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| Obama moves on gun control action after meeting with attorney general | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Previewing a series of executive actions that are expected to centre around closing loopholes in the current system of background checks, Barack Obama promised that sweeping new gun control measures would save lives and spare families from mass shootings. | Previewing a series of executive actions that are expected to centre around closing loopholes in the current system of background checks, Barack Obama promised that sweeping new gun control measures would save lives and spare families from mass shootings. |
| “We have to be very clear that this is not going to solve every violent crime in this country or prevent every mass shooting and is not going to keep every gun out of the hand of a criminal,” Obama said after a meeting with attorney general Loretta Lynch to review her recommendations. “It will potentially save lives and spare families the pain and the extraordinary loss that they have suffered as a consequence of firearms getting into the hand of the wrong people,” he added. | “We have to be very clear that this is not going to solve every violent crime in this country or prevent every mass shooting and is not going to keep every gun out of the hand of a criminal,” Obama said after a meeting with attorney general Loretta Lynch to review her recommendations. “It will potentially save lives and spare families the pain and the extraordinary loss that they have suffered as a consequence of firearms getting into the hand of the wrong people,” he added. |
| Those close to White House thinking on the new policy say it will focus on tightening the definition of those “engaged in the business” of selling weapons, to ensure online vendors and gun shows that sell hundreds of thousands of weapons a year are no longer exempt from conducting background checks for gun purchasers. | |
| Related: 'Obama, come and take it': gun show business booms amid fear of regulation | Related: 'Obama, come and take it': gun show business booms amid fear of regulation |
| Jonas Oransky, the lawyer for Everytown for Gun Safety, said the organization hopes that clarifying the definition of who is engaged in the business of dealing in firearms “will be the centrepiece of the executive action, among other actions”. | |
| “This is the biggest ticket item,” he said. | |
| Republicans have promised to fight such measures in the courts, a process that could take up much of the remaining year that Obama has in office. | Republicans have promised to fight such measures in the courts, a process that could take up much of the remaining year that Obama has in office. |
| “While we don’t yet know the details of the plan, the president is at minimum subverting the legislative branch, and potentially overturning its will,” said House speaker Paul Ryan in a statement. | “While we don’t yet know the details of the plan, the president is at minimum subverting the legislative branch, and potentially overturning its will,” said House speaker Paul Ryan in a statement. |
| “His proposals to restrict gun rights were debated by the United States Senate, and they were rejected. No president should be able to reverse legislative failure by executive fiat, not even incrementally ... This is a dangerous level of executive overreach, and the country will not stand for it.” | “His proposals to restrict gun rights were debated by the United States Senate, and they were rejected. No president should be able to reverse legislative failure by executive fiat, not even incrementally ... This is a dangerous level of executive overreach, and the country will not stand for it.” |
| White House spokesman Josh Earnest confirmed on Monday that the president had made up his mind to take the actions, but insisted the measures – expected to be unveiled as soon as Tuesday – would withstand legal challenge. | White House spokesman Josh Earnest confirmed on Monday that the president had made up his mind to take the actions, but insisted the measures – expected to be unveiled as soon as Tuesday – would withstand legal challenge. |
| “I feel confident in telling you now that what the president does announce will be the kinds of actions in which we have confidence that they are within the legal ability of the United States to carry out these actions,” he told reporters. | “I feel confident in telling you now that what the president does announce will be the kinds of actions in which we have confidence that they are within the legal ability of the United States to carry out these actions,” he told reporters. |
| “There are more than 30,000 Americans who die every year as a result of a gun. And we’re not going to be able to pass a law or take an executive action that would prevent every single incident of gun violence, but if there’s something that we can do that would prevent even one, why wouldn’t we do it?” added Earnest. | “There are more than 30,000 Americans who die every year as a result of a gun. And we’re not going to be able to pass a law or take an executive action that would prevent every single incident of gun violence, but if there’s something that we can do that would prevent even one, why wouldn’t we do it?” added Earnest. |
| Campaigners who have helped draft a wishlist of up to 17 different executive actions also insisted that the flagship proposal of closing background check loopholes was within the remit of the president. | Campaigners who have helped draft a wishlist of up to 17 different executive actions also insisted that the flagship proposal of closing background check loopholes was within the remit of the president. |
| “We have no concerns whatsoever about the legality of action in this area,” added Oransky. “We think it is squarely within the power of the administration to clarify a statutory definition that is vague. This is exactly the kind of thing that the White House and DOJ are supposed to do.” | “We have no concerns whatsoever about the legality of action in this area,” added Oransky. “We think it is squarely within the power of the administration to clarify a statutory definition that is vague. This is exactly the kind of thing that the White House and DOJ are supposed to do.” |
| Officials hope that clarifying the so-called “engaged in the business” language in existing background check legislation will go a long way to prevent criminals and mentally ill people from buying guns through sellers who exploit a current loophole designed only for hobbyists and personal sales. | |
| “Although it is my strong belief that for us to get our complete arm around the issues, Congress needs to act, what I asked my team to do is to see what more we could do to strengthen our enforcement and prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands,” said Obama. “To make sure that criminals, people who are mentally unstable, those who could pose a danger to themselves or others are less likely to be able to get a gun.” | “Although it is my strong belief that for us to get our complete arm around the issues, Congress needs to act, what I asked my team to do is to see what more we could do to strengthen our enforcement and prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands,” said Obama. “To make sure that criminals, people who are mentally unstable, those who could pose a danger to themselves or others are less likely to be able to get a gun.” |
| The president said the measures, which may also involve attempts to arrest those who lie about failing a background check when trying to buy weapons, would have the support of the majority of law-abiding gun owners. | |
| “I have just received back a report from attorney Lynch [and others] about some of the ideas and initiatives that they claim will make a difference,” he said. “The good news is that these are not only recommendations that are well within my legal authority and executive branch, but they are also ones that the overwhelming majority of American people – including gun owners – support. | |
| “We have been very careful in recognising that we have strong tradition of gun ownership in this country and that even those who possess firearms for hunting, for self-protection and other legitimate reasons, want to make sure that they don’t get into the wrong hands,” added Obama. |