Pat DollardDANBURY, Conn. (CBSNewYork) — Vice President Joe Biden joined Conn. Gov. Dannel Malloy, other lawmakers and the parents of a young girl killed in the Sandy Hook massacre at a conference on gun violence Thursday.
The conference was held a few miles from the scene of last year’s Newtown school shootings.
Biden is trying to rally support for the administration’s proposals to curb gun violence, saying there will be a moral price to pay for inaction. He said America has changed its views of gun control since the Dec. 14 massacre of 26 people inside Sandy Hook Elementary School.
“Common sense facts are these assault weapons are unnecessary and dangerous weapons that put our law enforcement personnel at risk,” Biden said. “You guys know a lot of departments around the country. I’ve been working with the police agencies for 35 years. I am going to say something outrageous: You’ve had no better friend over the last 35 years than me.
“We have to speak for all those voices, speak for those 20 beautiful children, who died 69 days ago, 12 miles from here,” the vice president added to applause.
Other speakers, including the parents of a 7-year-old girl killed at Sandy Hook, urged Congress to honor the memories of the victims with strong action.
Chris and Lynn McDonnell, whose daughter, Grace, was among the first graders and educators killed in December, spoke Thursday at a gun violence conference in Danbury.
“We ask our representatives to look into their hearts and remember the 26 beautiful lives we lost and pass meaningful laws to help prevent this from happening again,” Lynn McDonnell said, sparking a standing ovation.
Chris McDonnell said he hoped the moral responsibility of gun owners would be discussed.
Meanwhile, Gov. Malloy announced he wants to immediately ban high-capacity ammunition magazines, require background checks for the transfer of firearms and expand the state’s assault weapons ban.
“We have changed and I believe it is now time for our laws to do the same,” Malloy said.
The mayor of Danbury, a rare Republican in this sea of Democrats, told CBS 2?s Lou Young he’ll support some proposals, but not all of them.
“This is an incremental change,” Mark Boughton said. “This isn’t something that’s going to happen in three months, six months or a year.”
While Connecticut is working to tighten its own gun laws, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy noted that it won’t be very effective if residents can simply cross the border into a neighboring state to buy a banned weapon.
“So we need a strong federal law that imposes universal background checks, criminal background checks, when everybody buys a gun and starts to get some of these very dangerous guns and ammunition off the street,” Murphy told WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau.
LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE
Sorry for those who truly lost lives. There is too much evidence that the tragic incidents were all staged. Therefore, all the stagers and phony actors
should be publicly exposed and punished.
Shall not be infringed
Maybe JB needs to have a refresher course in english and history
With friends like Biden, gun owners don’t need enemies. Why does anyone listen to this idiot anyway?
This man has lost his mind. Unfit for office, making America look ridiculous, but what else is new?
Said JUDAS ISCARIOT as he leaned over to kiss Jesus Christ in the garden.
Biden thinks Obama is on the right track, The friend of my enemy, is my enemy. I believe Joe is sincere but that makes him an idiot.
BIDEN? SINCERE???
THE MAN IS CFR!!!
In a way yes,
Everytime this idiot opens his mouth and represents this administration it’s like a gift to us.
“Don’t buy an AR buy a double barrel!”, “Fire that thing off into the air!”
Thank you biden you really are the most useful idiot in this administration.
Ohhhh ya, our good old buddy Joe! The same Joe Biden that said the U.S. gubberment did nothing wrong at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, TX when all those women and children were murdered by the BATF goons. Nice going Joe.