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Sen. Murphy, Rep. Esty Denounce Remarks By Sanders on Liability for Gun Violence

Gage Skidmore
/
Creative Commons
Bernie Sanders during his presidential campaign.

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders is attracting criticism from members of Connecticut's congressional delegation after comments he made about shielding the gun industry from legal liability. 

The remarks were made late last week, when Sanders met with the editorial board of The New York Daily News. Toward the end of the interview, Sanders was asked whether victims of gun crime should be able to sue the gun manufacturer.

"Do I think the victims of a crime with a gun should be able to sue the manufacturer? Is that your question?" Sanders asked. After he was told yes, he said, "No, I don't."

Sanders went on to say that gun manufacturers should be sued if they know the guns are "going into the hands of the wrong people," but gun control advocates pounced on Sanders's first remark.

During a conference call organized by Hillary for America, Connecticut Senator and Hillary Clinton supporter Chris Murphy called Sanders's comment "disturbing."

"Senator Sanders continued focus on the shielding the firearm industry from responsibility for the gun violence epidemic is hard to understand," said Murphy. "And from our position in Connecticut, we cannot support a candidate for president who's willing to waver on the fight against the gun lobby."

Connecticut congresswoman Elizabeth Esty said the gun issue is personal for her and her district, which includes Newtown.

Several of the Sandy Hook families are trying to sue the maker of the AR-15 Bushmaster rifle, the military-style weapon used in the Sandy Hook massacre. They are basing the lawsuit on an exception written into the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, or PLCAA, a 2005 law that gives gun manufacturers immunity from most lawsuits.

Bernie Sanders was among the lawmakers who voted for PLCAA, but recently said he would sign on to a bill to repeal it.

Ray Hardman is Connecticut Public’s Arts and Culture Reporter. He is the host of CPTV’s Emmy-nominated original series Where Art Thou? Listeners to Connecticut Public Radio may know Ray as the local voice of Morning Edition, and later of All Things Considered.

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