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Does Peter King’s Proposed Gun Law Make Sense?

There aren’t many pro-gun-control Republicans in Congress, but Long Island’s Peter King is one of them. Today he announced legislation — with anti-gun crusader Mayor Bloomberg at his side — that would make it a crime to “knowingly carry a gun within 1,000 feet of the President, Vice President, Members of Congress or judges of the Federal Judiciary.” King explained that such a law would “give federal, state, and local law enforcement a better chance to intercept potential gunmen before they pull the trigger.” Sounds reasonable enough. In all likelihood it wouldn’t have prevented the massacre in Tucson, but if it can make it harder for would-be assassins to get closer to their target, then it seems worthwhile. But is the proposal really practical? As the Washington Examiner’s Benjamin Domenech writes:

Conservative politicians routinely participate in hunting and gun range activities — I’ve gone shooting with a number of Governors and Senators — and the idea that people in their vicinity and beyond (1,000 feet is quite a ways) could be arrested simply for legally possessing a firearm is incredibly silly and a recipe for all sorts of violations of this law.

Fair point he has there. Eh? Seriously though, it’s a good observation.

Top Republican Rep. Pete King to Introduce Gun-Control Legislation [Note/ABC News]
Peter King’s silly gun ban idea [Washington Examiner]

Does Peter King’s Proposed Gun Law Make Sense?