Cuomo blasts GOP over gun bill opposition
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Dec. 1, 2015, in Manhattan. Credit: Getty Images / Spencer Platt
ALBANY — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday called Republicans in Congress hypocrites for refusing to support a bill that would prohibit gun sales to those on no-fly, anti-terrorism lists.
“The Republicans won’t pass the bill,” Cuomo said on the WWRL radio show “Keepin’ it Real with Rev. Al Sharpton.”
“Now, they want to talk about security, these are the people who want to keep the refugees out of this country, close down the Statue of Liberty, because they’re a possible threat, but they’ll let them buy a gun or explosives,” Cuomo said.
Republicans aren’t calling for shuttering the Statue of Liberty. But Cuomo said Republican opposition to accepting Syrian refugees is like turning their backs on the symbol of liberty.
Cuomo also again blamed Republicans in Washington for opposing more stringent gun control measures after a series of mass shootings, including a lethal shooting Wednesday in Southern California.
“It’s love of gun over love of country, right?” Cuomo said during the radio show. “You’d give the people on the no-fly list the Second Amendment protection even though they may be a possible threat to the safety of the people of this nation.”
Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.
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