Elected officials in New York issued statements or tweeted about the NRA press conference on Friday in which CEO Wayne LaPierre called for an armed police officer in every school.
N.Y. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver:
The NRA’s response to the tragic events in Newtown is deeply disturbing and underscores just how far out of touch they are from reality and the concerns of most Americans. The answer to gun violence on our street corners, in our shopping centers and in our schools is not more guns. The answer is stronger gun laws and a dramatic expansion of mental health services. New York can and must be a leader in developing a solution. I am hopeful in the coming weeks the Senate will join together with the Assembly and Governor Cuomo to pass meaningful legislation that will begin to change the culture of gun violence in our society.”
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.:
The @nra missed a real opportunity today to be part of the solution on keeping guns away from criminals & the dangerously mentally ill.
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) December 21, 2012
Rep. Nita Lowey, D-Harrison:
NRA promised “meaningful contributions” to the debate on gun violence.Instead they offer more guns, more violence.Outrageous.
— Nita Lowey (@NitaLowey) December 21, 2012
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg:
The NRA’s Washington leadership has long been out of step with its members, and never has that been so apparent as this morning. Their press conference was a shameful evasion of the crisis facing our country.”
Bloomberg’s full statement.
Across the border in Connecticut, Rep. Chris Murphy, D-Cheshire, the senator-elect, tweeted this after the NRA press conference had ended:
Walking out of another funeral and was handed the NRA transcript. The most revolting, tone deaf statement I’ve ever seen.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) December 21, 2012
More on the NRA
Watch excerpts of Friday’s press conference here and here.
Weigh in on the NRA ideas of an active database of the mentally ill and adding armed security details to the nation’s schools.
