this sunday. enjoy the rest of your weekend. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013] >> today on c-span, "newsmakes" with larry pratt followed by remarks at the denver police academy. >> this week on autzen "newsmakers" we want to welcome to larry pratt. thank you. we have to reporters with us to help with questions, david

gibson.ski and ginger let me have you tell us the difference between your group and the national rifle association. >> the easiest way would be two. how we were organized. between ther states, they organized the nra. a hundred years later when your organize not to help the government but to oppose the government because of the growing flood of legislation we were facing. attitudes from the very beginning. how would you say you are different? >> we have maintained a position opposed to the background checks from the get go. the nra now agrees with us on

that. we are very happy that is the case. it makes it much more likely that we will prevail in stopping the background check from getting put on the books. >> how would you say your group works with the nra? >> we pretty much set our own forces. it is nice to know that we're very much on the same page. >> they sent a letter to senate saying last week improvements in the national instant check system. did they offer your group a chance to sign non? >> they knew we were opposed to the system altogether. last week we got a copy of the

lesser which goes out to anybody -- of the letter which goes out to anybody he was using internet access to do a background check. old to do as they wish. that is the violation of two different federal laws. this is proof positive that what we said at the beginning is that you cannot trust the government. they will use this information in ways they arebe using it. an opposition to increase penalties that there would not be purchasing if there were no limits on who could carry a gun. you have said you are opposed to expanding the background checks. do you think there should be any limits on who should on the guns, felons, criminally insane at? should bees who

in jail. let's sort out on the streets -- let some out on the street, that is what happens. criminals have always broken the law. if we think someone is dangerous and we have proven it. >> if you were on the side of states having the right to determine whether legal immigrants could contain permits. the general counsel told us that the group supports equal concealed rights. do you feel that anyone should illegal immigrants should be allowed to carry? >> anybody here in this country legally, as citizens or visitor should be able to protect themselves. anything you support that

you think is necessary? >> we would like to see the laws repealed. thathas put a measure in would do away with the ban on legally carried guns in schools. if a teacher, principal had a permit they should be able see have a gun. if a juror that comes in, they will not likely have to wait 20 is a little longer than average. .t was not off the charts the special giving the area newtown was. the first responder has to be armed. it to be someone at the school. >> where with teachers keep the

guns? -- would teachers keep the guns and that's quite concealed on their persons. access tohave ready it. and not being an army officer with a bad, they are not going to be the target that somebody would be that is standing there openly carrying with a uniform. then we take back very quickly the element of surprise. >> there have been news reports that your group is behind this theat of a filibuster when senate democrats bring legislation because of your group. they are not going to allow this to come to the floor. is that true? >> that is overstating our tremendous power on capitol hill. supportry happy to

senator paul and his colleagues in this effort. it is a growing number that are now publicly saying me too." ust is encouraging and makes cautiously optimistic. >> do you know the number is now? been 13 that have publicly joined together. >> the people in oklahoma followed tom coburn around and put the pressure to join in on this filibuster. why not let it come to a vote? >> when you are in a snake pit you kill a snake and a chance you get. the filibuster is a readily available tool used by democrats and republicans alike. this time it may be to our liking. the >> are you concerned that it

will not pass if it comes to the floor? >> there is always that chance. when you're dealing with legislation needed the best shot as soon as you can. you do not want to play from behind catching up. i am not sure what would happen in the house. speaker john boehner does not have much of a backbone. overght very well preside disaster. we're not interested in a vote. .here will be a vote everybody will know what is going on. >> tom coburn and democratic senators have said that universal background checks, at the bill will not get through the senate. politically speaking, would it be beneficial for your group to have a potentially vulnerable democrats on the record?

