On September 12, 2014–twenty years after the federal “assault weapons” ban (AWB) expired–the Center for American Progress (CAP) says its push for a renewed AWB is over.
This news came via the release of a CAP study, in which author Arkadi Gerney signaled that CAP will be focusing on “expanding background checks and firearms licensing laws” going forward.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Gerney gave an interview this week in which he said, “On this larger question of assault weapons, let’s take a fresh look and look at a combination of things we can do short of a ban that would make it much harder for criminals and mentally ill to acquire guns.”
On September 9, Pro Publica reported that other gun control groups have altered their AWB posture, as well. For example, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America has gone from pushing for an AWB to campaigning for expanded background checks and pressuring businesses to ban firearms in and on their properties.
Moms Demand’s Shannon Watts said, “What’s going to save the most lives are background checks.”
As Breitbart News previously reported, Elliot Rodger (Santa Barbara gunman), Ivan Lopez (2014 Fort Hood gunman), Darion Marcus Aguilar (Maryland mall gunman), Paul Ciancia (LAX gunman), Aaron Alexis (DC Navy Yard gunman), and Nidal Hasan (2009 Fort Hood gunman) all went through background checks to acquire their guns.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.