Dem. presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand repeats lies about the NRA, dodges questions about gun control

Democratic presidential contender Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) repeatedly lied about the National Rifle Association during a Fox News town hall Sunday while arguing for stricter gun control regulations, yet failing to offer real solutions.

What did Gillibrand lie about?

The New York senator, in attempting to paint the NRA as heartless, repeated one of the most common, yet completely false, talking points about the NRA: that "they care more about their profits" and "selling guns."

"The NRA is the worst organization in this country. They care more about their profits than the American people, they care more about selling guns to someone on the terror watch list or with a grave mental illness or who has a violent criminal background," Gillibrand claimed.

Both claims, however are false. The NRA neither collects profits — though the organization collects hundreds of millions of dollars per year in revenue — because it is a non-profit, nor does the NRA sell guns.

The NRA is an organization that promotes the Second Amendment and firearm safety. The organization also lobbies lawmakers nationwide for expanded access to firearms, while promoting legal challenges to gun control laws.

Meanwhile, organizations like the NRA oppose banning people on "the terror watch list" from owning or possessing firearms because they believe it unconstitutionally deprives individuals of their Second Amendment rights without due process. Additionally, those with a "violent criminal background" or "grave mental illness" are already legally barred from owning or possessing firearms.

Gillibrand: NRA is the worst organization in the countrywww.youtube.com

Later, Gillibrand claimed the NRA "wants to make sure an abuser who has a restraining order against him can buy a weapon." However, in most cases, those with a restraining order against them are legally barred from possessing a firearm. The NRA does not advocate for this federal regulation to be overturned.

Gillibrand also claimed that President Donald Trump did not impose a ban on bump stocks after the Las Vegas massacre, despite promising to do so. This, of course, is also false. The Justice Department implemented the ban last year.

Did Chris Wallace push back?

Network anchor Chris Wallace, who moderated the town hall, asked Gillibrand how her vision of gun control would have prevented last week's tragedy in Virginia Beach, which resulted in 12 deaths. Police have said the perpetrator used two legally purchased handguns to carry out the massacre.

Gillibrand did not answer the question. Instead, she used the opportunity to attack the NRA and Trump.

"Is there anything you could have done that would have stopped this terrible incident?" Wallace asked.

"Yeah, stop being beholden to the NRA like President Trump is," Gillibrand said.