Spokane County GOP pulls AR-15 from annual fundraiser
SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane County Republican Party has decided not to include an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle as an auction item at an annual fundraiser, but they will auction off other firearms.
Local party chairwoman Stephanie Cates said in a statement that the party wants to be sensitive to the pain many families feel after recent shootings.
“The decision to not include an AR-15 was made more than a week ago. We believe it is possible to support the 2nd Amendment and be sensitive to families in pain. We will have other items that celebrate our 2nd Amendment rights and emphasize the responsibility that comes with those rights,” Cates said.
The 2018 Lincoln Day Dinner & Fundraiser includes speakers, along with silent and live auction items. In the past, the event has included firearms auctioned off. Cates emphasized that those firearms only go to people who pass necessary local, state and federal checks.
The AR-15 model of firearm has attracted recent criticism after being used in recent mass shootings, including the February shooting that claimed 17 lives at a school in Florida.
In February, the Stevens County Republican Central Committee also decided to not raffle off an AR-15 at an upcoming fundraiser. Later that same month, an Idaho private school announced it would move forward with an AR-15 raffle to raise money for the school, despite opposition.
COPYRIGHT 2023 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
