President Joe Biden generated controversy late last week when he called for a federal ban on all semiautomatic firearms.
However, one powerful Democrat on Capitol Hill confessed on Sunday that his party probably doesn’t have the votes to make it happen.
“Probably not”
According to the Daily Wire, that admission was made by Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy during an interview with CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“I’m glad that President Biden is going to be pushing us to take a vote on an assault weapons ban,” Murphy was quoted as saying. “The House has already passed it. It’s sitting in front of the Senate.”
“Does it have 60 votes in the Senate right now? Probably not. But let’s see if we can try to get that number as close to 60 as possible,” he continued.
“If we don’t have the votes, then we will talk to Senator Schumer and maybe come back next year with maybe an additional senator and see if we can do better.”
Later in the interview, Murphy suggested that Congress should consider cutting law enforcement funding to jurisdictions that do not enforce federal gun laws.
“They’ve decided they’re going to essentially refuse to implement laws that are on the books. That is a growing problem in this country.” –
Sen. Murphy says Congress needs to consider not funding law enforcement in counties that don’t enforce federal gun laws. @CNNSotu #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/HZ5WEURSND— CNN (@CNN) November 27, 2022
Wide-reaching effects
Biden’s demand for a blanket ban on semiautomatic firearms was met with sharp pushback from critics, with RealClearPolitics White House correspondent Philip Melanchthon Wegmann pointing out that such a move would outlaw most guns.
Banning semi-automatic guns, as Biden proposes here, would make illegal an overwhelming number of rifles, pistols, and shotguns.
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) November 24, 2022
Townhall contributor Gabriella Hoffman also spoke up, contrasting the assertion that gun owners are paranoid with what the president had just said.
Them: Biden doesn’t support gun confiscation. You’re paranoid and opposed to sensible gun reforms and safety.
Him: Assault weapons are semi-automatic and therefore should be banned because it’s sick people lawfully purchase them. https://t.co/c3IfQNB9HI
— Gabriella Hoffman (@Gabby_Hoffman) November 24, 2022