Tag Archives: gun control

Guns Acquired Without Background Checks

After the December mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., several Democrats advocating for stricter gun-control laws — including a law requiring universal background checks for gun purchases — took to using this talking point to support their case. …
More >>

Posted in Party Lines, The FactCheck Wire | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Did Obama Flip-Flop on Gun Control?

Wayne LaPierre, chief executive officer of the National Rifle Association, incorrectly claimed Obama pulled a bait-and-switch, promising during the campaign not to take away anyone’s guns, but now supporting an assault weapons ban. Obama is not now seeking to take away anyone’s existing guns, and he has for years consistently …
More >>

Posted in The FactCheck Wire | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Did the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban Work?

Both sides in the gun debate are misusing academic reports on the impact of the 1994 assault weapons ban, cherry-picking portions out of context to suit their arguments. Wayne LaPierre, chief executive officer of the National Rifle Association, told a Senate committee that the “ban had no impact on lowering …
More >>

Posted in The FactCheck Wire | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

NRA Misfires on Federal Gun Registry

The head of the National Rifle Association misfires when he claims the president’s proposal to require background checks for all gun sales will result in a “massive federal registry” of firearms. Current law bars federal agencies from retaining records on those who pass background checks, and nothing in the president’s …
More >>

Posted in The FactCheck Wire | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

FactChecking GOP Response to Obama Gun Plan

Republican response to President Barack Obama’s plan to reduce gun violence has been peppered with misleading claims. Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas claimed, “Gun bans and anti-gun laws have always led to one thing — more gun violence.” But the majority of academic research on the effect of the federal …
More >>

Posted in The FactCheck Wire | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Anti-NRA Group’s Shameless Editing Tricks

A Web video attacking Rep. John Barrow for taking “NRA blood money” selectively edits an old campaign ad in which Barrow touts his support for the Second Amendment and the NRA’s endorsement of him. The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, which produced the video, edited out all references in which …
More >>

Posted in The FactCheck Wire | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

Gunman’s Weapons Already Illegal?

Arguing against the need for new gun laws in the wake of the Aurora shootings, Mitt Romney said many of the weapons possessed by shooter James Holmes were “illegal … already.” While it’s true that the bombs found later at Holmes’ apartment were illegal, that’s not the case for the …
More >>

Posted in The FactCheck Wire | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Sotomayor and Handguns

Q: Has Sotomayor written that states have the power to ban handguns? A: A three-judge panel that included Sotomayor issued an unsigned decision saying that the Second Amendment does not apply to states, therefore states can regulate and ban weapons.

Posted in Ask FactCheck | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Gun Control in Australia

Q: Did gun control in Australia lead to more murders there last year? A: This ‘Gun History Lesson’ is recycled bunk from a decade ago. Murders in Australia actually are down to record lows.

Posted in Ask FactCheck | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Gun Control

Q: Is Congress going to require a federal license to own a handgun? A: A Chicago congressman’s bill, H.R. 45, would require that, but it has little support. The same bill died quietly in a House subcommittee last year.

Posted in Ask FactCheck | Tagged , , | Comments Off