East Texas politicians respond to President Biden’s gun violence address

EAST TEXAS — One week after 19 students and two teachers were gunned down at a Texas school and one day after four were shot and killed at an Oklahoma hospital, President Joe Biden addressed the nation on gun violence Thursday evening. Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert spoke during the House Judiciary Committee hearing on gun control legislation. “Democrats control the cities with the worst murder rates,” said Louie Gohmert. “That’s right. Your ideas have been shown to get people killed.” Lawmakers on both sides have been negotiating gun laws since the Uvalde shooting, and some GOP members fear losing their Second Amendment rights. The President and the Democratic party argue that we need stricter gun laws.

In a statement, State Representative Matt Schaefer, who represents Tyler in Austin, wrote to our news partner KETK: “If Biden’s gun control ideas work, why do so many people in Chicago get shot every weekend? Criminals ignore the many laws we already have. My faith is with law-abiding Texans and our Constitutional principles that stand the test of time.”