September 03, 2011 02:25 AM UTC

Worst raffle ever. Ever.

• 11 Comments
• by: JeffcoBlue

(The word you’re looking for is “yeesh” – promoted by Colorado Pols)

From my caddy-corner brothers and sisters in Arizona, The Republic:

Democrats and other critics, including at least one GOP official, say the Pima County Republican Party is exhibiting insensitivity with its latest moneymaking effort – a raffle of a Glock handgun – and should find another prize to pitch in the same county where [Rep. Gabrielle] Giffords was shot in the head nearly nine months ago. The gun used in the shooting spree outside Tucson was from the same manufacturer.

According to the Pima County GOP’s online newsletter last Friday, the lucky holder of the winning $10 raffle ticket will receive a new Glock 23 .40-caliber handgun, which comes with three 12-round magazines, adjustable grip and a case.

Pima County Republicans intend to sell 125 tickets, which “will go quickly for this firearm,” the newsletter says.

[…]

James Kelley, Republican chairman in Legislative District 29, which mostly is in Tucson, said Giffords is such a beloved figure in his community that he instinctively knew the Glock raffle would draw criticism. He urged his fellow Republicans to, at the very least, hold the raffle at a private party event.

“Let’s make this perfectly clear: I advised against this raffle from day one,” said Kelley, who also is on the Pima County GOP’s executive committee.

“I said, ‘This is insensitive and stupid and a no-brainer. Do not advertise this.’ The chairman and our executive director did the wrong thing. They said, ‘Well, we’ve done it before.’ Yes, but not since January 8, and we shouldn’t be doing it now.”

But they did not listen to James Kelley, Republican chairman in Arizona Legislative District 29, no I’m sorry to say they didn’t. It reminds me of Charlton Heston coming to Denver right after Columbine for the NRA convention. Sure the GOP has the right to raffle off the same type of pistol used to shoot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in the head in her district, though I hope there’s a background check. The right to supremely bad taste does not win any friends (or votes).