California Gov. Gavin Newsom used the tragedy of at least 18 dead from a mass shooting in Maine on Wednesday to promote gun control and attempt to score political points against Republicans.
Yet his criticism left out some key facts — such as Democrats were just as guilty, by Newsom’s own standard.
As The Washington Examiner reported on Thursday, the Democratic governor waited only “moments” after news broke of the shootings in Lewiston, Maine, to blame Republicans and proclaim a need for more gun control.
“Republicans in Maine rejected a bill this year that would have required a waiting period for firearm purchases. They seriously could not fathom waiting 72 hours to buy a gun,” Newsom said on X (formerly Twitter.)
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“Maine also does not… – Ban assault weapons – Require permits to carry a gun in public – Require background checks on all gun sales,” Newsom continued. “Our hearts are heavy tonight. We need immediate action — we cannot sit around and wait for Congress. We need to amend the Constitution to help prevent tragedies like this.”
But Newsom left out one critical fact. Democrats run Maine and they helped defeat the very bill he complained about.
As Politico reported on Thursday, the gun-control bill Newsom mentioned would have required a 72-hour waiting period for firearm purchases.
First, there is no evidence the bill would have stopped the alleged shooter.
As the Associated Press reported Thursday night, “Investigators also haven’t said what weapon or weapons [prime suspect Robert] Card used in the shootings or how he obtained them.”
Secondly, even if it would have imposed a waiting period, Democrats helped defeat the bill.
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As Politico noted, “Democrats have control of both Maine’s House and Senate. The June legislation’s rejection was bipartisan, failing in the House 73-69 with 65 Republicans and seven Democrats voting against and in the Senate 24-11 with all 13 Republicans and 11 Democrats voting against.”
Meanwhile, “Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills had remained largely silent on the proposal. At a press conference Thursday, Mills condemned the shootings without mentioning gun control,” Politico added.
Yet what makes Newsom even more cynical and opportunistic in the face of a grave tragedy is that he presides over the state with the toughest gun control laws in the nation, yet which has witnessed the greatest bloodshed from mass shootings this year.
As U.S. News & World Report noted on Thursday, California and Texas each have had four mass shootings this year, which leads the nation. Yet in California, 28 people have been killed in those incidents, compared to 21 in Texas.
Moreover, the Examiner reported on Thursday, “According to the Gun Violence Archive, which classifies mass shootings as four or more victims killed, not including the shooter, California has had 41 mass shootings this year. Maine has had two, including the shooting on Wednesday.”
But Newsom was even misleading on the basic premise of his claim.
As the pro-Second Amendment website Bearing Arms noted on Thursday, “If you buy a firearm [in Maine] at retail, you’re going to go through the same background check that you do in every other state. Until the NICS [National Instant Criminal Background Check System] check comes back, you cannot take possession of that firearm, at least for 72 hours.”
So people in Maine, as elsewhere, already wait 72 hours to obtain a gun.
But Newsom’s misinformation did not end there.
As Bearing Arms reported, “In 2016 Maine had a ‘universal background check’ referendum on the ballot, and despite the massive spending in support of the measure by anti-gun activists like Michael Bloomberg, voters down(ed) the proposed gun control law 48-52.”
Others also called out Newsom for his cynicism.
“Please stay the hell away from our state and stop politicizing the murder of our friends and neighbors for your political agendas,” state Sen. Eric Brakey said on X (formerly Twitter) in reply to Newsom.
On X, Orange County Councilwoman Kathy Tavoularis added, “Maine is governed by your party @GavinNewsom — as always your thought process is tired, wrong and dangerous.”
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