Kemp Admits His Approach To Violent Crime Isn’t Working
With Violent Crime on the Rise, Kemp Admits His Extreme and Dangerous Agenda of More Guns on Our Streets Isn’t Working
Gov. Brian Kemp is trying to have it both ways when it comes to addressing violent crime. In an interview with Fox News yesterday, Kemp admitted that he was “the guy that ran on going after street gangs four years ago.” But despite his campaign promises in 2018, as recently as April, Kemp was already confessing there has been a “rise in crime we’ve been facing in many communities across Georgia” under his watch.
Kemp has risked public safety in pursuit of re-election, ignoring concerns from mayors and law enforcement officers across the state and signing his new “criminal carry” bill into law, which makes it easier for criminals to carry loaded, hidden guns in public without a permit or its background check.
“Brian Kemp likes to play a tough guy on TV, but the governor can’t brag about taking on criminals while admitting crime has risen throughout our state under his watch. Georgians heard it straight from his mouth — his efforts to take on rising crime haven’t been working. If Kemp is serious about protecting Georgians, he needs to take responsibility for the rise in crime communities have been facing under his leadership and how his dangerous gun policies making it easier for criminals to carry guns in public will make it worse,” stated Max Flugrath, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Georgia.
Background on Kemp’s Dangerous “Criminal Carry” Law:
“Criminal carry” created a new loophole by eliminating part of the background check process which anyone wanting to carry a concealed firearm currently must undergo. The change makes it easier for individuals with a criminal history who purchased a gun through a private sale – which is not subject to a background check – to carry a weapon in public. The existing permit process prevented over 5,200 applicants from obtaining firearm carry licenses in 2020 — the majority of those denials were due to prior criminal records, outstanding arrests, mental health flags, or domestic violence charges.
States that have passed similar laws have seen increases in violent crime. Georgia already has the 17th highest rate of gun deaths in the nation and its rate of gun deaths increased 41 percent from 2011 to 2020. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for kids and teens in the state.