In his first time speaking with reporters after his controversial calls for “order of protection” (red flag) laws, Gov. Bill Lee (R) defended his position, as well as the upcoming special legislative session that will be focused on gun control.
“It is a very important conversation that I think Tennesseans want us to have,” said Lee, according to WTVF. “We oughta find a way to separate those who are a threat to others and a threat to themselves from having access to weapons.”
“I’ve put forth what I think is the framework for what will protect the citizens and protect Second Amendment rights, but there’s a lot of conversation to be had between now and then,” he continued. “I can’t predict what that will look like, but I will be working really hard to make sure we have Republicans, Democrats, lawmakers, the public, everyone has an opportunity to weigh in on it.”
On April 19, Lee made his first call for red flag laws.
He said:
“We all agree that dangerous unstable individuals who intend to harm themselves or others, should not have access to weapons, and that should be done in a way that requires due process, a high burden of proof, supports law enforcement, punishes false reporting, enhances mental health support and preserves the Second Amendment for law abiding citizens. Throughout the last couple of weeks, I’ve worked with members of the General Assembly, constitutionally-minded, Second Amendment-protecting members to craft legislation for an improved Order of Protection law that’ll strengthen safety and preserve the rights of Tennesseans.”
A day later, Tennessee’s House Republicans have already described red flag laws as a “non-starter.”
“Any red flag law is a non-starter for House Republicans,” the House majority party said on Twitter in mid-April. “Our caucus is focused on finding solutions that prevent dangerous individuals from harming the public and preserve the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. We have always been open to working with Governor Lee on measures that fit within that framework.”
At the time, State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) told The Tennessee Star that he agreed with his House colleagues.
“I have reviewed the governor’s proposal,” he told The Star. “It’s a red flag law and I have always opposed red flag laws. I do not support it.”
The special session on gun rights will begin in August.
The Star reached out to numerous Republican lawmakers currently out of session but did not hear back.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Photo “Bill Lee” by Gov. Bill Lee.
He said: “We all agree that dangerous unstable individuals who intend to harm themselves or others, should not have access to weapons…”
Now wait just a minute, that “we all agree” statement is a rhetorical, logical trap. Do WE ALL really agree on this? …or anything? Let’s check our assumptions at the door, mkay?
He’s the worst governor of Tennessee during my whole 71 years of life!
Lee is only pretending to support restrictions on gun use. The fact that he has signed a law to protect gun manufacturers from liability and the fact that he wants to wait until August before convening a special hearing exposes Lee for the liar that he is!
The Man simply opened the door for discussion on how to control access to weapons by those who are mentally inclined to do harm to others or themselves. Funny how when the House Majority party says basically the same thing as Governor Lee his comments are labeled by Jack Johnson as Red Flag legislation. Give me a break solutions only come to those who address the problem. It is state government representatives that pass our laws the Governor simply signs them into Law. People want solutions that don’t infringe on common sense gun rights. There may not be a solution but darn it we’re going to have the conversation.
“It is a very important conversation that I think Tennesseans want us to have,” said Lee, according to WTVF. “We oughta find a way to separate those who are a threat to others and a threat to themselves from having access to weapons.”
I was told that I was a threat to others because I refused to get the Covid “vaccine”.
Lee is just another RINO, selling out his constituency. His move is to set him up nationally in 2028 by pandering to Democrats. His political career is over in Tennessee. He can’t run for Governor again and he couldn’t get elected dog catcher.
I would like to add; I would love to read any accounts from our republican representatives as to the pressure and/or coercion placed on them by the democrats to go along with this.
Let’s hope the republican legislature has the courage to stand up the the threats they will receive (dare I say, some of which will come from Washington, DC) in an attempt to get then mto vote in favor of Lee’s proposal.
The end game is the complete disarmament of law abiding Americans so we cannot push back against the the scourge of socialism that is infecting the planet.
Sunquist, Haslam, and Lee. Who needs Demoncrats when we have these RINO’s
To my knowledge, the Governor has not even called for the murderer’s “manifesto”. He needs to demand that ! I heard the TBI had a copy of the documents, writings of the perp. If so, Governor Lee should order its release—weeks ago!!
Bumpus – You stated my thoughts much better than I could have. Lee is a weak politician who blows with the wind. He has failed Tennesseans on so many fronts that it would take a book to list them all. It started with his appointment of the very liberal Penny Schwinn to head up the education department. One of her early acts was to approve the Wit and Wisdom curriculum when the review committee had turned thumbs down on it. If you have not been exposed to the With and Wisdom materials you should check it out. But be sure to get your hands on the teacher’s guides that are chocked full of ways for the treachers to direct the students to disgusting conclusions.
I also believe that the legislators have been lapdogs for Lee. I am disgusted with my high-ranking representative and I have given up on my left-leaning high-ranking senator. Got to get rid of them if we can find someone charismatic enough to overcome the war chests of these entrenched folks. It appears to me that it does not take many terms for the Nashville Swamp taint once conservative legislators.
Governor Lee has a BIG problem—it’s the recent SCOTUS holding in NEW YORK STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION, INC., ET AL. v. BRUEN, SUPERINTENDENT OF NEW YORK STATE POLICE, ET AL., 142 S. Ct. 2111 (2022)! Unless the Governor’s proposed bill comports with BRUEN, the Federal Courts will strike his bill/‘unconstitutional law’ down. The Governor’s stated goal is to stop mass gun violence. Mass gun violence is committed by people with various behavioral problems. Lee needs to be ‘smart’ about this. Lee should only focus on promoting new necessary ‘people problem’ measures such as civil hospital commitments (whether voluntary or involuntary) for the mentally ill and the drug addicted, and/or new necessary strong enforcement measures to deal with criminal law violations which will ‘get’ violent offenders ‘off of the streets’ and into jails/prisons where they belong and where they cannot again harm their fellow citizens, and/or new necessary measures to ‘get’/keep violent criminal illegal aliens out of our State. Concentrate on these things, and “as night follows the day” the mass gun violence problem will go away. Not a word need ever be said in Lee’s proposed bill about ‘gun grabbing’.
Tennessee governors usually get what they really, really want. If Lee forces the Tennessee General Assembly to enact his unconstitutional ‘Red Flag’ bill, he might cause Republicans in the General Assembly to lose a large number of its existing membership at the next election. And if Lee’s bill/‘unconstitutional law’ is ultimately struck down by the Federal Courts (as I think it probably will be in light of BRUEN), it will all have been for nothing.
Lee has turned his back in law abiding Tennesseans!
Governor, you are off base on this and seem to be pandering to the left. The premise in your argument that firearms will be inaccessible is wrong headed. Needed instead is a nonpartisan study to truly look at school safety, mental health professional, and, parents responsibility. For objectivity, no politicos, no gun advocates nor those bent on Second Amendment repeal should be on the work group. The group should have law enforcement, teachers, parents and community representatives on this group. It should be time limited with the outcome shared with state residents before legislative vote. Governor, you are wasting time and money for a session the will devolve into opposing political camps with nothing being accomplished.
Worst GOP governor in my lifetime