Tuesday April 16, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Nebraska Firearms Owners Association – Political Action Fund (NFOA-PAF) has conducted a survey of the mayoral candidates and city council candidates in the city of Omaha for the General Election on May 14, 2013. This survey asked specific questions to determine each candidate’s views on the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and gun owner’s rights in the City of Omaha. As a result of the survey responses collected and also the candidate’s past history on these issues, the NFOA-PAF has issued endorsements for this election.
Today we announce our City Council endorsements.
District One
The NFOA-PAF proudly endorses Ed Truemper. Dr. Truemper’s experience in working with victims and families of criminal violence brings a unique viewpoint to the discussion of how to deal with the ever-rising violent crime in Omaha. That experience, coupled with his desire to serve the community and to be a voice of reason on the City Council, makes him an excellent choice for our community.
District Four
Virgil Patlan’s experience as a line level police officer provides another unique perspective on dealing with criminal violence in Omaha, one of the major issues our city must deal with. The endorsement for this race was a difficult choice, because Garry Gernandt had sponsored the ordinance recognizing the Nebraska Concealed Carry Permit in Omaha. However, when an attempt was made to fix problems in the City’s Handgun Registration, Councilman Gernandt opposed community efforts and instead supported the position of Mayor Jim Suttle to stymie these proposals. Nothing Councilman Gernandt has done leads us to believe that he would oppose any effort of the Suttle administration to further restrict the lawful exercise of your rights. We believe that Virgil Patlan will be a strong, independent voice for the protection of your rights and at the same time, tackle the tough issues that face our city.
District Five
Rich Pahls has a long voting history of supporting firearms owners in the Nebraska State Legislature and we feel that he would be able to use his experience in balancing many competing issues to help lead in moving the City of Omaha forward in many areas.
District Six
Councilman Franklin Thompson has been a voice of reason on the City Council and we support his continued efforts as a leader in our city.
District Seven
This race introduces two political newcomers to the City Council race: Aimee Melton and Tim Lonergan. While both of these candidates support your Second Amendment rights, we feel that one of these two stands out. Aimee Melton’s experience as a Douglas County Prosecutor brings a definite advantage to a City Council that must deal with an increasing violent crime rate. One of the many responsibilities Aimee had while serving as a county prosecutor was representing the county on all firearms appeals. She did this with respect for the law and for the rights of the county’s citizens. She used her professional experience and legal discretion to make sure the court denied the appeals to those who did not qualify for the purchase permits, while making sure those appeals from victims of errors in the approval system did not lose their right to purchase and own a firearm. On at least one occasion, Aimee provided supporting evidence for one of the citizens erroneously caught in the system when a judge questioned whether a permit should be granted. Aimee’s experience and ethics will make her an exceptional City Councilman.
The NFOA-PAF encourages all firearms enthusiasts to support the candidacies of Ed Truemper, Virgil Patlan, Rich Pahls, Franklin Thompson, and Aimee Melton in the General Election on May 14, 2013.
For a full listing of the survey questions, along with the candidate’s answers to the survey you can access our website at
www.nfoapaf.org
