Indiana state Rep. Marlin Stutzman jumped aboard the Beretta bandwagon — the one that’s already filled with Virginia and West Virginia politicos seeking to capitalize on Maryland’s regulatory climate — and told the gun maker to relocate in Hoosierland.
“I am writing you today to invite you to consider relocating your U.S. headquarters to Indiana,” Mr. Stutzman, a Republican, wrote in a Tuesday-morning letter to Beretta USA President Ugo Gusalli Beretta.
The gun maker is facing a regulatory clampdown in Maryland, where its headquarters is located. Sweeping gun-control legislation is winding through the Maryland General Assembly, which is controlled by Democrats, and Gov. Martin O’Malley has been the leading force on the bill to ban assault-type weapons — the very same that Beretta makes. The company previously threatened to relocate its headquarters if the legislation passed, and at least two other states have opened doors to the manufacturer: Virginia and West Virginia.
The Associated Press reports that West Virginia House Speaker Rick Thompson already has written to Beretta touting his state as a great location “where the people understand and care about your industry.” Also previously, one of Virginia’s candidates for lieutenant governor, Pete Snyder, wrote the company to remind of Beretta’s existing location in the commonwealth, in Fredericksburg, and call for its headquarters to follow suit, AP reports.
And now comes Indiana.
“As you may know,” Mr. Stutzman wrote, “Indiana has no plans to ban your products and I can tell you that Hoosiers’ respect for the 2nd Amendment remains steadfast. Hoosiers treat our manufacturers respectfully and your company would be free to carry out regular warranty and repair processes as you see fit.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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