Gray calls on Congress, Paul to close loophole in gun sales

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Mayor Jim Gray held a press conference Wednesday morning outside of Senator Rand Paul’s Lexington offices calling on Congress, and Senator Paul specifically, to close a loophole that allows people on terrorist watch-lists lists to purchase firearms.

The comments come days after the deadly shootings in Orlando, Florida that left 49 dead, and injured dozens more.

“Now, I support the second amendment,” said Mayor Gray, “but the second amendment was designed to prevent tyranny, not to encourage terrorism. We’re talking about terrorism today. We’re not talking about compromising the rights of law-abiding citizens. Keeping weapons out of the hands of terrorists is not weakening the second amendment.”

Sen. Paul’s office released a statement today in response to Mayor Gray, saying, “In December, I voted to make sure no terrorist can buy guns in the US. The legislation I supported, however, prevented the Obama administration from drawing up a secret list of hundreds of thousands or even millions of Americans who through no judicial process are stripped of their rights. Make no mistake what Jim Gray and President Obama want to do together is take guns away from law-abiding Kentuckians.”