GOP Congressman Blames Mental Health Issues For Shootings, But Claims Red Flag Laws Won’t Help

CNN Chief White House Correspondent Phil Mattingly pressed Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) on Tuesday over his longstanding opposition to red flag laws amid revelations that the Nashville elementary school shooter was in treatment for mental health issues and still able to legal purchase seven guns.

“Congressman, you have been very consistent in your opposition to gun control legislation, also been very consistent into what you believe should be the focus in the wake of tragedies like this, primarily on the issue of mental health and trying to address those issues,” Mattingly began, adding:

And I’m interested, given the fact that the shooter, in this case, was seeing a doctor due to mental health issues, was still able to purchase seven guns from five shops locally and carry out this crime, this murder. What do you think should have been done in this situation? What could prevent something like this?

“Well, in Colorado, first of all, when you talk about federal action in Congress, you’re talking about a one size fits all solution. We have a very diverse country. The needs for areas of Los Angeles are much different than the needs for rural Colorado,” Buck replied.

“So we have a, we have proposed state by state limitations on gun rights. In Colorado, we have a red flag law and a mental health professional can notify law enforcement that somebody is dangerous. A neighbor, a relative can notify law enforcement that somebody is dangerous and law enforcement is mandated to move. That hasn’t stopped gun violence in Colorado and it won’t,” Buck declared.

“The bottom line is we have mental health issues and we have to deal with those who need that help. The gun itself isn’t creating the crime,” Buck added, concluding:

The person behind the gun and those people are identifiable. I’ve talked to school broads, school superintendents and said, ‘what is a solution?’ And they know who the dangerous students are in their schools. And yet there are impediments for those school superintendents, for those school principals to be able to take action to protect the students in those schools.

“But I think this kind of gets to my question because I wasn’t asking about the guns specifically here. This was an individual that had known mental health issues, was seeing a doctor for those mental health issues, and yet was able to get access to guns to use. And you’re saying red flag laws in Colorado – you’ve opposed red flag laws generally, particularly on a national scale in the past – wouldn’t work. So those things don’t necessarily net out. What’s your answer here, then?” Mattingly pressed, highlighting the fact that the shooter was getting mental health treatment and was still able to buy the guns.

“Well, my answer is I don’t know what the law is in Tennessee. If you’re telling me there’s no red flag law,” Busk replied.

“There’s no–” Mattingly replied, shaking his head.

“I don’t oppose red flag laws that give defendants, in this case, the gun owner, the right to appear in court and defend themselves,” Buck interjected, changing his tune.

“The problem, the gun, the red flag law in Colorado is there is no due process. The law enforcement officials are mandated to go take the guns, which is dangerous to law enforcement and dangerous to the individual, go and take the guns from the person and then the person has the burden of proving their innocence. That’s a problem, a properly defined red flag law. I would be in favor of, if it gave the gun owner the right to defend themselves and present their argument in court,” Buck clarified.

Buck appeared to change his stance on whether or not the red flag laws would prevent shootings and instead argued against the Colorado red flag law’s structure.

“You know, the president has once again reiterated his call for a reinstatement of the assault weapons ban. You know, back in 2020, you went viral. He posted this video after a similar plea. Take a watch,” Mattingly then said before playing a clip of Buck challenging Biden to take a gun out of his hands.

“I come from a place where all my friends have guns. Many of them use ARs. I guess my question is, is do you have a concern as a federal official, as a lawmaker, as somebody who legislates that something like that maybe diminishes the impact of what this moment is and kind of the conversations that’s happening, at least if you’re trying to reach a resolution on issues?” Mattingly asked.

“Well, if Joe Biden is interested in reaching a resolution on the issue, let him deal with the southern border. We have drugs coming across the southern border,” Buck replied pivoting to a standard talking point.

“And this crisis, this mental health crisis that we have in this country has a direct relationship to our drug laws being loosened and the lack of funding at the state level for mental health services,” Buck concluded.

Watch the full clip above via CNN

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