Eric Swalwell Talked About Gun Control in Front of the NRA. Here’s How It Went
Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell, a 2020 hopeful, reiterated his gun control agenda in front of the National Rifle Association’s headquarters Monday, and the organization hit back by mocking the event’s turnout.
Swalwell covered key points of his plan, which include an assault-style gun “buyback” program, where owners are forced to turn in their weapons, keep them in third-party gun storage or face jail time.
The crowd reportedly had fewer than 20 people.
Today is #NationalGunViolenceAwareness Day. As a former prosecutor, I’ve seen 1st-hand the kind of damage guns can cause to communities and families. 58% of American adults say they or someone they care for has experienced gun violence. It is time to put an end to this bloodshed.
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) June 7, 2019
“There is nothing that we propose here today that is at odds with what this organization claims they stand for,” Swalwell said during the rally, Politico reported, pointing to the NRA building behind him.
“We happen to believe that we can do more to take the most dangerous weapons out of the hands of the most dangerous people.”
The NRA mocked the event shortly afterward in a tweet:
Look! All of presidential candidate Swalwell’s supporters came out to our headquarters today. No wonder he is polling at 0%. pic.twitter.com/sFZAishEoC
— NRA (@NRA) June 17, 2019
Other elements of Swalwell’s gun agenda include eliminating legal liability protections for gun manufacturers, enhancing gun licensing procedures and implementing universal background checks, according to Politico.
Swalwell also supports establishing a federal firearms database and wants to pass “red flag” gun confiscation laws to prevent people with mental health issues from having guns.
He estimated his gun “buyback” program could cost $15 billion in a May 2018 Op-Ed for USA Today.
“Consider this an investment in averting carnage and heartache and loss,” Swalwell wrote.
Politico’s latest 2020 Democratic primary polling has Swalwell at 0 percent among 22 candidates. “Someone else” polls at 2 percent.
Swalwell did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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