Sen. Rand Paul talks gun control, responds to Gray comments

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- As Senator Rand Paul heads to Louisville later Friday evening, he’s preparing for an anticipated gun control vote Monday in the Senate.

The senator from Bowling Green made a stop at ABC 36 in Lexington Friday to talk gun control and respond to comments made by Lexington mayor and Democratic senate candidate Jim Gray, Wednesday.

“I think when we have a horrific tragedy like this with so much loss of life — more loss of life than anything since 9-11 that we shouldn’t probably turn it into a partisan issue or a partisan debate over gun control,” says Paul, responding to Gray’s accusations that Paul is breaking down national security and putting Americans at risk.

Paul acknowledges his support of gun control legislation proposed by Texas senator and Majority Whip Tom Cornyn in December. Paul says it’s legislation he’ll continue to support through Monday’s anticipated vote.

“The reason why you may not want to immediately say ‘they don’t get a gun’ is 1) They might be innocent. So in our country you’re innocent until proven guilty. But the other reason is, the FBI may say ‘you know what, we want them to buy the gun and we may want to follow them to catch the other people they’re plotting with if it’s a group or cell of terrorists’.”

He goes on to say, “I’ve been advocating for an addition to that amendment, which is that if you’ve been investigated by the FBI, you stay on the list for at least 5 years.”