LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Jim Runestad on Thursday issued the following statement after voting against a series bills passed by Senate Democrats aimed at restricting gun rights:
“Just because something is good for publicity, doesn’t mean it’s good policy. In the Democrats’ effort to capitalize on public tragedy in order to ‘do something,’ they have pushed to enshrine the manifesto of far-left anti-gun radicals into Michigan law. Their ‘something’ is an attack on the freedoms and liberties of law-abiding citizens.
“The bills passed today include Extreme Risk Protection Orders, so-called red flag laws, that disregard a person’s rights to due process and legal representation. They prescribe storage mandates that prevent a person from readily accessing a firearm for self-defense.
“The proponents of these bills will tell you they ‘don’t want to take your guns.’ And that’s true; they don’t. They just don’t want you to be able to have them in the first place. I am proud to have stood up to these radicals by voting ‘no’ on their dastardly scheme. I will continue to fight against any agenda that seeks to deny the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms, the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of due process, or any other liberty protected by the Constitution.
“Instead of attacking the rights of law-abiding citizens, we should be tough on crime and work to ensure our prosecutors hold criminals accountable. We need to start unpacking the complex issues surrounding the mental health crisis that is plaguing our communities and help provide schools with the funding and resources they need to enhance campus security.
“There are many ways we can do more to protect public safety without diminishing public freedom.”
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