>> i certainly have no objection to having people on record with a vote. if we can do it on a procedural vote, we can explain that to voters. >> and you think there should be up or down votes on assault weapons? >> it does not look like they are something that even the democrats want to bring up. harry reid -- >> he guaranteed a vote. >> bless his heart. i do not know if there will be a procedural matter. is a motion to proceed, which is what is called, that may be the vote. >> you spoke of your influence. talk what will likely be voted on the store. how much influence you can you

have in washington compared to the nra? do you think you're gaining ground as more influential? >> i do not have a way to measure that. we're happy to work with the senators that are taking the lead on this. we're very pleased that these were people that we had backed heavily. we've made the right decision during the campaign. many oppose candidates who were from the republican establishment. we are looking for people that are not afraid to go and challenge the establishment. this filibuster probably is .oing that in the senate at the same kind of thing seems to be happening. we are getting what we hoped. we are delighted that we identify them in time to help them and their campaigns. these are people that are

operation on their convictions. >> these are? one.nator cruz was in the preceding election we went in and help senator paul established -- challenge the establishment in kentucky. >> polls show it to an 85% and supportmerican voters universal background checks. where is the political fall back for someone backing something at 98% to not agree with? >> those should not begin eating credence. they have showed that the or 80% inparticular

favor of making background checks universal. when we polled our own members illions responded, 5%. >> how many members do you have an? >> 300,000. believe the poll having identified the opinion of other people? >> the mayor against illegal guns is running ads in several states that depict go owners advocating for background checks. do you represent those donors? is trying tomberg spend this the besses can. -- the best he compared it is

probably an actor but not a typical gun owner. hollywood loves their guns. hollywood is that going to give up their guns. there is preaching that we should give up our guns. >> can you talk about the u.n. arms straight treaty and why --re is such a position vociferous opposition? is almost never likely to get a 2/3 vote of the senate. >> why do you say that? >> the u.n. treaty would require gun licensing to comply with terms of the treaty. we have a government that ran fast and furious. porringer mexicans were murdered by criminals that our government

gave guns. this judgment over whether i could have a gun without their provision, this government has bank implicit in murder nothing has been done about this. the attorney general was caught lying under oath. he has been turned over to federal court of prosecution for the house. nothing. >> can i go back to what you said about speaker bayer -- john boehner saying he had no backbone? he had tremendous leverage as the with the -- fellow with the purse to say we will knock this out. we're going to get rid of obamacare. that is the way you can get rid of it, put it on as an amendment to one of the must

pass spending measures and is gone. >> do you trust the speaker on gun-control legislation? >> of that and not inspire a lot of confidence. -- that did not inspire a lot of confidence. confidencenstill when he says he's waiting for the senate before he has his own agenda. that seems odd to me. it seems republicans ought to be pushing. they have their own majority. the house won by a greater margin. not to be driving forward on an agenda, what kind of leadership is that? >> what would you like him to stay? >> will put an end to obamacare.

the government will not shut down. that is such a misnomer. the government will slow down to size.57% of its current it is certainly not going to lock up and go away. >> what do you wanted to say on gun legislation? ofhe can put a repeal obamacare on as a condition of continuing the spending here in washington. he could secure the problem just like that. >> how is obamacare an invasion of privacy? >> it opens up all medical records to prowling around by drones here in washington. when they see something like ptsd, they use that like sending the cannot have a gun. no evidence that the person actually is a threat. they just use these diagnoses as a wholesale disarmament of a

whole group of people. 150,000 veterans have been disarmed things to this approach. >> you see medical records as another data registry? thenother way of adding to list of people that supposedly should not have guns. that is why we oppose obamacare from the beginning. when you invade the privacy of all americans, there is a subset of gun owners that will have their privacy invaded, too. >> the main argument is background checks. it would create a registry and be registry with then used to confiscate guns. did you think the government tried to take guns away? >> the government has done it. they did it after katrina. they found that you had bought

guns. the source maintained records. they confiscated the guns. not confidence inspiring. and fast and furious, they supplied fire arms to the mexican cartel. we know it was for the purpose of trying to advance the agenda of the control on behalf of the administration. you are willing to get people killed in order to advance a political agenda? >> you suggested last july the government might have been involved in or set of the aurora shootings. do you feel this way? thinking atot our all. they took advantage of it. people like the president have an agenda for gun control and they tried to use it.

