Kamala Harris goes toe-to-toe with weakened NRA as she pledges to ban AR-15 imports by executive order if she becomes president

  • Kamala Harris will proposal to ban the importation of AR-15-style assault weapons - the kind mostly commonly used in mass shootings 
  • She will announce the expansion of her gun control policy at a town hall meeting in Nashua, N.H., on Wednesday morning 
  • 2020 rival Cory Booker also has a tough gun control plan
  • Harris' move comes as her campaign struggles to regain momentum 

By Emily Goodin, U.s. Political Reporter In Manchester, N.h., For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris will expand her crack down on guns Wednesday with a proposal to ban the importation of AR-15-style assault weapons - the kind mostly commonly used in mass shootings.

Her move comes three weeks after she laid out her gun-control plan and as her campaign struggles to regain momentum after former Vice President Joe Biden entered the Democratic presidential primary.

At her town hall meeting in Nashua, N.H., 'Harris will say that she will use her authority as president to ban the importation of all AR-15-style assault weapons by executive action,' a senior campaign official said.

Kamala Harris will proposal to ban the importation of AR-15-style assault weapons - the kind mostly commonly used in mass shootings

Kamala Harris will proposal to ban the importation of AR-15-style assault weapons - the kind mostly commonly used in mass shootings

The senator would use the executive power of the presidency, which means she could by-pass a fight in Congress, where the National Rifle Association has several supporters.

The NRA, which is dealing with the fallout from revelations of CEO Wayne LePierre's lavish spending, has said Harris 'appears intent on using the failed 2008 and 2016 presidential candidate's gun control playbook.' 

Harris has competition when it comes to gun control.

Cory Booker, also seeking the 2020 nomination, proposed a comprehensive plan that includes an assault weapons ban and a gun licensing program.  

The senator from California said there are several good ideas for gun control out there but Congress is holding up any action.

'On this issue of the need for gun safety laws, we're not at any loss for good ideas,' Harris told CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday. 'People have been having good ideas for decades on this issue. What we're at a loss is for people in Congress to have the courage to do something.'

'If, by my 100th day in office when elected president of the United States, the United States Congress fails to put a bill on my desk to sign with all of the good ideas or any of the good ideas that I'm prepared to take executive action because that's what's needed,' she added.  

Harris is running against 22 other Democrats for the party's nomination to challenge President Donald Trump in the general election next year.

Assault weapons is often a catch-all term used by critics to describe semi-automatic rifles and other high-capacity fire arms.

These type of guns have been used in several recent mass shootings. 

There are roughly 15-20 million assault weapons currently in circulation in the U.S., more than 4 million of which have been imported, according to Harris' campaign.  

In Harris' previous proposal on gun control, she offered Congress 100 days to pass legislation such as a universal background checks bill or a renewal of the ban on assault weapons, before using presidential executive power to act on the issue.

Harris said she would use executive power to require sellers of five or more weapons a year to run background checks for all gun sales; revoke the license of gun makers and dealers who break the law; reverse a move by Trump to redefine the term 'fugitive from justice' that allowed gun purchases by people with outstanding arrest warrants; and close the boyfriend loophole.

JOE BIDEN AND THE 28 DEMOCRATS HE RAN AGAINST TO BECOME PARTY'S 2020 CANDIDATE

JOE BIDEN

Age on Inauguration Day 2021: 78

Entered race: April 25, 2019

Career: No current role. A University of Delaware and Syracuse Law graduate, he was first elected to Newcastle City Council in 1969, then won upset election to Senate in 1972, aged 29. Was talked out of quitting before being sworn in when his wife and daughter died in a car crash and served total of six terms. Chaired Judiciary Committee's notorious Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings. Ran for president in 1988, pulled out after plagiarism scandal, ran again in 2008, withdrew after placing fifth in the Iowa Caucuses. Tapped by Obama as his running mate and served two terms as vice president. Contemplated third run in 2016 but decided against it after his son died of brain cancer.

