During an April 9, 2023, interview on MSNBC’s Inside with Jen Psaki, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) demonstrated that he thinks Florida’s newly signed constitutional carry law allows people to carry “weapons of war.”
Psaki pointed out that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed constitutional carry on a day when multitudes of protesters were converging on the Tennessee Capitol to demand more gun control.
She asked Newsom to comment on the contrast between the gun controllers’ demands and DeSantis quietly sitting in an office in Florida signing a bill to eliminate the need for Florida residents to get a concealed carry permit.
Newsom suggested DeSantis signed the bill in an office because “he was scared” of the people of Florida, whom Newsom claimed, “overwhelmingly opposed” constitutional carry.
He said, “I think the majority of NRA members probably opposed that position.”
Newsom did not mention that the constitutional carry legislation was backed by the NRA.
Then Newsom talked about constitutional carry in general, saying, “No background checks? None, really? No training? I mean, why would we do that with weapons of war.”
Constitutional carry applies to handguns; concealable handguns, not guns that Democrats label label “assault weapons” and/or “weapons of war.” Moreover, federal law requires an FBI background check to be performed when a new or used handgun is purchased at retail, and Florida’s constitutional carry law does not change that.
Related: Newsom: DeSantis ‘Scared to Death’ of Public Because FL Gun Law ‘Extreme in the Extreme’
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. AWR Hawkins holds a Ph.D. in Military History, with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.