he said. 

Rep. Malik said he has not accepted any donations from the NRA since 2010 and added that he only received about $1,000 over the first 14 years of his legislative career. 

Rep. Malik also said that accepting an organization's money should not reflect an agreement in beliefs.

"You can eat their food and drink their drink" and vote your own way, Rep. Malik said. 

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