Murkowski Critical of VP Biden Gun Control Comment

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By eff Richardson - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner / jrichardson@newsminer.com

Story Created: Jan 10, 2013 at 8:20 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Jan 10, 2013 at 8:20 AM AKDT

FAIRBANKS - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski on Wednesday expressed concern about assertions by Vice President Joe Biden that President Obama could act by executive order to increase gun control.

Biden made the remark Wednesday at the first meeting of a White House gun-violence study group created by Obama following the Dec. 14 elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn., in which 26 people were killed, including 20 students. Obama put Biden in charge of the group and making recommendations.

“The president is going to act. There are executive orders — executive action that can be taken,” Biden reportedly said at the meeting, attended by gun-safety advocates and gun violence victims. “We haven’t decided what that is yet, but we’re compiling it all with the help of the attorney general and — and all the rest of the Cabinet members — as well as legislative action, we believe, is required.”

Murkowski, in a meeting with the Daily News-Miner editorial board, said she could accept the use of executive orders to heighten the enforcement of existing gun laws but not to implement new gun control rules. She said “substantial” measures, such as restrictions on assault weapons or high-capacity magazines, need to be debated by Congress.

“I think it would be wrong to use executive order that way,” she said.

Murkowski, R-Alaska, also said Biden is “very wise” to have the White House gun panel meet with representatives of the National Rifle Association. That meeting is scheduled to occur today and will be attended by representatives of other gun organizations and gun retailers.

Murkowski said gun owners need to be included in any productive debate about firearms restrictions, rather than being demonized as part of the problem. But she added that she was embarrassed by the NRA’s initial response to the shooting, which included a call to place armed guards in all public schools.

Contact Fairbanks Daily News-Miner staff writer Jeff Richardson at 907-459-7518. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMbusiness.

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Alaska gun hunter said on Thursday, Jan 10 at 9:17 AM

Embarrassed really! Any immediate responce by the NRA would be attacked by the left. Why not armed protection for our children while in school, after all politicans are protected by armed security.

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Toby said on Thursday, Jan 10 at 10:05 AM

Emrarrassed by doing the only thing that will work. What a joke Obama's kids go to school where there is armed guards, and a secret service detail paid for by us.

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Anonymous said on Thursday, Jan 10 at 10:21 AM

These mass murderers are hooked on prescription medication. Pharma buys off our elected officials. Our gun rights get threatened? Let's not forget that our medical establishment kills far more people with prescription drugs and vaccines than guns do. Let us also never forget that doctors, nurses, and pharma ran concentration camps during WW II... Amazingly lawyers are still making a living off of people getting drugged up...

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islander said on Thursday, Jan 10 at 11:38 AM

Well Murky Cow sure can not wait to make Obama the bad guy. Too bad Murky makes no reference to past laws and executive orders concerning some aspect of gun control. In 1968 Pub.L. 90-618 was enacted on October 22. That law had support of the gun manufacturers. I wonder what she would have posted back in 1989 H W Bush issued an executive order adding to the 1968 laws and stopped the importing of foreign made assault rifles. But alas it Obama whose the first president to ever infringe on the second amendment.

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Jack said on Thursday, Jan 10 at 1:33 PM

Armed guards at schools, TSA at airports,I remember watching films about the old Soviet Union and seeing people tolerating the same things and thinking to myself, "God I hope we never live that way." I am a gun owner but I understand the need to have regulations as part of the discussion right now. So far, nothing has changed or been regulated, things are just being discussed. That's healthy.

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BobD said on Thursday, Jan 10 at 3:45 PM

Actually , the words " Joe Biden and very wise " don't belong in the same sentence..

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barb said on Thursday, Jan 10 at 4:31 PM

Lets face this admin is hell bent on using their power to advance their agenda, that is essentially what Biden said. As for Murkowski being emmbarrased by the NRA's response of putting armed guards in our schools, rightly I was too since it would just add another alphabete agency on the federal pay roll. The NRA should have suggessted the teachers that choose should be armed after training if they choose, the parents of these children many are well trained and qualified that would be willing to patrol the schools if the Federal Gov. didn't put the praverbial welcome signs on the schools with the "gun free zones" the schools would be far less a target of the nut jobs. The fact remains that the sick, deranged person that is hell bent on evil will find a way but if they know they will be met with armed resistance they may think twice and at best they will be stopped before they can execute thier plan. Just my opinon An Armed Society is a Polite Society.

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google this... said on Thursday, Jan 10 at 7:15 PM

h t t p : / / c r y p t o m e . o r g / 2 0 1 2 / 1 2 / n g - a l a s k a - b l a y l o c k . p d f Looks like illegal activities within the Alaska National Guard INCLUDES Murkowski knowing of this... Nothing like her daddy - she is a waste of space...

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sam hall said on Friday, Jan 11 at 2:37 AM

There were childen many in the theater shooting..most likely children at the mall shooting as well.also at the shooting in Arizona where one nine year was killed. at a simple political talk. This type of mass killing with a high magazine could happen anywhere there is a group of people. as to executive order that has been used before not by Obama though when that is necessary it is necessary and any president of ours reponsibility to protect our citizens. one would really have to pause to think this congress of today is going to pass anything President Obama recomends. they said from the time frame he was first elected they wanted as their goal to make him a one term president which is the only goal they mentioned.The New Jersey governor did not say the whole congress when he addressed his state problems he spelled out the whos in this congress..advise these two senators from Alaska to state the truths in this situation as well..

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