Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley, recently fielded questions about the idea of new gun control legislation in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre.
According Senator Grassley it doesn’t seem likely.
“As we’re developing legislation, you’ve got to develop the legislation so you can get 60 votes.”
“If you were considering the situation in Las Vegas and what happened, is there anything we could’ve had on the books already that would’ve prevented that?” Grassley asked. “You need to make sure legislation really solves the problem. Is there anything we could’ve done in the past that would’ve kept that from happening?”
Obviously, Senator Grassley’s opinion is not what reporters were hoping for and they pressed the issue. A local reporter asked:
What about the availability of “bump stocks”? – the firearm add-ons that allow semiautomatic rifles to fire rounds at a rate similar to automatic weapons? The Las Vegas shooter reportedly had 12 such devices in the hotel room from which he carried out the attack.
Emotion doesn’t seem to sway the Senator:
“Well, then you get back to the answer I gave you previously,” Grassley said. “You’ve got to make sure it’s worth moving a piece of legislation – can you get 60 votes for it?”
It’s all about the votes. Legislators can talk about gun control all day long, but Grassley’s point is…can you get the votes and the answer likely is no.
Des Moines Register columnist, Katie Obradovich asked if Senator Grassley formed his opinions on guns from his religious beliefs:
“I take an oath to uphold the Constitution, not an oath to uphold the Bible,” Grassley replied. “So I have to do what the Constitution says. The Supreme Court’s very clear about the right of individuals to have firearms.”
The Constitution is also very clear on the right of individuals to own firearms.
Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley, recently fielded questions about the idea of new gun control legislation in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre.
According Senator Grassley it doesn’t seem likely.Obviously, Senator Grassley’s opinion is not what reporters were hoping for and they pressed the issue. A local reporter asked:
Emotion doesn’t seem to sway the Senator:It’s all about the votes. Legislators can talk about gun control all day long, but Grassley’s point is…can you get the votes and the answer likely is no.
Des Moines Register columnist, Katie Obradovich asked if Senator Grassley formed his opinions on guns from his religious beliefs:
The Constitution is also very clear on the right of individuals to own firearms.
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S.C. Sherman
Senior Editor
Steve Sherman is an author, popular radio commentator, and former Iowa House candidate. His articles have appeared nationally in both print and online for Townhall, Human Events, Clash Daily, Washington Times, Washington Examiner, Red Alert Politics, Forbes, NRATV and others. All of his novels including his most recent tome, Lone Wolf Canyon, a modern day western that infuriates the left and all "Snowflakes," are available here.