John Klar, a farmer and attorney from Brookfield, is the first Republican candidate to enter the 2020 Vermont gubernatorial race.
Amid a firestorm of criticism over a comment that he would not seek to repeal S.55, Republican gubernatorial candidate John Klar is reassuring voters that there will be no new gun-control laws in Vermont if he is elected in 2020.
“I will keep my word: From now on, no more gun laws,” Klar said Tuesday in an interview with True North.
Shortly after the political newcomer from Brookfield announced his candidacy Monday from the steps of the Vermont Statehouse, some observers pounced on his statement that he would not try to overturn S.55. Signed by Gov. Phil Scott in 2018, S.55 expanded background checks for private gun transfers, raised the gun purchase age to 21 and banned the sale of standard capacity magazines.
When a reporter on Monday asked Klar what he thought of S.55, the candidate said he was disgusted by the governor’s signing of the bill.
John Klar, speaking during his campaign announcement Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, at the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier.
“I wanted to vomit,” he said. “I am a pro-Second Amendment person, I have a long record of that. I’m an attorney and I support the U.S. Constitution.”
But he added this: “I’m not trying to repeal that law. I accept, like with other things, when you lose something, you move on.”
That comment generated backlash from some gun rights advocates who think S.55 should be repealed.
Klar’s position on gun control is stated succinctly on his campaign website: “Vermonters have lost many firearms rights in recent years: the Agripublicans call for a truce. No new gun laws. No waiting periods for gun purchases, or restrictions against Vermont manufacturers of firearms.”
On Tuesday, Klar gave new details about how he would address gun-control proposals being floated for the upcoming legislative session.
On waiting periods for gun purchases, Klar said he would “hold the line” against it.
“There is insufficient evidence to prove that they will save any lives. They also are then putting an imposition on the whole [of gun owners] for the minority,” he said.
Klar added that waiting periods would devastate gun shows, gun culture and even the Vermont economy, which is bolstered by shooting sports. Klar also said waiting to get a gun could cost lives in domestic violence situations where self-defense is an immediate concern.
“Are we also going to end up killing more people than we save by preventing women who wish to defend themselves?” he said.
The candidate also opposes placing penalties on gun manufacturers for crimes individuals commit with guns.
“I oppose restricting manufacturers,” Klar said. “I will fight it tooth and nail. I’ll fight it in the courts and I’ll fight it Constitutionally. … I believe there are about 100 jobs at stake in [the town of] Georgia, and I’m sure it will not stop there. They are not the only manufacturer.”
Eddie Cutler, president of Gun Owners of Vermont, said Klar’s statements on S.55 Monday caused confusion.
“I’ve known John for probably 15 or 20 years, I’ve always thought of him as pro-gun. But if he’s not willing to fight for us, we can’t support him,” he said. “We understand that there are other issues, but with him not being a 100 supporter of firearms in this state, he’s lost a lot of votes.”
Cutler added it’s a good thing that Klar also said he would repeal S.55 if it were possible. Still, he said he wishes Klar had been clearer in his statements.
“Hopefully he’ll do something like that,” Cutler said. “Personally, I want to talk with him.”
Meanwhile, Klar has doubled down on his support for the Second Amendment while also recognizing the financial heft of the gun-control lobby.
“If gun owners do not believe that I support the Second Amendment, then they don’t know who I am and they haven’t looked at my record, number one,” he said. “And number two, if they think I can run on a ‘repeal S.55’ platform and not attract huge amounts of opposition money so that I lose, then they are helping to accomplish the opposition’s goal of the waiting period and closing factories and other things.”
Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North Reports. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.
There has to be new thinking regarding a Rep-Conservtive running for any office in Montpelier (Gov, Senate, Legislature). VT is over loaded with Libs-Socialists & so-called Progressives (L-S-P). The people that vote for them are dependent on Government for sustenance(s), don’t know reality and will vote only for those that give to them. Some ideology! They are Pied Piper followers, shepople.
You have to fool these people who’d vote for anyone labeled as herein mentioned (L-S-P). If a person is a R-C and has such values, during local debates and State debates for higher office, you have to play the game. At the debates state several factors/positions that the shepople agree with. Out debate the liberal opposites using their programmed same-old rhetoric and outperform them to get votes. Out fool the fooler’s.
Then when in Montpelier vote your Conservative positions. The newcomers can take over and promote Conservative values and the L-S-P bunch won’t know what happened. The L-S-P bunch are known to lie, cheat, steal on any subject to gain power. Time to turn the table and use their crapology. Maybe Mitzy Johnson (US flag a banner Mitzy) can be sent packing. Example: state being for Gun Control in the debates, Hell yes, state gun control and confiscate all for the shepople at the debates, then when elected vote to appeal all gun laws and regulations and all such bogus legislation. L-S-P won’t figure it out for quite a while, what happened (?).
Call this the Chase Theorem for the future of VT.
I have to take issue with that. It’s precisely what Republicans running for major office in this state have done since the turn of the century, and a few before . Ruth Dwyer was the sole candidate who spoke from true conservative values and the only reason she lost was because she was back stabbed by the Republican establishment and the media. Those were the very same tactics that are being used against President Trump today, I might add. True conservatives are looking for someone who stands for their values openly and will act on them with boldness.
True VT Republican values will never win in VT. It’s transformed into a Socialist state. There are too many “silent” conservatives, need a platform to inspire them. History since Hoff has proven this.
What do to propose, need radical reform? Do you have info-links about the Ruth Dwyer matter? Again it seems the media manipulates facts to their agenda.
Keith Stern had true values, couldn’t climb over the mountain due to the facts you noted. Liars and cheaters win.
Here’s an example of lying to keep the opposition at bay, Harry Reid v Mitt Romney.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/03/31/harry-reids-appalling-defense-of-his-attack-on-mitt-romneys-tax-record/
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=ZPYdNxYgxEA
This is in the Dem playbook. Learn the lesson and duplicate, nice guys loose, the new political world.
Amen, Ken!
Klar, if you’re want to be a viable candidate against Scott, you must stand firm AGAINST abortion, the sexualization of children, all firearms laws, and FOR unfettered free speech and the right to dispose of personal property as owners see fit.
Would you mind if we add his support for comprehensive School Choice Tuition Vouchers to the list?
https://patriotpost.us/articles/66534-want-better-schools-parents-its-up-to-you-2019-11-04
Not sure, but school choice — including homeschooling WITHOUT the intrusion of government into the curriculum — should always be advocated by a freedon-oriented candidate.
Where we can all come together is nobody wanting unplanned pregnancy, to which planned parent hood is failing on epic proportions. At this stage everyone agrees, and if no unplanned pregnancies happen no need for abortion.
And should there be one, we can make adoption very easy, very easy.
This way you can win the majority of votes and solve the problem of killing babies.
In almost every divisive issue they argue where at least Vermont Republicans lose, and by bringing in a third option that remains true, you can capture both sides of the aisle without asking a Democrat to become Republican and visa a versa.
People are pretty well planted in their parties.