Rubio open to "serious and comprehensive study" of gun laws

His spokesman says Rubio is "looking for public policy changes" to prevent another shooting like the one in Newtown

Published December 17, 2012 10:38PM (EST)

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is one of the first Republicans to express an openness to changing gun policy in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., shootings, with his spokesman Alex Conant telling the Tampa Bay Times that Rubio "supports a serious and comprehensive study of our laws to find new and better ways to prevent any more mass shootings."

But, Conant qualified: "The challenge with gun laws is that by definition criminals do not follow the law. For example, Connecticut's gun laws, some of the strictest in the nation, were not able to prevent this atrocity."

Here's the full statement, from the TBT:

"In the aftermath of the unspeakable tragedy in Newtown, Sen. Rubio, like millions of Americans, is looking for public policy changes that would prevent such a horrible event from happening again," spokesman Alex Conant said. "He remains a strong supporter of the Second Amendment right to safely and responsibly bear arms. But he has also always been open to measures that would keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. The challenge with gun laws is that by definition criminals do not follow the law. For example, Connecticut's gun laws, some of the strictest in the nation, were not able to prevent this atrocity. Nevertheless, he supports a serious and comprehensive study of our laws to find new and better ways to prevent any more mass shootings."

 


By Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

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Florida Gun Control Marco Rubio Newtown School Shooting Republicans