Brown calls for stronger gun laws in wake of San Bernardino attack

Dec. 7, 2015 6:55 AM PT

Reporting from Le Bourget, France — In the wake of the San Bernardino shootings, Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday called for stronger federal gun laws, rebutted Republican criticism of President Obama and urged vigilance against potential terrorist activity.

“Ideas are being generated around the world that are coming back, a blowback that’s hitting Europe, it’s hit Turkey ... and now it’s hit California,” Brown said in a CNN interview.

NEWSLETTER: Essential Politics in your inbox each day >>

Speaking from the convention center outside Paris where he’s attending a United Nations summit on climate change, Brown accused some politicians of “demonizing, exploiting” the terrorism issue, mentioning Republican candidate Donald Trump as one who takes it “to a rather extreme level.”

But he added, “That doesn’t mean we don’t have to be pretty intensive in our effort to ferret out these people who are developing these attitudes that then turn into mass slaughter. I don’t have the full answer, but I wouldn’t be too complacent that we’ve got it right yet.”

Brown said the federal government should ban gun purchases by people on the no-fly list, and he called for stronger national gun laws.

Congress, he said, should “get off their partisan seat and do something to protect the American people.”

Obama spoke about terrorism from the Oval Office on Monday, and Brown said it was “unfortunate” that presidential candidates “have to politicize that.”

He recalled speaking to victims of the San Bernardino attack who saw “ordinary people getting shot just a few feet away.”

“It’s a horrible experience, and it’s not about party, and it’s not an occasion for candidates to try and score political points. It’s about what can America do to combat something that’s not just bullets, but it’s ideas.”

ALSO

Does San Bernardino give weight to the NRA’s argument to arm more?

Supreme Court lets ban on assault weapons stand

Why the White House rushed to correct Obama on his visa waiver mistake