Despite the objections of law enforcement officials, students, and parents, South Carolina Republicans in the state senate advanced legislation that could make it easier for criminals to carry a gun and do away with critical training requirements.
“South Carolinians deserve to know who the field of extreme MAGA candidates vying for the presidency are going to side with – law enforcement officials, students, and families who agree that this bill could be dangerous for their communities and make police officers’ jobs harder, or the MAGA South Carolina Republicans and NRA lobbyists who don’t care to keep their communities safe.” said South Carolina Democratic Party spokesperson Alyssa Bradley.
As a reminder, the field of 2024 MAGA Republican presidential hopefuls have a long track record of putting the gun lobby ahead of public safety:
- After the recent devastating school shooting in Nashville, Nikki Haley didn’t hesitate before letting a crowd in New Hampshire know she would not consider gun safety legislation as president. This is no surprise from Haley, who is a strong supporter of open-carry and signed extreme legislation as governor to allow guns in bars and restaurants.
- Tim Scott has voted against bills that could reduce gun violence like the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and a bill that would prohibit the sale of dangerous assault weapons.
- Former governor of Arkansas Asa Hutchinson signed a bill to bar state and local police officers from enforcing new and future federal gun safety regulations like a ban on assault weapons.
- Donald Trump wanted to make permitless carry legal in all fifty states and in the wake of several school shootings during his presidency he continued to “reject” calls for gun safety legislation.
- As the NRA executive director made clear, Mike Pence believes gun safety laws aren’t an option – even after seeing multiple mass shootings shake the country while he was Vice President.
- Days after the Nashville shooting, Ron Desantis signed similar permitless carry legislation behind closed doors with just the NRA at his side despite pleas from some law enforcement officials who advocated against it.
