Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said that the National Rifle Association was the most effective organization in America — at spreading hate.
“I think the most outrageous thing that has happened to our democracy is how much fear and division and hate has been spread,” the 2020 presidential candidate from New York said when asked during a Fox News town hall how she would prevent mass shootings. “I think the NRA is the worst organization in this country for doing exactly that. They care more about their profits than the American people.”
The New York Democrat went on to say that “Americans need to stand up to the greed and corruption of the NRA.” She added that the organization showed that money in politics was a major issue at stake in the gun debate.
She promised her approach to fixing gun violence would include universal background checks, an anti-trafficking law, and banning a litany of guns and accessories, including “bump stocks,” large-capacity magazines, and “assault” rifles.
Gillibrand said getting money out of politics and publicly funded campaigns were also important parts of the gun debate.
The senator is currently polling at less than half a percent in the RealClearPolitics polling average for the Democratic primary.
[Related: Kirsten Gillibrand: The NRA’s greed leads to ‘dumb’ ideas like arming teachers]
