Gov. John Kasich says he supports outlawing bump stocks in wake of Vegas
Ohio Governor John Kasich is the latest lawmaker to throw his support behind reviewing the legality of bump stock devices, a growing call that appears to be getting stronger in the wake of the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas.
Bump stocks or devices used to increase the discharge rate of a firearm are currently in compliance with federal law under the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
When asked on "CBS This Morning" on Thursday if he would support outlawing bump stock devices, the Governor replied, "Oh, yeah of course."
Kasich said, however, that while he'd support a similar measure in his home state of Ohio, he did not know whether it would pass.
"This makes a lot of sense to get rid of this [bump stocks]. Nobody wants that, but we have to do it, not in an atmosphere where we're just operating one side. There has to be some common agreement that we're not after taking away people's Second Amendment rights," he added. "If you don't do it together, I don't think it gets done."
About a dozen bump stock devices were found in the hotel room of the Las Vegas shooter.
The governor, who voted in the past on a ban on assault weapons, said that the way to get common sense gun legislation is to bring together people from both sides of the debate.
"I'll tell you what people who understand this tell me: They say you can take away all the devices -- we still know how to make it sort of automatic. What I believe has to happen is people of good will have to sit in a room and hammer something out," he told "CBS This Morning."
Kasich, who ran in the 2016 presidential election, suggested if he were president, he would have "reasonable" people get into a room to "let some pressure out of the pressure cooker."
"If you really want to get something done, you've got to get the people who are strong gun advocates ... those who favor gun control who are not going to be extreme from the standpoint of saying, 'My way or no way' -- you've got to get them, law enforcement and experts into a room," he said.
He added, "With the right leadership you can get it done."