September 29: Town Hall Forum and Panel Discussion on Question 1, the state ballot initiative to extend firearm background checks

Date: September 29, 2016

Time: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Cost: We’re sorry, but this event is sold out. You are invited to watch the event live on Facebook or Livestream starting Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. Click the buttons below.

Watch on Livestream

As the November 8 election approaches, The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, is hosting a Town Hall Forum and Panel Discussion on Ballot Question 1, the state ballot initiative proposing to expand firearm background checks to include private party sales. More information on the ballot initiative can be found here.

The event is set for Thursday, September 29, at 7 p.m. in the Museum’s historic courtroom. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

“One of the most important duties a museum performs is to facilitate dialogue about issues that relate to its subject matter and directly impact people’s lives,” said Jonathan Ullman, executive director and CEO, The Mob Museum. “This event presents an opportunity for members of the community to understand the upcoming ballot initiative more thoroughly while participating in a civil and detailed discussion.”

Panelists representing both sides of the issue will explain what the initiative means and why they are or are not in favor of its passage. Town Hall panelists will include:

• Stavros S. Anthony, Las Vegas City Councilman
• Jennifer Crowe, spokesperson for Nevadans for Background Checks
• Dan Reid, NRA State Legislative Liaison
• William Sousa, professor and director of the Center for Crime and Justice Policy at UNLV
• Steve Wolfson, Clark County District Attorney

The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Sondra Cosgrove, CSN history professor and local leader of the League of Women Voters. A thirty-year Las Vegas resident, she received a Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with areas of specialization in the U.S. West, Native American History, and Latin America.  Currently, Cosgrove is a full-time history professor at the College of Southern Nevada and is actively involved in college and community service. She serves as chair of the CSN Native American Alliance and co-chair of the CSN Women’s Alliance. As the President of the non-partisan League Of Women Voters of Las Vegas Valley she engages in voter registration and education as well as advocacy for important League legislative priorities.

“In line with the Museum’s Core Value of Commitment to Community, we feel it important to host a balanced panel of local experts who will frame the issue and provide a public forum for questions and answers,” explains Kimberly Kindig, director of strategic partnerships, The Mob Museum.

Ballot Question 1 reads:

“Shall Chapter 202 of the Nevada Revised Statutes be amended to prohibit, except in certain circumstances, a person from selling or transferring a firearm to another person unless a federally-licensed dealer first conducts a federal background check on the potential buyer or transferee?”

There is no charge to enter the Museum if attending this event but reservations must be made in advance. The event is free for Nevada residents only. UPDATE: This event is sold out

Voter registration will be available. Citizens will be able to ask questions in person or by submitting them via social media channels.

The Mob Museum will be streaming via Facebook Live for the event and is open for questions. The event will also be live tweeted using #mobmuseumtownhall. Follow us on Twitter: @themobmuseum.

The event also will be livestreamed by clicking HERE the evening of the event.

Panelists

Councilman Stavros Anthony  

Councilman Stavros Anthony

Councilman Stavros S. Anthony was elected to represent Ward 4 June 2, 2009. Councilman Anthony, a Las Vegas resident for 35 years, has made community service and public safety his focus as a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer, a member of the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents and now as a city councilman. He was appointed Mayor Pro Tem by Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman, and served in that capacity from July 2011 to April 2015. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Jennifer Crowe  

Jennifer Crowe

Jennifer Crowe is the Communications Director for Nevadans for Background Checks. She has spent the past 15 years as a communications consultant for political campaign and non-profit organizations in Nevada and the West. Prior to that, she was a reporter and editor for the Reno Gazette-Journal for 10 years covering crime, education, government, politics and elections.

Dan Reid  

Dan Reid

Dan Reid is a state liaison for National Rifle Association – Institute for Legislative Action. He has performed legislative work on behalf of NRA in 5 western states including Nevada. Dan is a licensed California attorney who attended Univ of Pacific McGeorge School of law with an undergraduate degree from UCLA.

Dr. William Sousa  

Dr. William Sousa

William H. Sousa is the Director of the Center for Crime and Justice Policy and an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The focus of his research is on crime and disorder reduction policies implemented by police agencies. His current projects involve police order-maintenance practices, policing technologies, and community crime prevention in Las Vegas neighborhoods. His recent publications appear in Police Quarterly, Criminal Justice Studies, and The Journal of Experimental Criminology. He received his B.A. from Stonehill College (Easton, MA), his M.S. from Northeastern University, and his Ph.D. from Rutgers University.

Steve Wolfson  

Steve Wolfson

As Clark County’s top prosecutor, District Attorney Steve Wolfson leads the largest and busiest law firm in the state of Nevada. He manages a $65 million budget and over 700 employees, including 170 attorneys, in four different divisions who, combined, handle nearly 100,000 cases annually. Wolfson joined the Clark County District Attorney's Office in February of 2012, upon appointment by the Clark County Board of Commissioners. He was chosen to serve the three years remaining on a four-year term vacated by the previous district attorney who retired. Clark County voters elected Wolfson to the position in November of 2014 in a landslide victory where he came away with over 72% of the votes.  He began serving his first full four-year term in January of 2015. Wolfson came to the County from the city of Las Vegas where he served nearly eight years as a city councilman. He was elected to that office in a special election in June, 2004 and ran unopposed in 2005, and again in 2009. Wolfson is the Past President of the Nevada District Attorney’s Association.  He also serves as a member of Governor Sandoval’s Behavioral Health and Wellness Council, a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission for Kids, a member of the Commission on Statewide Rules of Criminal Procedure, a member of the nationwide group Prosecutors Against Gun Violence and a member of the HOPE for Prisoners Advisory Council.  Since taking office he has implemented the D.A. Ambassador Program, a community education and outreach program for employees in the District Attorney’s Office. Additionally, his office is also active on various social media platforms, furthering his commitment to transparency and outreach. Wolfson brings many years of legal experience to the District Attorney’s Office.  After starting his career in the D.A.’s office in 1980, where he served as a Deputy District Attorney, Wolfson then served as a Federal Prosecutor.  In 1987, he entered the private sector where he practiced criminal defense for 25 years. Wolfson has been active with the State Bar of Nevada by serving on the Board of Governors, the Judicial Ethics and Campaign Election Practices Committee, and other bar-related committees. Additionally, Wolfson was chairman of the State Bar of Nevada Ethics 2000 Committee, a blue ribbon committee established by the Nevada Supreme Court, to review and bring up-to-date all Supreme Court rules involving attorney conduct. Wolfson was born in Los Angeles, Calif. He received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from San Diego State University and a Juris Doctorate from California Western School of Law.