Congressman wants gun manufacturer to relocate to northeast Indiana

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Congressman Marlin Stutzman has officially sent a letter to the president of Beretta USA inviting his company to move to the Hoosier state.

Beretta USA has its headquarters in Maryland. The "Old Line" state is currently working on legislation to ban assault rifles and limit on magazine capacity, which could call the 500 year old company to move and take 400 jobs with it.

"Why not invite them to Indiana. There'll be jobs, they're a great corporate neighbor to the community," said Congressman Stutzman.

Indiana is just one of many states trying to lure Beretta to its state. Texas, West Viriginia, and other states have shown the company interest. An opponent of this thinks this is a tact to blackmail Maryland legislators in to reversing their decision.

"They don't like the policies being discussed, they're threatening to leave the state and bring 400 jobs or whatever with them," said Paul Helmke, former president for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Congressman Stutzman sent a letter to the company's president this past week. Here's the letter in its entirety:

Dear Mr. Beretta,

I am writing you today to invite you to consider relocating your U.S. headquarters to Indiana.  I agree wholeheartedly with the testimony of your counsel, Jeffrey Reh, before Maryland’s Senate Judiciary Committee on February 6 ^th, 2013.  Like you, I was disappointed to learn the Governor of Maryland is strongly advocating for the adoption of S.B. 281, a bill that would create a business environment hostile to firearms manufacturers.

As Mr. Reh explained in his testimony, the Beretta family has a long history of showing strong commitment to the communities where its business is located.  However, as he pointed out, “that commitment is not one-sided…and deserves the respect of a corresponding commitment from the local community and from the state government.”

You would find your commitment to local communities reciprocated in Indiana. Hoosiers would proudly welcome Beretta’s operation with a noticeably different tone and more competitive tax and regulatory structure than what you must navigate in Maryland.

Indiana’s government, from the state legislature to the Governor, is focused on job creation and is well-prepared to streamline the relocation process for you. In particular, Northeast Indiana offers a low-cost, strategic location for manufacturers like you and the Hoosier workforce is well equipped to meet your needs. That’s why my district is home to everything from Chevy and Vera Bradley to the leading manufacturers of orthopedic devices and RVs.

Many of our newest employers, such as Android Industries—an automotive manufacturer that cited our pro-growth environment for its decision to invest $8.87 million in Fort Wayne—were originally operating in states where political grandstanding trumped common sense governing. As you may know, Indiana has no plans to ban your products and I can tell you that Hoosiers’ respect for the 2 ^nd Amendment remains steadfast.  Hoosiers treat our manufacturers respectfully and your company would be free to carry out regular warranty and repair processes as you see fit.

I commend Beretta for its centuries-old tradition of success, both in the United States and Italy. Having produced more than a half million side arms for the U.S. military and more than a million firearms for the American public, I am hopeful you will consider relocating your part of the arsenal of democracy to the great state of Indiana. Governor Mike Pence and Eric Doden, President of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, are copied here and ready to assist. Please call me at (202) 225-4436 if you have questions or would like to schedule a visit.