Grass Roots North Carolina runs radio ad backing gun bill

RALEIGH, NC (AP) – A gun-rights advocacy group is running a radio ad to try to pressure House Republican leaders into letting colleagues vote on a wide-ranging measure that would further ease firearm control restrictions.

Grass Roots North Carolina announced Tuesday the airing of the commercial in Charlotte and Raleigh markets. The ad is designed to counter a television ad run last week that opposed the measure from the Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund. The fund is linked to former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

At a news conference, Grass Roots President Paul Valone rejected arguments from bill critics that the measure would abolish background checks if the pistol permit application system run by sheriffs is eliminated. The permit system includes a background check requirement. Federal checks during dealer sales would continue.

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