NRA Hits Back Hard At Newsom's Proposal for 28th Constitutional Amendment for Gun Control

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has come back swinging against California Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal to create a 28th Amendment for escalating gun control.

In a bold move that has raised eyebrows across conservative circles, Newsom, a progressive Democrat, voiced his vision for a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

On Thursday, he claimed this amendment would “enshrine fundamental, broadly supported gun safety measures into law.” The NRA was swift and resolute in their response.

The NRA rebuked Newsom’s plan in no uncertain terms, stating, “Newsom’s latest publicly stunt once again shows that his unhinged contempt for the right to self-defense has no bounds.”

The organization went on to argue that “California is a beacon for violence because of Newsom’s embrace of policies that champion the criminal and penalize the law-abiding. That is why the majority of Americans rightfully reject his California-style gun control.”

🚨@GavinNewsom‘s latest publicly stunt once again shows that his unhinged contempt for the right to self-defense has no bounds.

California is a beacon for violence because of Newsom’s embrace of policies that champion the criminal and penalize the law-abiding. That is why the… pic.twitter.com/3OUcDINMl7

— NRA (@NRA) June 8, 2023

While announcing the amendment, Newsom’s office sought to assure the public that Second Amendment rights would remain “unchanged,” and that they would regulate weapons while “respecting America’s gun-owning tradition.”

Do you think Newsom's 28th Amendment has a chance of coming to fruition?

Newsom’s office insisted that “[T]he Governor’s proposal guarantees common sense constitutional protections and gun safety measures that Democrats, Republicans, independent voters, and gun owners overwhelmingly support — including universal background checks, raising the firearm purchase age to 21, instituting a firearm purchase waiting period, and barring the civilian purchase of assault weapons.”

In his statement, Newsom argued, “Our ability to make a more perfect union is literally written into the Constitution. So today, I’m proposing the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution to do just that.”

“The 28th Amendment will enshrine in the Constitution common sense gun safety measures that Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and gun owners overwhelmingly support — while leaving the 2nd Amendment unchanged and respecting America’s gun-owning tradition,” he continued.

The proposed amendment would significantly alter federal gun laws, raising the minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, mandating universal background checks, instituting a waiting period for all gun purchases, and barring “civilian purchase of assault weapons that serve no other purpose than to kill as many people as possible in a short amount of time — weapons of war our nation’s founders never foresaw,” according to Newsom’s office.

NEW: I’m proposing the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution to help end our nation’s gun violence crisis.

The American people are sick of Congress’ inaction.

The 28th will enshrine 4 widely supported gun safety freedoms — while leaving the 2nd Amendment intact:

1)… pic.twitter.com/ZJ7fyfH0Cf

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 8, 2023

The process of amending the Constitution involves an Article V Convention or amendatory convention, wherein two-thirds of the states propose the amendment. Subsequently, three-quarters of state legislatures or conventions in each state must ratify the amendment.

Newsom proclaimed California will spearhead this movement, with a joint resolution initiated by California State Senator Aisha Wahab and Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer.

He has vowed to join forces with grassroots supporters, elected and civic leaders, and broad and diverse coalitions across the country to push for the adoption of similar resolutions in other state legislatures, a move he believes will ensure the “convening of a constitutional convention limited to this subject.”

Beyond California, to convene such a convention, 33 other states would need to participate, a tall order.

The U.S. Constitution ensures Americans the right to bear arms. The majority of citizens resolutely defend the traditional interpretation of the Second Amendment. Newsom may be able to get draconian gun control laws in California, but finding 33 states to amend the Constitution on this issue is not likely.

Recently Posted