Revolt TV interviewed former U.S. Attorney, former Massachusetts governor and current Libertarian vice presidential candidate William Weld. Chief Political Correspondent Amrit Singh asked Weld about his views on guns. Specifically, whether or not people on the government’s secret, unaccountable Terrorist Watch List should be able to purchase “assault rifles.”
William Weld:
“The five shot rifle, that’s a standard military rifle; the problem is if you attach a clip to it so it can fire more shells and if you remove the pin so that it becomes an automatic weapon, and those are independent criminal offenses. That is when they become, essentially a weapon of mass destruction. The problem with handguns probably is even worse than the problem of the AR15.”
Amrit Singh:
“What can you do to help control this flow of guns, if anything?”
William Weld:
“You shouldn’t have anybody who is on the terrorist watch list buy any gun at all.”
As governor of Massachusetts when the gun control laws mentioned were implemented, Mr. Weld should know that MA doesn’t ban “clips.” It bans ammunition magazines — commonly called “magazines.”
Mr. Weld should know that Massachusetts’ magazine capacity law contains no provision regarding a magazine’s insertion into a rifle. Simple possession is illegal.
Mr. Weld should know the Bay State’s magazine capacity law prohibits possession [of post-1994 magazines] with a capacity of over 10 rounds, not five. (The law restricts shotguns with tube mags to five rounds of internal ammunition).
Weld also opined extensively on the recent police shooting of Philando Castile in Minnesota. He was certain that the police officer had committed a criminal offense and that the officer would be going to jail. He misquotes what Castile’s girlfreind said on video; then he claims that it was Philando himself who said it.
Weld: Having said “I have a license to carry, you do not mind if I reach for it, do you?”
As an attorney, Mr. Weld seems to have little regard for the rule of law, due process and the concept of “innocent until proven guilty.”
Traditionally, Libertarians have been the party voicing the strongest support for Second Amendment-protected gun rights, and upholding the rule of law as defined by the Constitution. Not this time.
©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
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