Chris Cox, who heads the National Rifle Association’s lobbying arm, said it’s both “wrong” and “offensive” to suggest the NRA wants terrorists to get their hands on guns.
“We take a back seat to no one not only when it involves safety, but also when it comes to national security,” Mr. Cox said in an interview that aired Thursday evening on Fox News’ “Hannity” program.
“We’ve had NRA members who have fought and died in this war on terror, so to suggest somehow that we want to cause a problem or want to have terrorists get access to firearms is not just wrong, but it really is offensive — no question about it,” said Mr. Cox, executive director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action.
Senate Democrats have jumped on the gun-rights group as the senators push for new controls in the wake of the Orlando massacre, in which 49 people were killed and 53 were injured.
“The NRA wants support of smokescreen proposals, so that they’re not going to do anything,” Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, said on Thursday. “The American people won’t stand for a group that supports the rights of suspected terrorists over the health and safety of the country.”
Democrats and Republicans are pushing competing measures in an effort to prevent terror suspects from getting access to firearms.
Omar Mateen, the Orlando gunman, had been flagged by the FBI on multiple occasions but had been removed from a watch list.
Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump said he’d meet to discuss the issue with the NRA, which supports the approach of GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. Mr. Cornyn’s measure would provide for a period of judicial review before a sale is finally rejected.
Mr. Schumer said the only way Mr. Trump can prove he’s serious about keeping guns away from terrorists is to convince the NRA to support proposals sponsored by Democratic senators.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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