Dem Rep Himes: I’d Support a Ban on Semi-Automatic Rifles

On Tuesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Representative Jim Himes (D-CT) expressed support for a ban on semi-automatic rifles.

Himes said the Las Vegas shooter “appears to have had something like three dozen guns, some of which were modifiable to wreak the kind of havoc that Marines wreak when they land on an enemy beach. So, inasmuch as you really want to focus on this particular incident, which is I’m not sure the right way to think about America’s gun problems, yeah, we ought to look at the fact that it appears that American citizens can buy dozens and dozens and dozens of weapons, some of which are military.”

Co-host Joe Scarborough stated people should ask law enforcement if civilians should have firearms that are “suitable” for storming Normandy Beach and that law enforcement would say civilians shouldn’t own those types of weapons.

Another one of the show’s co-hosts, Willie Geist asked, “Congressman, that’s what I meant by getting specific. So, are you talking about then a ban on semi-automatic rifles, for example?”

Himes answered, “Yes. I think Joe is absolutely right. And I think he’s right in how law enforcement thinks about this. Look, law enforcement is sometimes on the opposite end of the weaponry that should be in the hands of the United States Marines and our military. So, yes. And I understand that this is tough. How do you define an assault rifle? I get that. It’s hard.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett