U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Dist. 8) told reporters during County Executive Marc Elrich’s weekly virtual press briefing Wednesday that he is concerned about the state of gun violence in the country following the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump and that he wants Congress to do more to protect Americans and prevent shootings.
“Twenty-year-olds should not be able to access AR-15s and show up anywhere, whether it is a presidential campaign rally or a movie theater, or a church or a synagogue or a mosque or a Walmart or a supermarket,” said Raskin, who lives in Takoma Park. Elrich brought Raskin onto the press briefing to discuss the topic of gun violence.
Raskin said while Trump was able to receive security protection from the Secret Service, ordinary citizens do not receive that advantage.
“What about the rest of us? What about all the other hundreds and thousands of people who are affected by mass shootings every year and what about the tens of thousands of people who are affected by gun violence every year?” he said.
Raskin said he supports efforts to close the “gun show loophole,” which refers to how private firearms sellers are not required to conduct federal background checks before selling a weapon to a buyer. He wants to push for universal background checks in the next congressional session, and said “we have got to deal” with access to AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles.
“The public generally has to tolerate the possibility of AR-15 attacks, and we have to put up special protection for people running for president, but why should anybody have to put up with that?” Raskin said. “Why do we have to live with attacks like at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, or the attacks in Las Vegas?”
Raskin said he is not opposed to civilians having access to rifles for hunting and recreation or self-defense, but that “there is no coherent argument” for the average citizen owning “weapons of war,” in reference to AR-15-style and other semi-automatic rifles.
Proud of Montgomery County and state firearms regulations, he said he’s concerned they are not enough and referenced his involvement in passing the Maryland Firearms Control Act of 2013, which banned the sale of certain semi-automatic firearms that are defined as assault weapons in Maryland, alongside other firearms restrictions.
“The problem, of course, is that you can’t really have gun safety in one state. … We’re surrounded by states like Virginia, [New] Jersey, Delaware, where it’s very easy to acquire firearms,” Raskin said. “We’ve had some minor successes, but it’s just an uncivilized way we’re living.”
Elrich shared his own concerns, saying he would encourage a ban on ghost guns, which are privately manufactured weapons that are assembled from homemade firearms kits.
“It’s not rocket science to put the pieces together, no special devices needed, and those aren’t regulated and are not treated as guns,” Elrich said. “It’s bizarre to me that you can buy a gun … and you’re not subject to anything.”
Raskin also spoke about President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race for the Nov. 5 general election and his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination. Raskin had encouraged Biden to consider taking himself out of contention, and was quick to endorse Harris.
“[Biden] made truly a heroic and patriotic decision, demonstrating to the country what it means to put country above self, and the consequences have been magnificent. It’s just been politically explosive. It’s just been an electrifying thing,” he said.
Raskin also encouraged county residents to vote in November. He said he was disturbed by a recent speech given by Trump in which the former president said voters would not have to vote again if they elect him.
“People should not be talking about the end of democracy,” Raskin said. “That’s just dangerous rhetoric. And the anti-democratic rhetoric goes hand in hand with the rhetoric of political violence.”