7 Oct 2017 12:58 pm
NRA breaks silence by enlisting Fox News in its attempt to deceive America.
The National Rifle Association is attempting a craven sleight of hand in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
Amid outrage that the gunman who killed 58 people and wounded more than 500 equipped his firearms with an accessory that allowed him to fire rounds at a rate comparable to a fully automatic machine gun, the NRA has called on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) to “review” the legality of bump fire stocks.
But the ATF does not have the authority to regulate bump fire stocks -- that power is reserved by Congress.
Facing scrutiny for pushing an agenda that allows mass murderers to maximize their body counts, the NRA’s top lobbyist Chris Cox turned to Fox News’ Tucker Carlson for an assist in the NRA’s attempt to trick the public.
And where better to go than a cable news show that shamelessly provides cover for the disastrous Trump presidency?
In the NRA’s first televised public comments since the shooting, Cox appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight to field softballs from Carlson and repeat the NRA’s carefully worded statement.
Calling on Congress to loosen laws on how guns can be carried in public, Cox said, “Let ATF do their job, and Congress needs to do their job.
Allow good, honest people the ability to defend themselves.
Pass reforms like national right to carry reciprocity.” Tellingly, Cox added, “We didn’t talk about banning anything.”
Throughout the appearance, Cox repeatedly drew a distinction between what he said Congress should do and what the ATF should do:
Cox’s comments were a charade.
It’s not up to ATF to determine whether bump fire stocks comply with federal law.
As NBC politics reporter Alex Seitz-Wald noted on Twitter, the ATF said in a 2013 letter that bump fire stocks “are not subject to the provisions of Federal firearms statutes” and therefore the agency cannot regulate them:
It’s clear the NRA is attempting a gambit where it appears to offer a concession that stems public outrage while also preserving the status quo on gun regulations.
Journalists with more ethics and brains than Carlson shouldn’t fall for it.
