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Ayotte: People On No-Fly List Should Be Banned From Buying Guns

Allegra Boverman for NHPR

New Hampshire Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte says those on the no-fly list should be banned from purchasing guns.

Ayotte made her position known Sunday on Twitter, saying that those on the watch list should not be able to purchase firearms.

Credit Twitter

She also called for due process for Americans who are wrongfully on the list.  

Ayotte's spokesman Liz Johnson says the measure Ayotte was referring to in the tweet was a "GOP alternative amendment would have allowed the DOJ to prevent individuals on the terrorist watch list from purchasing firearms and that included due process protections for Americans who believe they are wrongly on the list."

All but one Republican Senator backed that measure.

The state Democratic party issued a response Monday morning.

“Once again, Kelly Ayotte is trying to mislead Granite Staters about her votes to put Washington special interests before New Hampshire," said Melissa Miller with the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "Last week, Ayotte voted to leave open a loophole allowing known or suspected terrorists to buy guns and explosives. What Ayotte supports instead is a sham Republican alternative that is backed by the strongest supporters of the NRA in Congress, including Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, and would not actually block those on the terrorist watch list from purchasing weapons. Ayotte should be straightforward with Granite Staters about her true record of putting Washington special interests ahead of the safety of New Hampshire."

Ayotte is heading into what’s expected to be a tough re-election battle.

Last week, a day after the deadly San Bernardino, Calif. mass shooting, Ayotte voted against a measure that would have banned the sale of guns to those on the federal terrorism watch list.

The no-fly list is a subset of the terror watch list.

In his address to the nation Sunday night, President Obama called it insane that people on the no-fly list can walk into a store and buy a gun.

He called on Congress to close the loophole.

Michael serves as NHPR's Program Director. Michael came to NHPR in 2012, working as the station's newscast producer/reporter. In 2015, he took on the role of Morning Edition producer. Michael worked for eight years at The Telegraph of Nashua, covering education and working as the metro editor.
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