Two Virginia lawmakers interested in closing the state's so-called "gun show loophole" have taken a novel approach to their efforts -- a video showing them buying a gun and ammunition clip at a recent gun show.
State Sen. Adam Ebbin and Delegate Patrick Hope -- both Democrats from northern Virginia – bought the gun and ammo in Chantilly.
“This is what a killer used at Newtown,” Ebbin said holding up the ammunition clip, “and it looks pretty innocent, but what it can do is something we’ve got to be wary of.”
Hope paid $175 for a revolver.
“We were able to buy a gun without any problems, any background check, hardly any questions were asked,” Hope said. “The transaction was very fast. It was very seamless.”
The law they want to change is one that says a private gun seller – someone who does not make a living selling guns – is not required to do a background check on a buyer, though both the seller and buyer must be Virginia residents.
Jim Snyder, of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, believes the term “gun show loophole” is deliberately deceiving.
“The whole point is they’re trying to demonize gun shows to make it appear that something underhanded is going on at a gun show that would not be allowed outside of a gun show, and the bottom line is: Anything legal that is done at a gun show can be done legally outside of a gun show and vice versa,” Snyder said.
