WASHINGTON – Former Beto representative O 'Rourke defended his call for the mandatory buyout of some semi-automatic weapons in an exclusive interview given to "Meet the Press" on Sunday, repelling critics on the part of Republicans – as well than some members of his own party – who think that the proposal of the presidential hopeful Democratic has gone too far.
O 'Rourke said the opposition to his proposal shows "how much Washington DC's priorities are messed up" while evoking recent high-profile mass shots like that of his hometown of El Paso, Texas.
"I refuse even to recognize politics or voting, fear or NRA. It bought the complicity and silence of the congressmen, "he said.
"And that weak response to a real tragedy in America, 40,000 gun deaths a year, we have to do something about it and I propose to do something about it."
Related: Beto O 'Rourke throughout his political career
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Beto O 'Rourke throughout his political career
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US – NOVEMBER 13: Elected Representative Beto O. Rourke, D-Texas, speaks to reporters after a press conference with elected Democratic members in the Capitol Center. (Photo by Tom Williams / Roll call)
** ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 31 ** The representatives of the city of El Paso, Steve Ortega, left, and Beto O 'Rourke, pose with as a backdrop the downtown area of the city. El Paso, Texas, Wednesday, October 26, 2005. The two and three other political newcomers under the age of 35 were elected this year to El Paso City Council. The group of young hikers said that they had assumed their public roles to make El Paso the kind of city that it should be, the kind that it has long struggled to become. (AP Photo / El Paso Times, Victor Calzada)
The US representative, Beto O. Rourke (D), D-TX, speaking at a meeting with One Campaign volunteers, including Jeseus Navarrete (left), 26 February 2013 in O. Rouke's office in the Longworth House office building on Capitol Hill, Washington State. , DC. AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGANWith the United States just weeks away from automatic cuts in spending, anti-poverty campaigners fear that cuts in foreign aid may potentially cause thousands of deaths. The world's largest economy is cut almost $ 85 billion by March 1, 2013, unless the White House and Congress reach a last-minute deal before the deadline set by themselves. Although confrontation has raised concern in many circles, campaigners are trying to avoid a 5.3% cut in US development aid, which they say could hinder programs to feed the poor and prevent disease. "The escrow is an equal cut in all areas, but the cuts do not have the same impact," said Tom Hart, executive director of the One campaign, the anti-poverty group co-founded by the U2 leader. , Bono. AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGAN (The photo credit should correspond to MANDEL NGAN / AFP / Getty Images)
United States – May 23: Rep. Beto O. Rourke, D-Texas, biking after a Democratic baseball training camp in the Northeast. (Photo by Tom Williams / Roll call)
USA – May 23: Representative Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, is photographed at a Democratic Baseball practice in the Northeast Congress. (Photo by Tom Williams / Roll call)
The US Representative, Beto O. Rourke, D-TX, met with the One Campaign Volunteers on February 26, 2013 in the offices of Mr. O. Rouke, located in the building of Longworth House offices at Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. As the United States moves away from billions of dollars in automatic spending cuts, anti-poverty campaigners fear that cuts in foreign aid could potentially lead to thousands of deaths. The world's largest economy is cut almost $ 85 billion by March 1, 2013, unless the White House and Congress reach a last-minute deal before the deadline set by themselves. Although confrontation has raised concern in many circles, campaigners are trying to avoid a 5.3% cut in US development aid, which they say could hinder programs to feed the poor and prevent disease. "The escrow is an equal cut in all areas, but the cuts do not have the same impact," said Tom Hart, executive director of the One campaign, the anti-poverty group co-founded by the U2 leader. , Bono. AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGAN (The photo credit should correspond to MANDEL NGAN / AFP / Getty Images)
United States – June 14: Rep. Beto O 'Rourke, D-Texas, walks down the steps of the Capitol House after the last votes of the week on Friday, June 14, 2013. (Photo by Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call)
US citizen Edgar Falcon, second from right, and Maricruz Valtierra from Mexico, second from left, laugh while El Paso Congressman, Beto O. Rourke, on the right, and Judge Bill Moody, on the left, congratulate them after the couple's marriage to the US-Mexico border. , Tuesday, August 27, 2013 in El Paso, Texas. Like many other couples of US citizens and foreigners, Falcon and Valtierra, found inadmissible for violating immigration law, hope that immigration reform will help them live together in Canada. United States. (Photo AP / Juan Carlos Llorca)
Representative Beto O'Rourke, Texas, with his family for a photo of ceremony with Speaker of the House, John Boehner, President of Ohio, left, in the Rayburn Hall of Capitol after the holding of the new 113th Congress, Thursday, January 24th. March 3, 2013 in Washington. The official oath of all members of the House had been lent to the House earlier. (AP Photo / J. Scott Applewhite)
Representative Beto O. Rourke, D-Texas., Surrounded by leaders of the border region, experts in human rights and residents, addressed the media at Capitol Hill, Washington, on Wednesday, February 27, 2013. at a press conference to explain the border communities are asking in the context of immigration reform. (AP photo / Carolyn Kaster)
Congressman, Beto O. Rourke, in the center, speaks at a new conference with Lillian Amico, left, mother of a deceased veteran, and Melinda Russel, former army chaplain, in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday June. 4, 2014. A study conducted by O 'Rourke's office with hundreds of veterans from West Texas revealed that on average, they wait more than two months before seeing a mental health professional from Veterans Affairs and even longer before seeing a doctor. (Photo AP / Juan Carlos Llorca)
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 29: US Rep. Beto O. Rourke, D-Texas, asks a question to former Army captain Debra Gipson, at the same time. a Veterans Affairs Committee Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on "Defined Expectations: VA Performance Evaluation in the Transition Process for Service Members" in the Cannon House Office Building May 29, 2014 in Washington, DC. Ms. Gipson was seriously injured on the back while traveling to Afghanistan. (Photo by Rod Lamkey / Getty Images)
US Senate Democrat Beto ORourke delivers his speech at his last public event in Austin prior to election night at Pan American Neighborhood Park on November 4, 2018 in Austin, Texas. – One of the most expensive and best-watched Senate races is in Texas, where incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz faces Democratic Rep. Beto O. Rourke. O & # 39; Rourke, 46, whose names are Robert Francis but that of Beto, launches an extremely strong challenge to Cruz, 47, in the Republican "Lone Star State". O & # 39; Rourke, a triennial congressman and former member of a punk band, enjoys the enthusiastic support of many Texas city dwellers, while Cruz comes out better in conservative rural areas.
