New York's new law banning concealed weapons from being carried in public places such as parks or public transportation "misses the point," Carl Paladino, a Republican campaigning for New York's 23rd Congressional District, told Newsmax.
The New York law comes on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling allowing people with concealed carry permits to have their weapons in public places.
"They keep talking about guns," Paladino, a Buffalo real estate developer and former gubernatorial candidate, told "Rob Schmitt Tonight" on Thursday. "Guns, guns, guns, guns. It's the mental disease behind those guns. That's the problem, and they don't talk about sending state resources toward handling the mental disease."
Paladino's comments came in response to Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul's announcement about the new law. Hochul said that she refuses "to surrender my right as governor to protect New Yorkers from gun violence or any other form of harm.
"We're not going backward. They may think they can change our lives with the stroke of a pen, but we have pens, too."
Paladino fired back. "When was the last time you heard of a licensed gun owner getting in trouble shooting his gun wrongly or whatever?" Paladino said. "When was the last time we heard that? Here we are. It never happens. Politicians totally misdirect."
Earlier Thursday, Paladino said he had retained counsel to sue Hochul and the New York Legislature over the new gun control law, NBC affiliate WGRZ reported.
Some parts of the new law, such as expanded background checks, are acceptable, Paladino said. However, he opposes restrictions on carrying guns or requiring businesses to create signs for gun-free zones.
"I mean, the idea of having 16 hours of training and submitting to an extensive background check, those are very acceptable restrictions that they should have to keep the undesirables away," Paladino said, WGRZ reported.
Paladino added that he planned to have the legislation filed in federal court by Monday morning.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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