Mark Warner Talks ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban After VA Beach Handgun Attack

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) reacted to the Virginia Beach handgun attack by referencing his support for “assault weapon” restrictions during the June 2, 2019, airing of Face the Nation.

Warner sponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019, which he introduced on January 10, 2019. It was designed to “ban the sale, transfer, manufacture and importation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.”

Now, two days after a handgun attack in which 12 were killed, Warner is circling back to his proposed ban.

In wide-ranging commentary on possible gun controls that could be pursued post-Virginia Beach, Warner talked universal background checks and further restrictions on firearm suppressors. In between those topics he said, “I’ve felt like we ought to take steps against assault weapons.”

Ironically, Warner admitted that the universal background checks he espoused would not have prevented Virginia Beach attack, as the attacker passed background checks to acquire his guns.

Warner admitted “there may not any single [gun control] here” that would have made a difference, yet he urged his Senate colleagues to think of something they can do.

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. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.