Incoming NY Governor Praised Gun Control in 2018, Pushed Red Flag Law

In 2018, New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) praised the “comprehensive” gun controls adopted by her state after the Sandy Hook shooting and pushed for the adoption of even more gun control via a red flag law.

Hochul will be taking over as governor of New York as current Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday he is stepping down due to a sexual harassment scandal.

In a press conference titled, “Advancing Gun Safety,” which was held outside Ellenville High School in 2018, Hochul praised Andrew Cuomo (D) for signing sweeping gun controls into law following the December 14, 2012, attack on Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Cuomo signed the SAFE Act in January 2013, thereby banning “assault weapons” and “high-capacity” magazines, implementing universal background checks, and requiring firearm and ammunition registration, among other things.

Hochul described the gun controls as a “comprehensive package of reforms” and suggested they offer a model Congress could follow.

She then turned to red flag laws, pushing for the adoption of such a law in New York. She pushed for it to include the ability for teachers and school administrators to prevent children from having access to guns.

New York adopted a red flag law, which took effect on August 24, 2019.

Hochul did not explain that children cannot legally buy guns, with or without a red flag law. She did suggest New York had “made great progress” via the adoption of gun control.

Again, as it stands, New York has all the gun controls included in the SAFE Act and a red flag law as well. Yet as of July 27, 2021, the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York noted that shootings in the Bronx were up 56 percent compared to where they were at the same time in 2020. Moreover, shootings in the Bronx were up 143 percent compared to where they were in 2019.

Also, shootings in Manhattan North were up 39 percent over where they were in 2020.

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, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.