TRENTON -- It's not on her public schedule or campaign itinerary, but Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno is scheduled to make a closed-to-media address at the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs Sunday -- and that's upsetting to a top Garden State gun rights advocate.

Guadagno, the GOP nominee to succeed Gov. Chris Christie, "is scheduled to present the keynote address" at the ANJRPC annual member luncheon, according to the organization's president, Scott Bach.

Bach, who is also a board member at the National Rifle Association, posted the news on the gun rights blog Ammoland on October 11.

"The Lieutenant Governor's historic appearance marks the first time that a high-level member of the New Jersey executive branch has addressed an annual meeting of law-abiding gun owners," wrote Bach to his members. "Please join us for this momentous occasion."

Bach's blog post also advised his members that "the event will be closed to the press, and no unauthorized recording will be permitted."

On Friday, Bach told NJ Advance Media this was only because "member meetings are always closed to the press" and that keeping Guadagno's remarks secret was "nothing out of the ordinary, and it wasn't requested by, or even discussed with, the Lt. Gov or staff."

A spokesman for Guadagno did not respond to repeated requests for an advance copy of Guadagno's address, though the lieutenant governor later notified NJ Advance Media via text message that she planned to speak extemporaneously.

Still, the move to keep Guadagno's address secret by barring the press isn't sitting well with a top Second Amendment rights advocate.

"There's no better way to portray ourselves as paranoid gun owners than by having secret meetings behind closed doors prohibiting the press from attending," said Alexander Roubian, president of the non-profit New Jersey Second Amendment Society.

"We stand by all the actions and statements we make, which we make vocally and publicly through social media. Our organization has always been open to a dialogue between people who are pro-gun, on the fence or even hostile to our views. We don't kick people out; we have a conversation about it...This would have been the perfect platform and opportunity for all sides to be able to hear our positions - and Kim's - on a topic that's on the forefront of everyone's minds."

Two weeks ago, a gunman opened fire on a crowd at Las Vegas country music concert, killing 58 and leaving 546 injured -- the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. It reopened debate on gun rights and gun control.

Derek Roseman, a spokesman for Democratic nominee Phil Murphy, pounced on the secret nature of her address in an email sent to reporters on Friday.

"One wonders which Kim Guadagno will they actually hear -- the one who said a conversation on gun safety should be held 'another time,' the one who said she opposed all new gun safety 'simple as that,' or the one who then said she'd consider anti-'bump stock' legislation only after the gun lobby told her it was okay to?"

At a Monday campaign event in Bridgewater, Guadagno told reporters that she was averse to new signing any new gun legislation into law, but was open to "harsher penalties" for those who illegally buy a handgun or use one while committing a crime," "enhancing enforcement of existing gun laws" and "more mental health background checks."

But regardless of what she says Sunday, it's expected that Guadagno's remarks will be brief. According to Bach's Ammoland post, Guadagno's "address at the members' luncheon is scheduled to begin at approximately 12:15 p.m.," following the conclusion of the members' business meeting.

Meanwhile, Guadagno's campaign schedule list her as appearing in West Milford at 1:30 p.m. for the town's annual autumn lights festival.

Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.