FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2018

#NoRA Statement on BlackRock’s Accountability For Sturm, Ruger Actions

Today, BlackRock, a global funds management firm, holds its shareholder meeting in New York. BlackRock holds a 17% stake in Sturm, Ruger, the nation’s largest gun manufacturer.

Sturm, Ruger made the AR-556 assault weapon which killed 26 people in the Sutherland Springs church massacre and has among the most aggressive stances against gun violence prevention of any weapons company. It was recently bound by shareholder action to report on the violence committed with the guns it makes, to which Sturm, Ruger President and Board Member Chris Killoy replied “what the proposal does not and cannot do is to force us to change our business.”

Sturm, Ruger’s board includes Sandra Froman, a past president of the NRA and current NRA Board Member. Froman formerly worked to promote the views of William Shockley, a physicist who perpetuated theories that whites are genetically superior to other races.

BlackRock voted to confirm the entire board, made up of Froman, Killoy and seven other exclusively white men.

This blatant disregard for shareholder will and basic humanity is emblematic of the gun and financial industries’ combined efforts to value profit over lives.

Communities of color, especially women of color, suffer disproportionately from gun violence. The “leadership” of Sturm, Ruger and the NRA shows not only a disregard for this racist outcome, but in fact has actively promoted theories which perpetuate it.

Since 2015, Sturm, Ruger has paid the NRA at least $11 Million.

BlackRock and other financial institutions which own Sturm, Ruger are guilty of allowing this deadly racism and gross neglect to continue. If BlackRock wanted to show it valued lives over money – especially the lives of people of color – it would have done so last week and voted to replace  the Sturm, Ruger board. It did not.

The American financial industry is killing Americans. We demand better.

The NoRA Coalition

Co-Signed

Uzo Aduba

American Federation of Teachers

Art Not War

Alec Baldwin

Ady Barkan

Rania Batrice

Blue Future

Melissa Byrne

Campaign to Unload

Jasmyne Cannick

Gregory A. Cendana

Kristen Clarke

Charlotte Clymer

Misha Collins

Jon Cooper

CREDO

James Cromwell

Laura Dawn

The Democratic Coalition

Drain The NRA

Minnie Driver

Richard Eskow

Jennifer Esposito

Rob Fee

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner

Frances Fisher

Morgan Freeman

Jason George

Amber Goodwin

Dr. Dena Grayson

Nick Guthman

Fred Guttenberg

Arlen Hamilton

Chelsea Handler

Heidi Hess

Zach Hibshman

Justin Hendrix

Akilah Hughes

Ben Jackson

Ashley Judd

Stella Kae

Harvey J. Kaye

Nick Knudsen

Laura Mannino

Heather Matarazzo

DeRay McKesson

Debra Messing

Lex Michael

Alyssa Milano

MomsRising.org/

MamásConPoder.org

Julianne Moore

James Morrison

Seth Morrison

Andy Moss

MoveOn

Lane Murdock

Po Murray

National School Walkout

Josh Nelson

Newtown Action Alliance

Ashley Nicole

Asher Novek

Drew Olanoff

Eliza Orlins

Amanda Palmer

Jeff Pearlman

Khary Penebaker

Michael Perlman

Zac Person

Tae Phoenix

Emma Popkin

Bill Prady

Brett Pransky

Questlove

Nadia Quinn

Alysia Reiner

Dallas Roberts

Robyn Ruth

Kendrick Sampson

Jay Schaffner

Maureen Shaw

Randi Mayem Singer

David Slack

Andy Slavitt

Heather Smith

The Sparrow Project

Sree Sreenivasan

Max Stahl

States United to Prevent Gun Violence

Tara Strong

Amber Tamblyn

Bradley Theodore

Gabrielle Union

Natalie Weaver

Randi Weingarten

Brianna Westbrook

Heather Whaley

Wil Wheaton

Women’s March

Kenidra Woods

Winnie Wong

World2Be

Zero Hour

Danny Zucker