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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14377-2001Apr27.html

Billionaire's Gun Control Role Is Debated=20
Middle-of-the-Road Advocacy and Infusion of Cash Stir Controversy on All =
Sides=20
By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 29, 2001; Page A10=20


Last summer, Andrew McKelvey decided he knew how to break the impasse =
that has dogged the gun control debate: Acknowledge Americans' right to =
own guns, but say that these rights come with responsibilities.

If he had been an ordinary gadfly, McKelvey might have gone unnoticed. =
But as the owner of Monster.com, the job search Web site, the =
billionaire New York businessman used his wealth to position himself at =
the center of the gun control movement -- and to emerge as its dominant =
force.

The ascension of his advocacy group, Americans for Gun Safety, has =
altered the national debate over guns. At a moment when the steam has =
seemingly gone out of congressional efforts to enact tougher gun control =
laws, McKelvey's supporters hail him as a potential savior who can =
attract a broader constituency to their cause.

Many longtime advocates of tougher gun control laws, however, charge =
that his endorsement of gun ownership is dooming the gun control =
movement by watering down its message.

No one questions McKelvey's influence. His group's $3 million =
advertising campaign in Colorado and Oregon helped propel to victory in =
November ballot initiatives seeking background checks at gun shows. His =
staff is now helping craft a new gun show proposal on the federal level =
that Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.) plan =
to unveil within a matter of weeks.

A political novice, McKelvey, 66, used his personal fortune to assemble =
a formidable political network that gave him access to policymakers and =
made his organization a critical contributor to state gun control =
groups. He hired top officials from the Clinton administration and =
Republican congressional aides, picking Jonathan Cowan, who was Andrew =
M. Cuomo's chief of staff at the Department of Housing and Urban =
Development, as his group's president. He commissioned polls from =
Democrats Mark Mellman and Mark Penn as well as from Republican John =
Zogby, and also hired GOP image-maker Greg Stevens to film issue =
advertisements on the group's behalf.

McKelvey, who marvels at his sudden access to national leaders -- "I'm =
about as apolitical as it comes. I don't know anybody" -- says his group =
is simply being pragmatic. "I try to work on things in which we can have =
some results," he says.

A plainspoken man, he dismisses the notion some hold that a searing =
personal experience drew him into the debate over gun violence. "They =
want to know, 'Did you have a brother shot?' The answer is 'no,' " he =
says. "All these kids just kept getting shot in schools."

His group's drive to pass measures requiring gun show background checks =
in Colorado and Oregon bore all the hallmarks of a traditional campaign. =
In Oregon, the group paid for a half-million phone calls and a =
quarter-million pieces of direct mail to voters, in addition to running =
television advertisements featuring McCain's support for the initiative.

McKelvey compared the McCain ads his group ran in Colorado and Oregon to =
the catchy television commercials his Web site pioneered. "Advertising, =
particularly television advertising, is certainly an effective vehicle," =
he says.

Now, the group has expanded nationwide, running ads in favor of closing =
the gun show "loophole" -- which allows people in 32 states to buy =
weapons at gun shows without undergoing background checks -- and =
providing tens of thousands of dollars in funding for state groups.

Despite the shot in the arm Americans for Gun Safety has given to the =
gun show issue, many advocates of stricter gun laws are critical of =
McKelvey's efforts.

Violence Policy Center public policy director Joe Sudbay notes that the =
group's focus on gun shows addresses just a small part of a much larger =
problem. He says McKelvey is using his money to try to get cash-strapped =
state gun control advocacy groups to support his middle-of-the-road =
approach -- at the risk of undermining the broader gun control effort.

McKelvey offered $60,000 to any state group willing to become a =
"chapter" of his organization. Although many of these affiliates balked =
once they discovered that the organization's mission statement endorses =
gun ownership, McKelvey allowed them to keep the one-year grants.

"I think he was trying to do a hostile takeover of the gun control =
movement," Sudbay says.

Sudbay is equally critical of McCain and Lieberman's gun show proposal, =
which would allow private gun show dealers to move to a 24-hour =
background check in three years if the attorney general certifies they =
are able to access files on 95 percent of buyers.

Lieberman, who says he and McCain became convinced that the gun issue =
had become too polarized after they both campaigned for national office =
last year, defends McKelvey's efforts, saying he may have identified the =
kind of balanced approach that has eluded lawmakers so far. "There's a =
logic to this," Lieberman says.

