Lt. Gov. Ainsworth: ‘I don’t think you should have to have a permit to carry’

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February 10, 2019

During an interview with WVNN’s “Politics and Moore” that broadcasted from Saturday’s Bama Carry conference in Jasper, Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth voiced his support for an effort to eliminate Alabama’s requirement to hold a permit to carry a firearm.

Ainsworth said he viewed such requirements as unconstitutional given the Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms.

The effort has been previously led by Sen. Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa) and will be once again in this upcoming legislative session.

“[W]e’re going to do everything we can to protect the Second Amendment and make sure that it is a right,” Ainsworth said. “You know, I think so much people view it as a privilege, and it is not. It is a right in our Constitution, and we’re going to make sure we fight for that.”

“I think one of the things certainly we’re going to look at is I don’t think you should have to have a permit to carry,” he continued. “So, I think that is something we’re going to look at this session to try to get rid of. I think if you want to be able to carry a pistol, you should be able to do that. That’s a right in the Constitution. So, certainly, I think Sen. [Gerald] Allen has had that bill before. We’re going to push that and make sure we try to get it passed.”

The lieutenant governor went on to encourage listeners to contact their legislators, especially on the State House of Representatives side, to voice their support.

“If you look at the polling on this, you talk to people across the state – overwhelmingly people in Alabama want this,” Ainsworth added. “I think the disconnect — we’ve got to make sure the citizens and the people that want this contact their legislators, especially in the House. So, we need to make sure you let your House members know why you want this, why it’s important and I think that’s how democracy works. We’ve got to make sure everyday people contact their legislators. That’s important.”

@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University, the editor of Breitbart TV and host of “The Jeff Poor Show” from 2-5 p.m. on WVNN in Huntsville.