HARTFORD, Conn. — After recent weeks marred by multiple mass shootings, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) is suggesting restricting federal funding to police departments that do not enforce state and national gun laws.
In a CNN interview this week, Murphy claimed local governments in the majority of counties in the U.S. have declared they will not enforce certain gun laws.
These so-called “Second Amendment Sanctuaries” are areas declaring gun control laws don't apply in their communities.
The Associated Press said there are nearly 2,000 counties like this nationwide. Murphy called it “a growing problem” in the country and said the U.S. Senate has to have a “conversation” about this issue.
“Do we want to continue to supply funding to law enforcement in counties that refuse to implement state and federal gun laws?” he questioned during the interview.
Murphy tied federal funding to law enforcement agencies compliance with gun legislation. He said 60% of counties in the U.S. are refusing to implement state and federal gun laws.
“The majority of counties in this country have declared that they are not going to enforce state and federal gun laws, they have decided that they are going to essentially refuse to implement laws that are on the books,” Murphy said.
In an email, Murphy's team said he doesn’t want to “defund the police,” but rather ensure federal money goes to police departments that are committed to enforcing the law and protecting public safety.
Murphy is already facing backlash for these comments, though. The Connecticut GOP tweeted Monday, calling the senator a “disgrace.”
“Connecticut has some of the strongest gun laws in the country, if not the strongest gun laws in the country, yet people are still getting shot and killed in the state of Connecticut with guns,” said Ben Proto, chairman of the CT GOP. “Would one of our towns under his proposal be defunded, if they were not doing what it is Sen. Murphy wanted them to do?”
When asked if law enforcement agencies and police departments should face any consequences if they aren't following state or federal gun laws, Proto said, “I think police officers, for the most part, enforce the laws”
“I think to say to the police officer on the street that we're going to take funds away from you because we don't like what your leadership may or may not be doing, I think is a mistake,” he continued.
Executive director of CT Against Gun Violence Jeremy Stein said in a statement, "We are fortunate that we do not have this issue in Connecticut. Enforcement of the law. It is literally in the job description. If 'law enforcement' officers in places like Colorado are creating their own set of laws and refusing to enforce those laws they have sworn to uphold, then they are no longer doing their job. Sen. Murphy was not talking about defunding the police, he was talking about ensuring enforcement of life-saving laws, and upholding the Constitution. The refusal to carry out the very laws you are sworn to enforce is not only a breach of your duty, but could cost people their lives."
Murphy didn’t specify legislative action at CNN but said he'll have a conversation with fellow lawmakers.
“I'll talk to my colleagues about what our approach should be to this problem, but 60% of counties in this country are refusing to implement the nation's gun laws,” Murphy added. “We've got to do something about that.”
Connecticut doesn’t have any known “Second Amendment Sanctuary” cities or towns and Murphy nor his team clarified what possible legislation to address this would entail.
He has yet to introduce any such measure.
Emma Wulfhorst is a political reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at ewulfhorst@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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