Watch: Hillary Refuses Say Right to Bear Arms Is a ‘Constitutional Right’

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Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton refused to say conclusively the Second Amendment is a constitutional right and that it “is subject to reasonable regulations.”

Partial transcript as follows:

STEPHANOPOULOS:  Let’s talk about the Second Amendment. As you know Donald Trump has been out on the stump talking about the Second Amendment saying you want ti abolish the Second Amendment. I know you reject that but a specific question, do you believe an individual’s right to bear arms is a Constitutional right, that it’s not linked to service in a militia?

CLINTON: I think that for most of our history there was a nuanced reading of the Second Amendment until the decision by the late Justice Scalia and there was no argument until then that localities and states and the federal government had a right as we do with every Amendment to impose reasonable regulations. So I believe we can have commonsense gun safety measures consistent with the Second Amendment. And, in fact, what I have proposed is supported by 90% of the American people and more than 75% of responsible gun owners. So that is exactly what I think is Constitutionally permissible. And once again, you have Donald Trump just making outright fabrications accusing me of something that is absolutely untrue. But I’m going to continue to speak out for comprehensive background check, closing the gun show loophole, closing the online loophole, closing the so-called Charleston loophole, reversing the bill that Senator Sanders voted for and I voted against giving immunity from liability to gun makers and sellers. I think all of that can and should be done and it is in my view consistent with the Constitution.

STEPHANOPOULOS:  And the Heller decision also says there can be some restricts but that’s not what I asked. Do you believe their conclusion an individual’s right to bear arms is a Constitutional right?

CLINTON: If it is a Constitutional right, then it like every other Constitutional right is subject to reasonable regulations. And what people have done with that decision is to take it as far as they possibly can and reject what has been our history from the very beginning of the republic where some of the earliest laws were about firearms. So I think it’s important to recognize that reasonable people can say as i do responsible gun owners have a right — I have no objection to that — but the rest of the American public has a right to require certain kinds of regulatory, responsible actions to protect everyone else.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN

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