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Senator Sweeney Urges New Jerseyans Not To ‘Lie For The Other Guy’

TRENTON – State Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney today released the following statement thanking the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, for bringing a major campaign to the Garden State, designed to warn residents of the dangers and severe penalties of illegal straw purchasing.

The campaign, called “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy,” is a cooperative effort between members of the firearms industry through NSSF, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), designed to deter straw gun purchases, or purchasing a firearm for someone who is not legally allowed to buy one.

“I am thankful for the initiative taken by the National Shooting Sports Foundation to educate residents and others who might seek to bring straw purchased firearms from other areas of the nation into our cities and towns,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. “This program can make a real difference in our efforts to make New Jersey a safer state.”

The “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” campaign was developed to raise public awareness about the seriousness of straw purchases, as well as to educate firearms dealers on how to better detect and deter potential straw purchases. The campaign is designed to drive home the message that anyone attempting an illegal firearm purchase faces a stiff federal penalty. Its motto is “Buy a gun for someone who can’t, and buy yourself 10 years in jail.”

Residents and visitors to New Jersey will see “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” billboards, transit signs and posters in major urban areas. The campaign will also be advertised via radio and television public service announcements.

According to the ATF, the campaign is vital in educating firearms dealers and their employees on how to recognize and deter the illegal purchase of firearms through straw purchases.

“This program is an important tool for ATF as we pursue our mission of preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime and protecting the public,” said Senator Sweeney.

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