Gun Violence Victim Steve Scalise Says It’s Too ‘Early’ To Talk About Banning Bump Stocks

Even as leaders in both major parties call for a ban on bump stock devices in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, Republican Congressman Steve Scalise – himself a recent victim of gun violence – says it’s “a little bit early” to consider the move.

In an interview with Chuck Todd, Scalise accused gun safety advocates of wanting to “limit the rights of gun owners.”

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Scalise, who spent part of the interview in crutches as he continues to recover from being shot back in June, said this:

If you talked to anybody about a week ago, most people, including myself, didn’t even know what a bump stock was. So now we’re finding out about it. Again, there are people who want to rush to judgment. They’ve got a bill written already. Look, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi already said she wants it to be a slippery slope. She doesn’t want to stop at bump stocks. They want to go out and limit the rights of gun owners. So I do think it’s a little bit early for people to say they know what to do to fix this problem. I know there are people that are asking to ATF to go back and review their 2010 decision to authorize it and I think they should and they are.

It’s stunning that anybody would be against limiting a device that essentially transforms a firearm into an automatic weapon, but it’s dumbfounding that Scalise, who almost died in a shooting, is hesitant to support it.

Even the National Rifle Association – an organization that fought tirelessly to stop any measure to curb gun violence – expressed their support of regulating the device.

At the end of the day, despite the reluctance of Scalise to ban a device that helped the Vegas shooter mow down hundreds of concertgoers, legislation to prohibit bump stocks will probably have enough support to get through Congress.

But the American people shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that’s enough – that’s what the NRA and GOP want you to think. It’s not enough.

Taking away this dangerous accessory is a no-brainer, but much, much more needs to be done – and we shouldn’t stop pushing our members of Congress until they do it.

Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.