At the moment, however, gun rights advocates aren't rushing to embrace =
McKelvey's approach. His overtures to some of Capitol Hill's most =
staunch conservatives have been rebuffed. The May issue of the National =
Rifle Association's magazine features a caricature of McKelvey with the =
caption, "The New Gun Haters Have Arrived . . . With the Same Old =
Scheme."

While Americans for Gun Safety has yet to engage in direct =
electioneering, its critics and allies predict that it may become even =
more powerful if the changes to campaign finance laws passed by the =
Senate are enacted. The proposal, sponsored by McCain and Sen. Russell =
Feingold (D-Wis.), would end the raising of unlimited "soft money" =
donations to political parties from corporations, labor unions and =
wealthy individuals. It could give new power to independently funded =
groups such as McKelvey's, which would not be subject to the new =
restrictions.

Cowan says the group is still evaluating its political strategy for the =
next election. Without question, he adds, "McCain-Feingold actually =
helps groups like us. . . . The right of a democracy is people can =
organize themselves to effectively advocate for a point of view."

For McCain, McKelvey's willingness to devote millions of dollars to =
influence lawmakers on issues such as gun control is something to be =
lauded rather than criticized. "I'm glad a guy with a billion dollars, =
or two billion dollars, wants to spend his money on an issue he feels =
strongly about," McCain says.



