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Misunderstanding denies delivery of Mayors Against Illegal Guns group's 60,000 petitions

PITTSBURGH — [if gte mso 9]>

The petitions, which include 1.7 million signatures, urge Toomey to vote “yes” on Senate Bill 649, which calls for universal background checks and a federal law for stolen handgun reporting.

Rob Conroy said his Ceasefire PA Group tried to deliver the petitions to Toomey’s office on West Station Square Drive, but were met by locked doors.

Conroy said his group of activities then tried to access the office through the Grand Concourse, but were stopped by Landmark Building security and were told they could not go up to Toomey’s office.

The group said the denied access was unusual since Toomey’s own website is currently asking for voters to participate in a survey on the issue of gun laws.

Late Friday, a Toomey staffer accepted the 60,000 petitions, and Toomey’s Washington office said it was sorry for the misunderstanding over no media access to the senator’s office and that he is normally very accessible to the public, getting walk-ins every day.

His office also said Toomey hopes that the Senate can arrive at an approach on gun laws that work for everyone.