Winning the seat in Cruz's Senate, which fought against Donald Trump for the Republican nomination for the 2016 presidency, would be a major victory for the Democratic Party. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP) (The photo credit should correspond to SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP / Getty Images)
Representative Beto O. Rourke, D-Texas, of El Paso, Texas, speaks at the University of Texas at Dallas on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 in Richardson, Texas. (AP Photo / LM Otero)
US Representative Beto O 'Rourke, Texas, walks through a protest march in downtown Dallas on Sunday, April 9, 2017. (AP Photo / LM Otero)
US Representative Beto O 'Rourke, Texas, on the left, and US Senator Ted Cruz, Texas, on the right, participate in a debate for the Texas Senate, Tuesday, October 16, 2018 in San Antonio. (Tom Reel / San Antonio Express-News via AP, Pool)
Texas Congressman Beto Orourke delivers his concession speech at the Election Night at Southwest University Park in downtown El Paso on November 6, 2018. – After a close race for the Senate ORourke gave in to outgoing President Ted Cruz in his hometown. (Photo by Paul Ratje / AFP) (The photo credit should read as follows: PAUL RATJE / AFP / Getty Images)
Former Texas Democratic Congressman, Beto O. Rourke, made gestures during a live interview with Oprah Winfrey on a Times Square scene as part of "Shattered Conversations". Oprah in Times Square ", Tuesday, February 5, 2019 in New York. O 'Rourke dazzled the Democrats in 2018 by almost beating Republican Senator Ted Cruz in the country's largest Red State. O & # 39; Rourke announced that he would announce or not his candidacy for the presidency "before the end of the month". (AP Photo / Kathy Willens)
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O'Rourke's plan would ban weapons classified as "assault weapons" as well as high-capacity magazines and silencers. It would also require people who own weapons that become illegal under the new policy to resell their arms to the government.
When asked why his position had changed since his initial call for an "assault weapons ban" without any compulsory surrender, the Texan pointed to the recent tragedy in his home town that Had made a pause before returning to power as an even more virulent defender. to reform the firearms laws.
"On August 3, in El Paso, with 22 dead and dozens of others wounded, I could no longer accept that this would be enough because there are still more than 10 million assault weapons, of weapons of war, in the street, "he said.
"If we agree that they are dangerous to sell and we should stop selling them, we must also agree that they are instruments of terror that still exist and that must be brought home or used against us. . "
O'Rourke's proposal is at the heart of his candidacy for the presidency. After passionately defending his takeover bid on the debate scene last week, his campaign tried to seize the opportunity to fill his fundraising coffers by offering a shirt on his online store that said, " Well, yes, we will take your AR- 15. "
But this direct appeal has sparked criticism from Republicans, as well as concerns within his own party.
Delaware Democratic Senator Chris Coons, who endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden, told CNN on Friday that he thought the plan had played a key role in the Republicans' speech: "The Democrats are looking for your weapons "and said that he thought the proposal was not in compliance. t "wise".
And Pennsylvania Republican Senator Patrick Toomey, who was one of the most prominent Republican voices to reinforce the requirements for weapon background checks, called the plan "a dreadful and extreme idea" that "Undermines and injures bipartisan efforts to make real progress on common sense firearms. security efforts. "
When asked about this criticism, O'Rourke dismissed it to argue that there was more bipartisan consensus on the issue than it appeared.
"This is constitutionally valid. This is absolutely necessary if we care about the lives of our American compatriots, "he said.
"Not only is this in keeping with the Constitution, but I think there is support, beyond the Democratic Party, to include Republicans and independents, gun owners and non-owners of gun owners. Firearms, so that they act as they should. "
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