Christie on Gun Violence: ‘There’s Lawlessness’ Because We Aren’t Enforcing Laws

‘The laws are so difficult and murky’

STEPHANOPOULOS: “Let's talk about this gun debate and so tragic coming out of Oregon. You just heard Donald Trump say, you know, sometimes people fall through the cracks. And he also questioned whether tough gun laws make a difference. But look at your state. It has some of the toughest gun laws and one of the lowest murder rates. Isn't there a correlation?”

CHRISTIE: “I don't - George, I don't think there is. But I'll tell you this, I'm very concerned about the mental health side of this and I put forward a proposal to the legislature last year and then again just about seven or eight weeks ago in response to a bill they sent saying, let's do some tough things on mental health. Let's make involuntary commitment of people who speak violently easier for doctors.”

STEPHANOPOULOS: “So you would do that?”

CHRISTIE: “I would. And I - and I've heard doctors in my state say, the laws are so difficult and murky. Let's work on those kinds of things. I think that makes sense. But let's remember something else, in many of the places around this country where they have the toughest gun laws, they have the highest violent crime rates. And we focus on a tragedy like this. It's an awful tragedy. It's terrible. But it is the exception to violence in America. Violence in America that's happened on our streets in our cities, like Chicago, up 19 percent, the murder rate. New York, up 11 percent. And you have some of the most aggressive gun laws in cities like that.”

STEPHANOPOULOS: “But –“

CHRISTIE: “So let's enforce the law. There's lawlessness out there, George, that we are not enforcing the law in the aggressive ways we should. And as a former prosecutor, I believe we should.”

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