Reply from Rep. Matt Cartwright 17 District

**jerryg** · January 24th, 2013, 01:42 PM

Matt Cartwright
17th District, Pennsylvania

January 24, 2013

Mr.
Easton, PA 18040-1112

Dear Mr.,

Thank you for taking the time to write to me with your thoughts on gun control and your support for the Second Amendment. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue and I'm glad to have the opportunity to respond.

As a Congressman I took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and as a former trial attorney I have the deepest respect for our nation's laws. The tragic shootings in Connecticut, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Colorado have thrust gun control into the spotlight and I recognize that this is a sensitive issue fraught with emotion.

Our country has a long and proud tradition of gun ownership and having owned guns myself I recognize the important role they play in our history and in the lives of many Americans today. I respect the rights of hunters and those who use guns for recreational purposes as I too enjoy shooting. I also recognize the need for individuals to protect their homes and their families. I do not seek to punish the many responsible and law-abiding gun owners but rather seek to find a balanced approach during this discussion on gun control. We must protect our Second Amendment rights while keeping our children safe.

I was recently appointed to the Gun Violence Task Force and will work towards solutions to prevent future tragedies, including ensuring sufficient access to mental health services. I will approach this assignment with an open mind, and am looking for input from all sides of the debate. I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind as we continue this debate.

If you would like to stay connected to our office with the latest news, legislation, and other useful information, please sign-up up for my e-newsletter or visit my website. Thank you again for reaching out, and please do not hesitate to contact my office with any future questions or comments.
Sincerely,

Matt Cartwright
Member of Congress

**wewo** · January 24th, 2013, 02:13 PM

I get a bad feeling from this response. "having owned guns" (wont admit owning them now), "balanced approach" "children safe" (apparently believes in gun violence and assumes something is out of balance), "open mind" (implies that he will listen but is not presently convinced. Notably absent is a promise to support gun owners or protect the 2A. A very cagey, politician type response, using a whole page to say nothing other than "I read your letter".

**ROCK-IT3** · January 24th, 2013, 06:35 PM

I got the exact same response from him, except replace "gun control and your support for the Second Amendment" with "the Safe Schools Act of 2013".

Merely a canned letter that says nothing concrete. Couple that with his avowed support of an AWB on his facebook page 3 days after the Sandy Hook shooting, and I'd say he is just blowing smoke with that third paragraph.

**mudlust** · January 24th, 2013, 08:13 PM

Keep hounding him. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

**ROCK-IT3** · January 24th, 2013, 11:06 PM

I just got another one from him, with the exact same language, except for the subject in the first sentence.

Freakin hack!

**dladd** · January 25th, 2013, 08:12 PM

Got the same reply two days ago. It bothers me more that he is just beating around the bush.

**jerryg** · February 14th, 2013, 12:18 PM

Yesterday I wrote to Cartwright again, asking him to resign, just like I did with Casey. I got back another form letter. They are not reading or just ignoring our letters. I guess I should have said I was sleeping with his wife or something along those lines.

**NikeBauer21** · February 14th, 2013, 02:46 PM

Same response from him here as well. I didn't know how to take it either. Seemed to tiptoe the situation pretty well, giving no concrete response, and clarifying nothing.