An ugly turn in the 1st District Democratic primary over the weekend as a gun group encouraged people to hassle Anesa Kajtazovic at home for her vote against the silencer bill earlier this session.
Iowa Gun Owners posted Kajtazovic's home address and personal cell phone number on their Facebook page, telling readers: "Apparently, she has something to hide when it comes to your gun rights though as she refused to even open IGO's candidate survey! Let her know what you think of this." Several people did let her know, making threats.
"I’m adamantly opposed to Stand Your Ground laws, and I’ve always advocated for universal background checks," Kajtazovic said in a press release. "Publishing my home address was not right, but no measure of intimidation will cause me to change my views on these important issues.”
Because when it comes to intimidation, Anesa has been through a lot worse. Anyone with the least familiarity with the Kajtazovic story knows she survived the civil war in Bosnia and fled with her family to Waterloo when she was ten. So crank callers? You're trying to scare a woman who doesn't scare easy.
“The bottom line is that silencing devices on firearms disguises the fact that a shot has been fired, and in a time where gun violence is so prevalent, I will always take the side of common-sense legislation that aims to protect the people,” Kajtazovic said of being one of just 16 House members, all Democrats natch, who voted against a bill that would have legalized silencers and suppressors for firearms in Iowa. Worth noting: Pat Murphy voted FOR the bill.
"Unlike some of my opponents in this Primary, I’m not afraid to stand up to powerful interest groups, including the gun lobby. When it comes down to it, I’ll show them that I too can stick to my guns.”
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