A deep-pocket, longtime GOP donor is trying to blackmail the Republican Party.
Al Hoffman Jr., a real estate tycoon and former US Ambassador to Portugal, has give millions of dollars to Republicans over the years.
But he might have written his last check. On Saturday, he sent an email to six Republican donors, urging them to boycott candidates who are against gun control.
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“For how many years now have we been doing this — having these experiences of terrorism, mass killings — and how many years has it been that nothing’s been done?” Hoffman said. “It’s the end of the road for me.”
Very proud of my friend, Al Hoffman, for taking a stand. He’s a West Point grad. He’s a veteran. Has served in many capacities. He is a Republica. A father. A husband. A patriot: Prominent Republican Donor Issues Ultimatum on Assault Weapons, via @nytimes https://t.co/flyZQ1vR7p
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) February 18, 2018
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“If we go from Orlando to Las Vegas, and now Parkland, you just have to know that there are others around the country just dreaming about staging another mass murder,” he said.
The email was sent to Jeb Bush and Florida Gov. Rick Scott, among others. He specifically said he would not be giving any money to Scott, who is considering a Senate run, or any other Florida Republicans he has supported in the past, if they do not support new gun control legislation.
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“I will not write another check unless they all support a ban on assault weapons,” he wrote. “Enough is enough!”
While a staunch Republican, Hoffman has been a regular critic of President Donald Trump.
Peter S. Rummell, another Florida-based GOP donor, said he was on board with Hoffman’s plan and would only support candidates who were in favor of banning assault weapons.
The New York Times reports:
Republican elected officials in Washington and Florida have shown no significant interest in considering new gun restrictions after the Florida school shooting. The party, which has full control of both the state and federal government, has traditionally opposed virtually all new limitations on firearms. Mr. Scott has resisted pressure to back new gun regulations after the killing of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County on Wednesday, though he said “everything’s on the table” in a television interview.
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And Senator Marco Rubio of Florida voiced resistance to discussing gun control in a speech after the massacre, arguing in the Senate that a person determined to carry out an attack would find the weaponry to do it regardless of government regulations. His comments provoked outrage among some students who survived the shooting.
Hoffman conceded it was “not likely” that he would be able to influence the Republican party to be more open to an assault weapons ban, saying the party was too beholden now to the National Rifle Association. In the past, he has urged his fellow Republicans to support certain gun control measures.
One of the recipients of Mr. Hoffman’s Saturday message, Mel Sembler, another former ambassador and ally of the Bush family, suggested he did not intend to join the proposed donation boycott. “I don’t plan on getting into this debate,” Mr. Sembler, who also lives in Florida, said in a brief email.
Still, Hoffman isn’t giving up.
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“I’m going to email every single donor I know in the Republican Party and try to get them on board,” he said. “We’ve really got to start a little movement here.”
H/T: Fox News
