Dem Rep Cohen: ‘There’s a Right to Keep and Bear Arms’ – Need Judges to Interpret 2A ‘the Way It Should Be’

On Wednesday’s edition of CNN’s “Wolf,” Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) responded to a question on whether he supports repealing the 2nd Amendment by stating that he doesn’t support repealing the 2nd Amendment, President Trump is correct about the law, there is a right to keep and bear arms, and individuals do have a right to protect their homes. He added that there are “reasonable restrictions” that can be placed on weapons like AR-15s and AK-47s, the Supreme Court said there could be restrictions in the “awful” Heller decision, and we need “better” justices to interpret the 2nd Amendment “the way it should be” and in a manner “that is in keeping with what the American people want.”

Cohen said, “We need better Supreme Court judges who can interpret the Second Amendment in a way that is in keeping with what the American people want. You know, I think that there’s a right to bear arms, of individuals to protect their homes, and I passed a right to carry bill when I was a state senator, because people ought to have a right to protect their home.”

Cohen continued, “But there are reasonable restrictions that can be placed on the purchase of weapons like AR-15s and AK-47s. And that’s been the case through history. Sawed-off shotguns were not allowed since 1938, and even in the Heller decision of 2008, which was awful, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court said that there could be restrictions.”

He concluded, “So, no, I think the Supreme Court needs better justices who interpret the Second Amendment in the way it should be interpreted, which is kind of what Justice Stevens says, it was for a well-regulated militia. But it won’t be repealed, and it’s a political issue. This is one place where President Trump is right about the law.”

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