Indiana-based gunmaker Fostech, Inc. has made a special offer to the state’s Republican legislators: custom, personalized AR-15 style rifles at half-price.
Flyers of the offer, first reported by the Indianapolis Star on Tuesday, advertised the company’s Stealth rifles at the retail discount, adding, “In a show of support for our great Indiana legislators, Fostech, Inc. of Seymour, Indiana presents the Indiana legislator rifle!”
Because Indiana’s state Senate is the only one of its two chambers whose rules address gifts or discounts, the company’s offer does not violate the Indiana General Assembly’s ethics guidelines.
Indiana state House rules say that members should “avoid the appearance of impropriety”—while noting that a mere appearance of impropriety is not a violation.
The Senate’s rules leave it up to the lawmaker to decide if accepting the discount would affect their “independent legislative judgment.”
State House Speaker Todd Huston (R) did not respond to a request for comment through a spokesperson. However, State Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray (R) said he had not heard about the offer.
Bray added, “Obviously we’re a Second Amendment caucus, both the House and the Senate are, and we’ve been strong supporters of the Second Amendment for years.”
Earlier in Indiana’s latest legislative session, Fostech representatives testified in opposition to a bill to change the state’s definition of “machine gun” to the federal definition, which would outlaw conversion devices that make guns fully automatic and thus more lethal.
Indiana police have asserted that the presence of such devices at crime scenes has surged.
The state legislature approved the final bill in early April, though 28 Republicans across both chambers voted against it. Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed the bill into law April 20.
Fostech declined to comment on the IndyStar’s report about its offer.
