Critics rip into President Obama's executive action on gun control; NRA says measures will 'do nothing to improve public safety'
By Rich Schapiro
President Obama's executive measures to curb gun violence came under fire as soon as they were unveiled Tuesday.
President Obama's executive measures to curb gun violence came under fire as soon as they were unveiled Tuesday.
Obama had barely begun detailing his plan to expand background checks and close the so-called "gun show loophole" when the National Rifle Association weighed in.
"President Obama's executive orders will do nothing to improve public safety. #2A #fact," the NRA tweeted.
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President Barack Obama wipes tears while delivering a statement on steps the administration is taking to reduce gun violence on Tuesday. (CARLOS BARRIA/REUTERS)
"The American people do not need more emotional, condescending lectures that are completely devoid of facts," top NRA official Chris Cox said in a statement released later in the day.
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"The men and women of the National Rifle Association take a back seat to no one when it comes to keeping our communities safe. But the fact is that President Obama's proposals would not have prevented any of the horrific events he mentioned."
That assessment was relatively tame compared to some of Obama's Republican critics.
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The NRA was quick to dismiss the president's executive actions on gun control, saying the measures will do "nothing to improve public safety." (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg)
"New guns laws, shoved down our throats through executive action, won't reduce mass violence in our country," tweeted Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Alabama).
Rep. Roger Williams, a Republican from Texas, described Obama's actions as an attack on the Constitution.
"The Constitution is the foundation of our government, and I will not sit back and let this president pick and choose which parts to uphold," Williams tweeted.
Republican presidential candidates also took aim at Obama's push to tackle gun violence without Congress.
Rep. Bradley Byrne (l.) of Alabama quickly tweeted "New guns laws, shoved down our throats through executive action, won't reduce mass violence in our country." (Mark Almond/AP)
"Barack Obama is obsessed with undermining the Second Amendment," Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said.
"It's no good, it's no fair and they're not going to screw around with the Second Amendment," GOP front-runner Donald Trump said.
"This executive order is just one more way to make it harder for law-abiding people to buy weapons or to be able to protect their families. It's going to do nothing to prevent violence or crimes because criminals don't buy guns that way."
Ted Cruz vowed to immediately roll back Obama's actions if the surging presidential hopeful makes it to the White House.
"Those executive orders are not worth the paper they're printed on," Cruz said, "because when you live by the pen, you die by the pen, and my pen has got an eraser."
Hillary Clinton praised President Obama on his gun control measures, saying, "Our next president has to build on that progress-not rip it away." (CJ GUNTHER/EPA)
President Obama's executive orders will do nothing to improve public safety. #2A #fact
— NRA (@NRA) January 5, 2016
New guns laws, shoved down our throats through executive action, won't reduce mass violence in our country.
— Rep. Bradley Byrne (@RepByrne) January 5, 2016
The constitution is the foundation of our government, and I will not sit back and let this president pick and choose which parts to uphold
— Rep. Roger Williams (@RepRWilliams) January 5, 2016
Thank you, @POTUS, for taking a crucial step forward on gun violence. Our next president has to build on that progress—not rip it away. -H
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 5, 2016
Not everyone was up in arms over Obama's plan.
The President won swift praise from gun control supporters — including Hillary Clinton, Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio.
"President Obama's plan to stop gun violence is smart, sober and bold," de Blasio said."Let this day be a turning point in the effort to end senseless acts of violence against innocent Americans."
Clinton hailed the executive actions and took a thinly veiled shot at her Republican opponents.
"Thank you, [President Obama], for taking a crucial step forward on gun violence," Clinton tweeted. "Our next president has to build on that progress-not rip it away."
Cuomo hailed Obama's measures as a "critically needed step forward for our nation."
"I applaud the President's decision to take a stand and act, even as Congress continues to delay," Cuomo said in a statement.
"For too long, the American people have been without sensible gun control at the federal level."
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman expressed a similar sentiment, noting that New York succeeded in enacting "strongest in the nation" gun laws after the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting.
"I am pleased that President Obama has taken action today to narrow dangerous loopholes in the federal background check system that is used every day for gun sales in all fifty states," Schneiderman said in a statement.
"There is a growing consensus, among gun owners and non-gun-owners alike, that we can strengthen our background check system without infringing on the rights of law-abiding Americans."
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