Family: Eldest of four siblings born to Joe Biden Sr. and Catherine Finnegan. First wife Neilia Hunter and their one-year-old daughter Naomi died in car crash which their two sons, Joseph 'Beau' and Robert Hunter survived. Married Jill Jacobs in 1976, with whom he has daughter Ashley. Beau died of brain cancer in 2015. Hunter's marriage to Kathleen Buhle, with whom he has three children, ended in 2016 when it emerged Hunter was in a relationship with Beau's widow Hallie, mother of their two children. Hunter admitted cocaine use; his estranged wife accused him of blowing their savings on drugs and prostitutes

Religion: Catholic

Views on key issues: Ultra-moderate who will emphasize bipartisan record. Will come under fire over record, having voted: to stop desegregation bussing in 1975; to overturn Roe v Wade in 1981; for now controversial 1994 Violent Crime Act; for 2003 Iraq War; and for banking deregulation. Says he is 'most progressive' Democrat. New positions include free college, tax reform, $15 minimum wage. No public position yet on Green New Deal and healthcare. Pro-gun control. Has already apologized to women who say he touched them inappropriately

Would make history as: Oldest person elected president

Slogan: Our Best Days Still Lie Ahead 

 

AND THE 28 WHO HAVE WITHDRAWN   

MICHAEL BENNET, Colorado senator

  • Entered race: May 2, 2019 
  • Quit:  February 12, 2019, evening of New Hampshire primary

MIKE BLOOMBERG

Entered race: November 24, 2019

Quit: March 4, 2020, day after Super Tuesday primaries

CORY BOOKER, New Jersey Senator 

  • Entered race: February 1, 2019
  • Quit: January 13, 2020 

STEVE BULLOCK, Montana governor 

  • Entered race: May 14, 2019 
  • Quit: December 2, 2019

PETE BUTTIGIEG, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana

Entered race: January 23, 2019

Quit: March 1, 2020, day after South Carolina primary 

JULIÁN CASTRO, former Housing Secretary

  • Entered race: January 18, 2019
  • Quit: January 2, 2020 

    BILL DE BLASIO, New York City mayor 

    • Entered race: May 16, 2019
    • Quit: September 20, 2020

    JOHN DELANEY, former Maryland Congressman

    • Entered race: July 8, 2017
    • Quit: January 31, 2019 

    KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, New York senator

    • Entered race: January 16, 2019
    • Quit: August 28, 2019 

    TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii congresswoman

    • Entered race: January 11 2019
    • Quit: March 19, 2020 

    MIKE GRAVEL, Former Alaska governor

    • Entered race: April 2,2019
    • Quit: August 2, 2019 

    KAMALA HARRIS,California senator  

    • Entered race: January 21, 2019
    • Quit: December 3, 2019 

    JOHN HICKENLOOPER, Former Colorado governor

    • Entered race: March 4, 2019
    • Quit: August 15, 2019 

    JAY INSLEE, Washington governor 

    • Entered race: March 1, 2019
    • Quit: August 21, 2019

    AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota senator 

    • Entered race: February 19, 2019
    • Quit: March 2, 2020 

    WAYNE MESSAM, mayor of Miramar, Florida 

    • Entered race: March 28, 2019
    • Quit: November 20, 2019 

    SETH MOULTON, Massachusetts congressman

    • Entered race:  April 22,2019
    • Quit: August 23, 2019

    RICHARD OJEDA, former West Virginia state senator

    • Entered race: November 12, 2018
    • Quit: January 25, 2019 

    BETO O'ROURKE, former Texas congressman

    • Entered race: March 14, 2019 
    • Quit: November 1, 2019  

    DEVAL PATRICK, former Massachusetts governor 

    • Entered race: November 13, 2019
    • Quit:  February 13, 2019, morning after New Hampshire primary

    TIM RYAN, Ohio congressman

    • Entered race: April 4, 2019
    • Quit: October 24, 2019

    BERNIE SANDERS, Vermont senator 

    • Entered race: January 25, 2019  
    • Quit: April 8, 2020 

    JOE SESTAK, former Pennsylvania congressman 

    • Entered race: June 23, 2019
    • Quit: December 1, 2019

     TOM STEYER, billionaire activist 

    • Entered race: July 9, 2019
    • Quit: February 29, 2020

    ERIC SWALWELL, California congressman 

    • Entered race: April 8, 2019
    • Quit: July 8, 2019  

    ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts senator

    Entered race: December 31, 2018

    Quit: March 5, 2020, two days after Super Tuesday 

    MARIANNE WILLIAMSON, author

    • Entered race: November 15, 2018
    • Quit: January 10, 2020 

    ANDREW YANG, entrepreneur

    • Entered race: November 6, 2018
    • Quit: February 12, 2019, evening of New Hampshire primary

     

    Joe BidenKamala Harris

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