A Tennessee state representative is giving away two assault rifles, similar to the one used by Omar Mateen during the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando Sunday, despite receiving death threats.
Speaking with NBC News Monday, Andy Holt stood by his decision to give away an AR-15 rifle at his “First Annual Holt’s HogFest & Turkey Shoot Fundraiser” later this month.
“We should not focus on the gun itself,” Holt told the news station. “We should focus on the depravity of the heart of the person who’s pulling the trigger.”
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Holt’s fundraiser was announced late last week.
“We’ll have all you can eat whole hog roast with all the fixings, a petting zoo and hay rides for the kids, live music, a turkey shoot and more!” reads the official invite. “Oh, did I mention we’re giving away an AR-15 as the door prize!”
In a lengthy statement on Facebook, Holt defended his decision to give away the rifle, while attacking radical Islam and the media.
“I’m furious over the fact that our government literally refuses to recognize the threat of radical Islam. I’m furious that it is no longer an insidious threat; but has been allowed, and even encouraged, to become an all out blatant attack due to the inaction of our irresponsible government ‘leaders,’” reads a portion of his statement. “I’m furious over the fact that reckless ‘leaders’ like Congressman Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) rush to blame the 2nd Amendment rather than radical Islam. I’m furious over the fact that so many are too ignorant to understand that the Twin Towers were not brought down by a firearm, but we’re instead brought down by radical Islam.”
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Cohen has said earlier that he was calling on House Speaker Paul Ryan to bring a bill to floor calling on a ban of assault rifles.
“I’m furious that I get phone calls from the media asking me if I’m still going to give away an AR-15 at our HogFest, rather than asking me how many extra firearms I’ll be handing out to ensure people can protect themselves. After all, it was a bullet that stopped the terrorist. Amazing how so many seem to miss that fact,” Holt wrote.
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Late Monday, the Tennessee representative said he and legislative assistant Michael Lotfi received death threats in response to his comments on his decision to give away an AR-15.
“The caller dialed our office multiple times starting at around 5:00 PM and asked whether or not Representative Holt was in the office and when he would be returning,” Lotfi said in a statement. “He then went on to threaten to ‘beat our asses’ and made multiple mentions of the fact that he had many guns and knew how to use them.”
Speaking with NBC, Holt blamed the media for drawing attention to the AR-15 and said he will give away a second rifle at his June 25 fundraiser.
“Why do we see the repeated use of the AR-15? Well because it’s interviews like this,” Holt NBC News. “It’s because of the media’s absolute infatuation with the AR-15.”