CA Senator De Leon Bows the Knee, Supports Gavin Newsom’s Gun Control Proposition

After months of squabbling over who’s gun control proposals are better, California Senator Kevin de Leon (D) has bowed the knee and endorsed Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 63.

This means de Leon is endorsing the very gun control his chief of staff–Dan Reeves–described as “burdensome” in June. Reeves made this point by contending that de Leon’s gun controls–contained in legislation passed earlier this year–were “less burdensome” than the controls contained in Newsom’s proposition.

Both men support ammunition background checks but differ on how those checks should be handled. De Leon supported a point of sale check, just like the one gun buyers go through to obtain a firearm. Newsom supports a license requirement, whereby individuals who wish to buy ammo acquire a license they must present to retailers in order to buy ammo. A background check is included in Newsom’s licensing process and Ballotpedia reports the license can cost up to $50.

But those differences are now swept aside. The Los Angeles Times reports that de Leon has endorsed Newsom’s proposition as a way to “send a powerful and united message to the national Gun Lobby that California will not capitulate to political bullying or compromise the public safety.”

And the Times also quotes Coalition for Civil Liberties co-chairman Richard Grenell, who points out it was “just a few months ago, de León asked Newsom to repeal Prop 63.”

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.