Exclusive: Councilmember Treyger To Introduce Resolution Opposing Gun Raffles

This Thursday, Councilmember Mark Treyger (D-47) will introduce a resolution to the City Council asking members to call on the State Legislature and Governor Cuomo to ban guns from being used as prizes in raffles or giveaways in New York.

Earlier this year, the Brooklyn Friends of the NRA (National Rifle Association) intended to host a fundraiser at the Coney Island restaurant Gargiulo’s, in Treyger’s district, raffling off guns to raise money for the National Rifle Association.

At the time, Councilmember Treyger, along with Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Public Advocate Letitia James, Comptroller Scott Stringer, and Senator Diane Savino, released a statement calling on the restaurant to cancel the fundraiser, stating they were “profoundly disappointed” that a local restaurant would tacitly support the organization lobbying for concealed carry reciprocity in New York.

Following the statement and general public outcry, Gargiulo’s canceled the event. The owners of Park Slope’s Grand Prospect Hall announced they would host the event, but following similar opposition, they backed out as well.

Now, with Treyger’s resolution, he asks the City Council to put their support behind Assemblymember Jo Ann Simon’s bill prohibiting guns as prizes in games of chance.

An advance text of Treyger’s resolution refers to gun violence as a national and local problem that affects many New Yorkers on a daily basis, and specifically mentions the NRA’s “political lobbying efforts (that) have prevented common-sense gun safety legislation from being enacted nationwide.”

Treyger cites the use of firearms raffles as ways to increase donations to the NRA at fundraisers, which in turn, he says, bolsters the organization’s ability to lobby “to the detriment of public safety.”

New York law already prohibits the distribution of alcohol as a prize in games of chance, and Assemblymember Simon’s bill would treat firearms in the same way, banning them from raffles and lotteries.

The Assembly bill was introduced in March and referred to the Committee on Racing and Wagering. Pressure from the City Council’s resolution may encourage Albany to schedule a floor vote on the bill, which would need to pass the State Senate as well.

Recently, Governor Cuomo signed into law legislation that will take guns from domestic abusers. As he faces a primary challenge from progressive Cynthia Nixon, who continues to attack his liberal bona fides, he may throw his weight behind this bill as well.