The National Rifle Association unveiled a graphic on Twitter on Wednesday evening mocking New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for allegedly ignoring declines in gun crime while pushing for further gun control initiatives. The picture featured a photo of Bloomberg with a duct tape gag over his mouth.
“Gun crime is down and Bloomberg goes mute,” it said.
Bloomberg co-founded the group Mayors Against Illegal Guns in 2006 and, in the past few months, has spent millions of dollars of his personal fortune to back gun control supporters through his political action committee. On Wednesday, Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who became a major target of Bloomberg’s PAC after he opposed bipartisan compromise legislation to expand background checks last month, said the mayor’s organization would be launching a new batch of attack ads against him.
Bloomberg’s office did not immediately responded to a request for comment about the graphic. However, the mayor has regularly touted decreasing crime in New York City and referred to it as evidence his work fighting guns is justified.
“The number of murders this year will be lower than any time in recorded city history,” Bloomberg said at a December 2012 press conference, announcing New York had record low numbers of shootings and murders in that year. “The fact that the safest big city in America is safer than ever is a testament to the hard work and determination of the men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day – and it also reflects our commitment to doing everything possible to stop gun violence.”
View the NRA’s anti-Bloomberg graphic below.
