White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre lamented Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for signing his state’s concealed carry legislation into law Monday.
DeSantis signed HB 543 into law to allow Floridians to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. The newly-enacted bill requires those carrying without a permit to have a valid ID and be prepared to hand it to law enforcement if needed.
Gov. DeSantis signs HB 543 – Constitutional Carry.
“Constitutional Carry is in the books,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.@DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/ET6Tuwyh6q
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) April 3, 2023
Jean-Pierre called the law “shameful” and invoked the Nashville school shooting in a public statement obtained by the Daily Caller. (RELATED: Jean-Pierre Doubles Down On Blaming Republicans For Nashville Mass Shooting By Transgender Artist)
“It is shameful that so soon after another tragic school shooting, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a permitless concealed carry bill behind closed doors, which eliminates the need to get a license to carry a concealed weapon,” Jean-Pierre said. “This is the opposite of commonsense gun safety. The people of Florida — who have paid a steep price for state and Congressional inaction on guns from Parkland to Pulse Nightclub to Pine Hills — deserve better.”
“President Biden has been clear: too many lives are being ripped apart by gun violence,” she continued. “The President continues to call on Congress to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines, require safe storage of firearms, eliminate gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability, and require background checks for all gun sales, and for state officials to take action at the state level.”
The press secretary came under fire after the Nashville shooting for saying the transgender community is “under attack” in the same week as the tragic incident. The female shooter, Audrey Hale, identified as transgender and used masculine pronouns.
The White House has repeatedly called for the passage of an “assault weapons ban” following the numerous mass shootings that have occurred during the current administration.
“I call on Congress again to pass my assault weapons ban,” President Joe Biden said in an address about the shooting. “It’s about time that we begin to make some more progress.”
Jean-Pierre accused Republicans of bearing responsibility for the shooting for opposing a so-called “assault weapons ban.”