ap 06/01 1754 NRA-Andrus By QUANE KENYON AP Capitol Writer BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Gov. Cecil

ap 06/01 1754 NRA-Andrus

   By QUANE KENYON AP Capitol Writer

   BOISE, Idaho  (AP)  --  Gov.    Cecil  Andrus  has  warned the
National Rifle Association there will be "retribution"  over  the
association's  effort  to  defeat  him in the last Idaho governor
election.

   Andrus, in a speech Monday to Ada County  Democrats,  said  he
hasn't  forgotten that the rifle association backed his opponent,
Republican  David  Leroy,  with  what  Andrus  called  "political
distortions  and  ads"  implying  that  Andrus  was  soft  on gun
control.

   "I've been a hunter and gun owner in this state for more  than
30 years.    I  have  a  record  on  sportsman's  issues  that is
well-known to the people of Idaho.  But in the 11th hour  of  the
last election campaign, the political leadership of the NRA tried
to  tell  the  Idaho  voter  that somehow I was soft on control,"
Andrus said.

   "I resent it and I have to keep  saying  that  I  resent  it,"
Andrus said.   He said the NRA backed a candidate who lost. "Now,
there's going to be retribution," he said.

   It will not be out  of  spite,  the  governor  said,  but  the
rank-and-file  members  of  the  NRA  who  pay the dues should be
making the policy decisions, not what he termed the  "three-piece
suit boys" from San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

   Idaho Rep.   Larry Craig is on the NRA Board of Directors, and
in a recent television interview, Andrus ridiculed Craig and  the
"gun  nuts"  of  the  NRA  for some of their proposals, including
turning the Sawtooth National Recreation Area into a  park,  thus
banning hunting, and building roads through wilderness areas.

   Gary  Glenn, national Young Republican committeeman for Idaho,
called upon Andrus recently to apologize for the remarks.

   Andrus refused then, and repeated his  claim  on  Monday  that
Glenn  was  making  the comments merely to generate publicity for
his possible Idaho Senate campaign against Democrat  Sen.    Karl
Brooks.

   Andrus  drew  cheers  from  the  partisan  crowd when he said,
"You've heard the same rumors I've heard, he thinks he  wants  to
run against Sen.  Karl Brooks.  But I've got news for him, he may
run, but he won't win.

   "...In  1988,  we're  not  going  to  be  losing  seats in the
Legislature, we're going to be gaining some," Andrus said.

   He repeated his earlier statements that his NRA comments  were
not aimed  at  rank-and-file  members,  but  at  NRA leaders.  He
alleged they have come to Idaho and attempted to impose  national
policies in the state, with no regard to how Idaho members feel.

   He  described  rank-and-file  NRA members as "gun nuts, like I
am."  Andrus said he probably owns more firearms than he needs.

   He said the organization has good programs, such as its  rifle
shooting clinics and gun safety programs.

   "What  I don't agree with, and what I'll speak out against, is
the kind of influence the leadership of the NRA tries to exert in
Idaho," the governor said.

   He said the NRA sent lobbyists to oppose a  bill  proposed  by
himself  and  Republican  Attorney  General  Jim Jones to control
terrorism firearms training by white supremacy organizations such
as the Aryan Nations at Coeur d'Alene.

   He said the NRA killed the original bill. "They didn't want to
restrict anyone -- including white supremacists," Andrus said.

   The anti-terrorist bill died when a  NRA  lobbyist  argued  it
might interfere  with  the  right to own and bear arms.  Another,
weaker version eventually was enacted.

   Andrus said NRA also opposed other bills, which had nothing to
do with hunting and fishing rights.

   "That kind of thing does nothing for the Idaho sportsman,  but
it will help a terrorist someplace," he said.

   The  governor  said  he  doesn't agree with proposals from the
NRA. "And I'll stand up in public and tell them  off  every  time
they  do something that I think is wrong, or motivated for purely
partisan gain.

   "But to those who  say  I'm  insulting  gun  owners  --  sheer
nonsense.   I  am  insulting  the  leaders  of  that organization
because they deserve it," he said.

   
Last page !