NH GOP lawmaker blames all gun violence on ‘African Americans’ in shocking email

In a shocking and unapologetically racist email brazenly posted to X, a New Hampshire State Rep. Travis Corcoran (R-Weare), claimed that “African Americans”— not firearms — are to blame for gun violence in America.

The response, sent after receiving an invitation from a gun safety organization to participate in National Gun Violence Awareness Day, frames Black Americans as the cause of gun violence. This is a long-held white supremacist view with no statistical proof,  and it’s been discredited by decades of research into crime, poverty, and inequality.

“All of the data that I read indicates that violence isn’t associated with the presence of guns, but with the presence of African Americans,” Corcoran wrote. “Blacks commit violent crimes at 5-10x the rate of whites… I will wear a black T-shirt on Friday, June 6, to help make people aware of the fact that crime is predominantly caused by African Americans, and not by guns.”

Data shows that Corcoran’s claims are not only racist — they are factually incorrect.

Corcoran’s claims draw on raw arrest statistics, long known to be a poor measure of actual crime and heavily influenced by discriminatory policing practices. Studies from the Harvard School of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and The Lancet have confirmed that states with higher gun ownership rates suffer significantly higher gun deaths, regardless of demographics.

Crime statistics that appear to show racial disparities are deeply shaped by structural inequality.

Black Americans are more likely to live in under-resourced communities, be over-policed, and face harsher charges for similar acts when compared to white Americans. These are effects of systemic racism — not evidence of inherent criminality. These phenomena have been documented in studies from organizations like the Brennan Center for Justice, and by analyses published in the National Academy of Sciences.

When controlling for factors like poverty, neighborhood segregation, and education access, crime rates across racial groups align closely with one another. The American Public Health Association and Brookings Institution have both warned against simplistic, race-based readings of crime data.

Corcoran’s assertion that “states with a majority white population” have lower crime rates also ignores glaring counterexamples like Alaska, Montana, and West Virginia — all majority-white states with high rates of violence, domestic abuse, or suicide.

This is not Corcoran’s first episode invoking racist language.

In 2023 he was revealed to have used racist slurs against Black Americans on social media repeatedly, encouraging their use in public spaces, in addition to regularly using anti-gay slurs. 

The email came in response to a request from Everytown for Gun Safety, who invited Corcoran to participate in the upcoming Wear Orange weekend, a national, bipartisan effort to honor gun violence victims. Instead, Corcoran twisted the message into a vehicle for white nationalist rhetoric.

Full emails follow.

Email from Rachel Bhalla to Representative Corcoran:

Rachel Bhalla [email protected]
12:48 PM (1 hour ago)
Subject: Join Wear Orange 2025!

Dear Representative Corcoran,

Every year, communities nationwide come together for Wear Orange, a weekend dedicated to honoring the lives of people in the United States affected by gun violence and elevating advocates across the country who are demanding an end to gun violence by taking action. From hundreds of local gatherings to city proclamations, Wear Orange is a highly visible, nonpartisan show of support for public safety that’s powered by constituents in every corner of the country.

We’d love for you to join them.

This year, National Gun Violence Awareness Day will be Friday, June 6, marking the start of Wear Orange weekend, June 7-8. Participation is simple and a great way to connect with constituents already organizing in your community. Some lawmakers choose to…

• Attend a local event: Every year, partners and gun safety advocates hold events with everything from community beautification projects to food drives, family-friendly picnics, and more. This year, events will once again take place in all 50 states and D.C., many of which include guest speakers or receive media coverage.

• Proclaim your support: Issue a proclamation declaring the first Friday in June National Gun Violence Awareness Day in your state. Constituents are eager to attend proclamation signings and speak out about your shared commitment to change.

More ideas on how to participate can be found attached below, including an event directory and proclamation template. If you’re interested in attending or participating in an event, would like to be listed publicly among this year’s supporters, or hope to work with us to ensure your participation is highlighted, reply to this email. I’d be happy to share more information!

Please note: Wear Orange participation may not include any reference to candidates, campaigns, or elections or legislative advocacy. Instead, Wear Orange focuses on fostering community connection, raising awareness about gun violence, and educating the public on the steps we can all take to protect our kids and families.

Thank you for your leadership.

Sincerely,
Rachel Bhalla
ASSOCIATE REGIONAL DIRECTOR, STATE AFFAIRS

Email from Travis Corcoran to Rachel:

T J Corcoran
to Rachel

Rachel,

Thanks for writing.

Some people say that I’m “on the spectrum”, and I think that’s likely correct. Three indications of this are (a) I’m averse to changes in clothing; I tend to wear black t-shirts every single day, (b) I am quite interested in data and statistics, (c) I am unconcerned about the popularity or social respectability of the conclusions that I reach and the opinions I espouse.

With regards to “gun violence”, I’ve done a deep dive on the topic, and all of the data that I read indicates that violence isn’t associated with the presence of guns, but with the presence of African Americans. Blacks commit violent crimes at 5-10x the rate of whites. This is one reason that there’s such an amazingly tight correlation between states with a majority white population, and states with extraordinarily low crime rates.

I agree that “awareness” is important; people need to understand facts if they’re going to push for the correct policies to reduce violence.

You have my pledge that I will wear a black T-shirt on Friday June 6, to help make people aware of the fact that crime is predominantly caused by African Americans, and not by guns.

Have a great week,
Travis Corcoran