Assembly Republicans Highlight Democrats’ Gun Crime Hypocrisy

SACRAMENTO – Today, at the Capitol, steps from where Highway Patrol officers found a gunshot victim this morning, Assembly Republicans held a press conference highlighting Democrats’ hypocrisy on gun crime. While demonizing law-abiding gun owners, Democrats have repeatedly killed efforts to prevent gun crime by holding violent criminals accountable.

“Democrats talk a big game about firearm violence, but their actions to water down sentences for gun crime say they’re invested in protecting the status quo,” said Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City). “If they’re serious about protecting Californians, Democrats will back our efforts to get violent criminals off the streets.”

“There is a direct correlation between mass shootings and domestic violence, and yet our Legislature is still soft on crime when it comes to domestic violence,” said Assemblyman Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin). “More than two-thirds of mass shooters have a history of domestic violence. My bill, AB 229, would have tackled gun violence from a new angle by classifying domestic violence as a “violent” crime. It’s time the Legislature holds offenders of violent crimes accountable and stops releasing them early.”

“As a former prosecutor, I know we are not lacking gun laws on the books. We are lacking sufficient enforcement and deterrence to stop gun violence,” said Assemblyman Bill Essayli (R-Corona). “That’s why I have pushed to reinstate the firearm sentencing enhancement in California — if you hurt someone with a gun you should go to prison for a long time so you cannot hurt others.”

“Victims of violent crime are totally forgotten in the Legislature, while the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) provides that 3 out of 4 Californians find violence and street crime to be a problem,” said Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale). “We are failing to represent the public as we stumble to address the issues that matter to them. Partisan ideology and politics are frustrating our ability to access common sense and implement measures that deter violence.”

“Californians deserve better. We need to pass common sense solutions to reduce gun violence, and that includes holding people accountable for their crimes and rehabilitating them,” said Assemblywoman Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach). “AB 758 would have accomplished this, while addressing ghost guns, which criminals rely on to be untraceable.”

“It’s time Sacramento politicians take violent crime seriously,” said Assemblyman Tri Ta (R-Westminster). “Our communities are suffering under conditions that are more favorable to perpetrators than they are to victims. Now, with a shooting victim literally coming up right on our doorstep, the message couldn’t be clearer: enough is enough.”

Common-sense proposals killed by Assembly Democrats this year include: 

• AB 27 (Ta) to allow judges to impose sentencing enhancements for gun crimes; 
• AB 229 (Joe Patterson) to make felony domestic violence, which has been statistically linked to mass shootings, a “violent crime,” making those charges ineligible for early release; 
• AB 328 (Essayli) to restore “10-20-Life” enhancements for violent gun crimes; 
• AB 758 (Dixon) to add a sentencing enhancement for committing a crime using a “ghost gun;”
• Amendments to AB 1310 (Essayli) to reinstate enhancements for using a gun to commit a violent crime

Video from the press conference is available HERE.

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