Biden’s HHS Pick Thinks AR-15s Are ‘Not In Common Use For Self Defense’

[Elderberry]

Daily Caller by Jake Dima 12/7/2020

•   California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Biden’s pick for the Department of Health and Human Services, said AR-15s are “not in common use for lawful purposes like self-defense” in a 2019 court case.

•   The AG also cited the Brady Center To Prevent Gun Violence, which stated that “[‘assault weapons’] have no legitimate civilian purpose.”

•   Becerra sued the Trump administration in late September to compel the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to rethink its definition of firearm and ban so-called “ghost guns.”

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, said AR-15s are akin to military-grade weapons and not useful for self defense in a 2019 court filing.

The AG’s statements were included in a court case that challenged California’s gun ban titled Rupp v. Becerra, in which multiple state residents sued government officials to overturn the prohibition of certain semi-automatic firearms. Becerra, an advocate for the Affordable Care Act, was announced as Biden’s pick to lead HHS Sunday, according to the New York Times.
“Assault rifles may be banned because they are, like the M-16, ‘weapons that are most useful in military service’’; and ‘they are also not ‘in common use’ for lawful purposes like self-defense,'” Becerra wrote in defense of California’s weapon ban.

More: https://dailycaller.com/2020/12/07/biden-hhs-pick-xavier-becerra-ar15-not-common-self-defense-ban/

[Elderberry]

Here Are 7 Animals Hunters Kill Using an AR-15

Time by Will Drabold July 6, 2016

https://time.com/4390506/gun-control-ar-15-semiautomatic-rifles/

After the Orlando nightclub shooting, Democrats criticized the routine sale of the type of semiautomatic rifle used by Omar Mateen. Hillary Clinton called them “weapons of war.” Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said that if you used a gun like the AR-15 — or the similar Sig Sauer used in Orlando — to go hunting “you should stick to fishing.”

But many gun owners say they use semiautomatic rifles to hunt regularly.

In interviews with TIME, leaders of 15 state shooting groups said semiautomatic rifles are popular with hunters in their states. Hunters say they favor the gun for its versatility, accuracy and customizable features for shooting animals. The semiautomatic feature, which allows these guns to shoot up to 45 rounds a minute, is not always necessary, but useful in some situations, hunters say.

“It’s the most capable tool for the job at this time,” said Eric Mayer, who runs AR15hunter.com. “Bar none. Period. It is.”

Despite the criticism of semiautomatic rifles and their use in high profile mass shootings, gun control advocates say they are not focused on banning them, as they were during the 1994-2004 assault weapons ban. Stacey Radnor, spokeswoman for Everytown for Gun Safety, said that they are more focused on strengthening background checks and closing loopholes on sales than on banning specific guns.

TIME spoke with seven hunters who use semiautomatic guns like the AR-15.

More at link.

[txradioguy]

Assault rifles may be banned because they are, like the M-16, ‘weapons that are most useful in military service’’

AR-15's are not "assault rifles" and they are not like the M-16.

These people...I just have run out of words for their deepening levels of stupidity.

I'm glad I've got my lever gun.  Probably won't be the last one now that I've found one that shoots 5.56.

[Fishrrman]

tx wrote:
"These people...I just have run out of words for their deepening levels of stupidity."

You'd better wake up, and do it fast.
"These people" are far from "stupid".
They know exactly what they're doing, and where they "want to go"...

[Smokin Joe]

Well, come and try to take it, then. (X millions).

[verga]

My (sadly) formerly Conservative niece was trying to explain to me how "common sense" gun laws were a necessity to protect people. I then went to explain to her that everything she was "common sense" was really racist, sexist, and agist. Kind of blew her mind. I don't think it changed it, but it made her think.