=A9 2001 The Washington Post Company


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<DIV><FONT size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14377-2001Apr27.ht=
ml">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14377-2001Apr27.html</=
A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D4><FONT face=3DArial>Billionaire's Gun Control =
Role Is=20
Debated<!--plsfield:stop--></FONT></FONT></STRONG> <BR><FONT=20
face=3Darial,helvetica>Middle-of-the-Road Advocacy and Infusion of Cash =
Stir=20
Controversy on All Sides</FONT>=20
<P><FONT size=3D2><!--plsfield:byline--><I>By Juliet =
Eilperin</I><BR><!--plsfield:credit-->Washington Post Staff =
Writer<BR><!--plsfield:disp_date-->Sunday, April 29, 2001; Page A10 =
</FONT>
<P><!--plsfield:description--><NITF>
<P>Last summer, Andrew McKelvey decided he knew how to break the impasse =
that=20
has dogged the gun control debate: Acknowledge Americans' right to own =
guns, but=20
say that these rights come with responsibilities.</P>
<P>If he had been an ordinary gadfly, McKelvey might have gone =
unnoticed. But as=20
the owner of Monster.com, the job search Web site, the billionaire New =
York=20
businessman used his wealth to position himself at the center of the gun =
control=20
movement -- and to emerge as its dominant force.</P>
<P>The ascension of his advocacy group, Americans for Gun Safety, has =
altered=20
the national debate over guns. At a moment when the steam has seemingly =
gone out=20
of congressional efforts to enact tougher gun control laws, McKelvey's=20
supporters hail him as a potential savior who can attract a broader =
constituency=20
to their cause.</P>
<P>Many longtime advocates of tougher gun control laws, however, charge =
that his=20
endorsement of gun ownership is dooming the gun control movement by =
watering=20
down its message.</P>
<P>No one questions McKelvey's influence. His group's $3 million =
advertising=20
campaign in Colorado and Oregon helped propel to victory in November =
ballot=20
initiatives seeking background checks at gun shows. His staff is now =
helping=20
craft a new gun show proposal on the federal level that Sens. John =
McCain=20
(R-Ariz.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.) plan to unveil within a =
matter of=20
weeks.</P>
<P>A political novice, McKelvey, 66, used his personal fortune to =
assemble a=20
formidable political network that gave him access to policymakers and =
made his=20
organization a critical contributor to state gun control groups. He =
hired top=20
officials from the Clinton administration and Republican congressional =
aides,=20
picking Jonathan Cowan, who was Andrew M. Cuomo's chief of staff at the=20
Department of Housing and Urban Development, as his group's president. =
He=20
commissioned polls from Democrats Mark Mellman and Mark Penn as well as =
from=20
Republican John Zogby, and also hired GOP image-maker Greg Stevens to =
film issue=20
advertisements on the group's behalf.</P>
<P>McKelvey, who marvels at his sudden access to national leaders -- =
"I'm about=20
as apolitical as it comes. I don't know anybody" -- says his group is =
simply=20
being pragmatic. "I try to work on things in which we can have some =
results," he=20
says.</P>
<P>A plainspoken man, he dismisses the notion some hold that a searing =
personal=20
experience drew him into the debate over gun violence. "They want to =
know, 'Did=20
you have a brother shot?' The answer is 'no,' " he says. "All these kids =
just=20
kept getting shot in schools."</P>
<P>His group's drive to pass measures requiring gun show background =
checks in=20
Colorado and Oregon bore all the hallmarks of a traditional campaign. In =
Oregon,=20
the group paid for a half-million phone calls and a quarter-million =
pieces of=20
direct mail to voters, in addition to running television advertisements=20
featuring McCain's support for the initiative.</P>
<P>McKelvey compared the McCain ads his group ran in Colorado and Oregon =
to the=20
catchy television commercials his Web site pioneered. "Advertising, =
particularly=20
television advertising, is certainly an effective vehicle," he says.</P>
<P>Now, the group has expanded nationwide, running ads in favor of =
closing the=20
gun show "loophole" -- which allows people in 32 states to buy weapons =
at gun=20
shows without undergoing background checks -- and providing tens of =
thousands of=20
dollars in funding for state groups.</P>
<P>Despite the shot in the arm Americans for Gun Safety has given to the =
gun=20
show issue, many advocates of stricter gun laws are critical of =
McKelvey's=20
efforts.</P>
<P>Violence Policy Center public policy director Joe Sudbay notes that =
the=20
group's focus on gun shows addresses just a small part of a much larger =
problem.=20
He says McKelvey is using his money to try to get cash-strapped state =
gun=20
control advocacy groups to support his middle-of-the-road approach -- at =
the=20
risk of undermining the broader gun control effort.</P>
<P>McKelvey offered $60,000 to any state group willing to become a =
"chapter" of=20
his organization. Although many of these affiliates balked once they =
discovered=20
that the organization's mission statement endorses gun ownership, =
McKelvey=20
allowed them to keep the one-year grants.</P>
<P>"I think he was trying to do a hostile takeover of the gun control =
movement,"=20
Sudbay says.</P>
<P>Sudbay is equally critical of McCain and Lieberman's gun show =
proposal, which=20
would allow private gun show dealers to move to a 24-hour background =
check in=20
three years if the attorney general certifies they are able to access =
files on=20
95 percent of buyers.</P>
<P>Lieberman, who says he and McCain became convinced that the gun issue =
had=20
become too polarized after they both campaigned for national office last =
year,=20
defends McKelvey's efforts, saying he may have identified the kind of =
balanced=20
approach that has eluded lawmakers so far. "There's a logic to this," =
Lieberman=20
says.</P>
<P>At the moment, however, gun rights advocates aren't rushing to =
embrace=20
McKelvey's approach. His overtures to some of Capitol Hill's most =
staunch=20
conservatives have been rebuffed. The May issue of the National Rifle=20
Association's magazine features a caricature of McKelvey with the =
caption, "The=20
New Gun Haters Have Arrived . . . With the Same Old Scheme."</P>
<P>While Americans for Gun Safety has yet to engage in direct =
electioneering,=20
its critics and allies predict that it may become even more powerful if =
the=20
changes to campaign finance laws passed by the Senate are enacted. The =
proposal,=20
sponsored by McCain and Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.), would end the =
raising of=20
unlimited "soft money" donations to political parties from corporations, =
labor=20
unions and wealthy individuals. It could give new power to independently =
funded=20
groups such as McKelvey's, which would not be subject to the new=20
restrictions.</P>
<P>Cowan says the group is still evaluating its political strategy for =
the next=20
election. Without question, he adds, "McCain-Feingold actually helps =
groups like=20
us. . . . The right of a democracy is people can organize themselves to=20
effectively advocate for a point of view."</P>
<P>For McCain, McKelvey's willingness to devote millions of dollars to =
influence=20
lawmakers on issues such as gun control is something to be lauded rather =
than=20
criticized. "I'm glad a guy with a billion dollars, or two billion =
dollars,=20
wants to spend his money on an issue he feels strongly about," McCain =
says.</P>
<P></P></NITF>
<P>
<CENTER>=A9 2001<!--plsfield:end--> The Washington Post Company</CENTER>
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