New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday said lawmakers overestimate the power of the National Rifle Association (NRA) when weighing support for gun-control legislation.
Bloomberg (I), an advocate for tighter restrictions on gun use and sales, said there are some legislators who think that "their careers would be limited if they go against the NRA."
"I don't happen to think that's true. The NRA was notoriously unsuccessful in the last election term. They set one major priority, and that was to defeat Barack Obama, and I think in a couple of weeks you're going to see an inauguration. Barack Obama is being inaugurated again," he said.
He called on the NRA to accept what he said are "reasonable" limitations on firearms, such as restricting guns to minors, criminals and people with psychiatric or substance-abuse problems.
Politicians in support of stricter gun control became increasingly vocal in the wake of the massacre at Sand Hook Elementary School in December. Following the shooting, President Obama announced that Vice President Biden would lead a working group tasked with finding solutions to reduce gun violence.
A
USA Today/Gallup Poll released at the end of December found that 54 percent of those surveyed said they have a favorable opinion of the NRA, while 38 percent have an unfavorable view.
The New York City mayor was pushing his message on the same day that Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which was co-founded by Bloomberg, released an ad featuring the mother of a girl who was killed during the mass shooting in Tucson, Ariz., where then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) was also shot.
"Twenty heartbroken families lost a child in the Sandy Hook school shooting. I know how much it hurts. My 9-year-old daughter was murdered in the Tucson shooting. I have one question for our political leaders. When will you find the courage to stand up to the gun lobby?" said the woman in the ad.
On MSNBC, Bloomberg also
responded to a report in
The New York Times that said the mayor has approached Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) about the possibility of running for mayor after the expiration of his third term, calling the article "erroneous."
"The article was so erroneous and it goes after one of the people who's really made a difference in this city: Chris Quinn, our Speaker of the City Council, who really has done a great job. Without her, it really would have been a lot tougher, let me tell you," he said.
When asked if he would indeed be running for an additional term, Bloomberg said, "There is no fourth term."
