Gov. Phil Murphy was joined this morning by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin to announce yet another assault on New Jersey gun owners. Having barely survived in deep Blue New Jersey, the Governor is reverting back to an old playbook to divert attention from the real issues that have voters in the Garden State so angry in the first place. Rather than tackle real problems like that state's highest-in-the-country property taxes, Murphy is looking to change the subject. This morning's media spectacle was simply a retread of an event he held last spring.
The state’s two most powerful gun grabbers broadly defined their package of bills which includes:
- Banning .50 Caliber Firearms (S.103/A.1280).
- Gun registration for residents moving into New Jersey (A.3686/S.372)
- Ammunition Registration (A.1292/S.1481)
- Microstamping (S.112/A.1098)
Other issues were discussed and included regulating school shooting drills, gun manufacturer liability and mandatory training to simply own a firearm (renewable every four years).
Incredibly, the Governor touted New Jersey’s tough, existing gun laws. In the same breath, he stated that there have been 782 shootings, 1004 victims and 180 fatalities since April 15. This is the Governor’s definition of success, calling the state a “leader” in gun safety! While the state’s gun control laws are some of the toughest in the country, they have been an utter disaster and his own numbers reveal that. However, that did not dissuade him from calling for more of the same. This probably explains why he narrowly won re-election despite his party having a one million voter registration advantage. The Speaker is looking for his own diversion to distract from presiding over historic losses for his caucus. Today, these tone-deaf politicians doubled down on failure. History has proven that New Jersey gun laws which only target law-abiding gun owners and do nothing to crack down on criminals mean that the streets of Camden, Trenton, Newark and Paterson will be just as dangerous tomorrow as they were yesterday. This is nothing more than rhetoric designed to be a diversion from failed leadership.
Committee hearings have not been scheduled on this legislative package; however, the Speaker has agreed to push the Governor’s agenda during the “lame duck” session which will take place this month. These bills could be scheduled at any time. It is important that you take action today!
Please contact your Assembly members, and respectfully request that they oppose all of these measures and any new gun control. November demonstrated that participation matters! We need EVERY NRA member to make their voice heard today.
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