Candy Crowley Grills NRA Program Director On Gun Control: Taking ‘Guns Out Of The Debate Is Naive’
Candy Crowley confronted NRA Program Director and former Congressman Asa Hutchinson Sunday about the gun lobby’s stance on gun control. Crowley repeatedly pressed the politician on whether the NRA would oppose any and all gun control measures and was continually deflected. “To take guns out of the debate is naive,” Crowly said. Hutchinson disagreed and focused instead on “school safety.”
Hutchinson was recently tapped to lead the NRA’s “National School Shield Program,” an effort to place armed guards in schools across the country. Although Crowley pushed him to uncover the official views of the NRA, Hutchinson claimed he was an “independent consultant” and was not employed by the gun lobby group.
Crowley asked him, “Will the NRA oppose any attempt to put new gun laws in place?” Hutchinson answered, “That’s a separate debate.” He then went on to describe his new program for school safety. He said, in his view, the debate “shouldn’t be on new legislation,” but should be on “what do we need to do to protect our children” and “school safety.”
Crowley brought up several possible legislative measures, including a ban on assault weapons, limited clips and closing the gun show loopholes. She asked, “Are any of those acceptable to the NRA?” Hutchinson responded that he didn’t “speak for the NRA,” but again reiterated his view that gun legislation “is the wrong part of the debate.”
Later, Hutchinson again underscored his belief that he gun legislation “is not the solution.”
Watch the full clip below, via CNN:
