Democrat Sen. Tina Smith Pushing Gun and Magazine Bans

Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) is pushing an “assault weapons” ban, a “high capacity” magazine ban, and an expansion of background checks that would outlaw private gun sales.

In other words, while Americans are choosing guns in droves, Smith is pursuing gun control.

According to her campaign website, Smith cosponsored the “Assault Weapons Ban of 2019,” which would have banned 205 commonly-owned semiautomatic firearms and all ammunition magazines holding more than ten rounds.

Smith also cosponsored the Background Check Expansion Act (BCEA). The BCEA was a push to expand retail background checks to private sales as well. In doing that, BCEA would have criminalized private sales, making it illegal for a neighbor to sell a five-shot revolver to a lifelong neighbor without first finding a Federal Firearms License holder and having a background check performed.

Smith cited meetings with Parkland, Florida, high school students as part of the motivation for pursuing expanded background checks. She did not mention that the February 14, 2018, Parkland high school attacker bought his gun “legally” at retail, according to USA Today. Buying a gun at retail entails passing a background check to take possession of it.

During midsummer, Smith was joined on the campaign trail with gun control extraordinaire Gabby Giffords.

Giffords began her gun control push after being shot and wounded during a public appearance in Tucson, Arizona, on January 8, 2011. She emerged from that event as a proponent of background checks.

The person who shot and injured Giffords acquired his gun via a background check.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.