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As a state representative six legislative sessions, Secretary of State Dennis Richardson (R-Central Point) was a strong supporter of gun rights.
That adds some interest to Richardson's response today to the announcement by gun control supporters that backers of a gun control measure—initiative petition 43—are suspending efforts to make the November ballot.
"Whether I agree or not with a particular cause, I strongly believe Oregonians should have the right to petition their government without the deck stacked against them," Richardson said in a statement. "I urge the Legislature to adopt the grassroots petition protections that I have consistently advocated."
Richardson, a Republican, earlier proposed making it more difficult to tie up proposed initiatives with litigation and allowing single-signature petition sheets rather than multi-signature sheets. He backed off those proposals after a torrent of criticism and a lawsuit from Democratic groups.
