Psaki Attempts Awkward Clean-Up of Biden’s False Claim that Gun Show Dealers Don’t Perform Background Checks
White House press secretary Jen Psaki attempted to explain a false claim by President Joe Biden that background checks are not required to purchase firearms at gun shows.
“You go to a gun show, you can buy whatever you want, and no background check,” Biden said on Thursday as part of an announcement that he would take new actions to regulate firearms. Background checks are in fact required by the licensed dealers who present at gun shows. Individual firearm owners are not required to do so, and often choose to find buyers for their unwanted inventory at gun shows — leading to the idea of a “loophole” at the events.
“Is there a special exemption in federal law that he was referring to?” a reporter asked Psaki at the daily White House press conference, shortly after Biden’s announcement.
“Are you asking me if he was referring to, like, a specific circumstance?” Psaki inquired.
Biden just lied about how background checks work. He said gun shows are exempt from background check requirements. That is completely false. All that matters in terms of background checks is whether you are buying from a licensed dealer or not.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) April 8, 2021
“Is it the president’s belief that you do not have to undergo a background check when you are at a gun show?” the reporter replied.
“No, it’s not his belief,” Psaki responded. “He believes that background checks should be universal.”
Watch above via C-SPAN.
