CLEVELAND — Hillary Clinton will put enough liberals on the Supreme Court to dominate the legal system for forty years and dismantle the Second Amendment, the National Rifle Association warned here at the Republican Convention Tuesday night.
Chris Cox, the NRA’s top lobbyist, was one of the first of several convention speakers over two days to raise the direction of the Supreme Court in the presidential election and he warned that Clinton would give the liberals immediate control if elected because she would be able to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia, gun control’s biggest foe on the court.
“A Hillary Clinton Supreme Court means your right to own a firearm is gone,” said Cox, given a prime time speaking slot at the much-watched convention.
Supreme Court watchers believe that a two-term Clinton administration would give liberals six or seven of nine justices because so many of the current members are either old or ready to quit.
“Make no mistake: this election isn’t about the next four years. It’s about the next 40 years, so voting for Hillary Clinton, or not voting, is simply not an option,” said Cox, head of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action.
Cox, who earlier in the day introduced GOP vice presidential pick Mike Pence, the Indiana governor, addressed women in speaking forcefully for gun ownernship.
“Imagine a young mother at home with her baby, when a violent predator kicks in the door. He’s a three-time loser who never should have been released from prison early. But he was, because some politician wanted to show their ‘compassion.’ So what’s she going to do? She’ll dial 911 — and pray,” said Cox.
He added, “The police will do their absolute best to get there quickly. But their average response time is 11 minutes. Should she be able to defend herself with a firearm in her own home? My fellow Americans, that question is on the ballot in November.”
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