we should put it back in their face. there were seven theatres there in the proximity of the dirtbag that did the killing. he could have gone to any one of them with equal ease and access. he chose one. "noonly one that said guns." >> is that type of person someone you would describe as being capable of making rational decisions? >> that was very rational. he had done his planning. he went carried out his horrible deeds. just because he is evil does not mean he is that people of -- capable of linear logic. to enter thousand dollars less sure that was spent in the election by direct contributions. the structure is such that the

sec does not disclose your money. wordy get -- where d get the bulk of your money? >> we are a grass roots. the large donors. otherwise we would not exist if making not for people $15 contributions. the bones,ick up send a postcard to their members of congress. that is at the front line of our activity. >> the nra get a good deal of their funding from the roundup program. beyou think that should allowed to continue that do you think the nra should countries in that way? >> i think it is a great idea. i would like for bedsores to do the same thing for us. >> the other criticism comes from manufacturers.

do you take money from the industry? we get a very small amount from the industry. we would love to have more. >> i want to talk about your rating system for house members and senators. it is different from the nra. , in 1993ike harry reid he voted against the ban on so- called assault weapons. 2005 he voted for legislation that would shield the gun manufacturers from liability. he has been described as a strong proponent of the second amendment but she got an f minus from your group. can you explain? >> we are looking at other ways

the second amendment can be infringed. we spoke about obamacare. votesmber of boats -- that occurs, we added those end. we added one that was abetted in obamacare. the same thing with political speech. when congress says she cannot communicate beyond a certain the firstmoney amendment stars out saying congress shall make no law. they have made plenty of laws. they are unconstitutional. we are being gagged by the very people we should be able to expose easy as much money as we can raise. >> we have time for a couple more questions. if legislation does not make it to the floor of the senate on the federal level, some states are moving ahead with stricter gun control laws. colorado, connecticut.

what is your gruen on the state level? >> we do not have the resources to do very much on the state level. we are happy to note that many haves, well over a dozen, bills before them to notify federal confiscation of a fire arms. it would be unconstitutional. they are considering putting penalties on the federal agents who tried to contravene their state law. even beyond that, we have sheriffs who have been making similar statements that it will not happen in their county and a federal agent tries to do that, and they will address them. >> more states are expanding gun rights. to thesee this going courts? >> it will go to the courts.

who knows how the court will rule. that is a misconception the court somehow is the arbiter of what is constitutional. that is not true. every official that raises their right hand and says they will adhere to the constitution, that is something they are obligated to do. it is the voters were going to decide if the sheriff and did the right thing by arresting the federal agent. reelected itets does not matter what the court says. s shouldu think sheriff' step outside the current rental loss of they feel it is unconstitutional? thehe current lot is constitution. that is what the tick and oath to protect. he is not stepping outside of

the limits are placed on them. he is interposing himself between the legitimate authority at the federal level and the authority vested in him by the voters of this county. >> do you think a shares office -- the surest office [inaudible] oute would immediately fly and have a banquet in his honor. >> chuck schumer makes the argument that the first amendment is an absolute. he cannot stop fire in a crowded theater. -- shout fire in a crowded theater. >> schumer is confused, which is not uncommon. sitton charles schumer is saying the first amendment site housetops a criminal act. nobody is free to create a criminal act with a gun. we do not have prior restraint on someone going into a theater.

nothe same token we should be putting prior restraint on people obtaining firearms. pratt, and we will have to leave it there. thank you. with a ginger gibson and david sherfinski. senateppens when the returns this tuesday on gun legislation? >> harry reid has made clear he wants to move this bill to the floor. we have the threat we heard larry talk about. there is a procedural way where carry a rebate be able to move forward. it requires allowing a number of amendments to the bill. like us all things bands and magazine clips. there would be efforts to undo the bill. .o eliminate or strip it

>> what about background checks and making gun trafficking a federal crime? that is the underlying bill. does it past? checkseems background has the likely had to pass. it is seen as very popular. there are a number of voters to have come out. >> david sherfinski, we have heard the national rifle are winning in this debate. how is the other side doing, mayor bloomberg, the other grew somewhat more gun-control? >> if you look at states like new york, maryland, connecticut,

at that are passing these tactics -- the strictest gun laws, if they're having a great influence. states out int of the mountain west region. some of them are working to weaken gun laws. mayor bloomberg's ad campaign is having an impact on what the ultimate outcome will be. it is unsure. even mark prior put out a statement saying i am going to listen to people of arkansas on does not the mayor of new york. he is one of those red state democrats who harry reid would definitely like to have on his side. >> what about the action in the house? larry pratt does not think the speaker of the republican party has the backbone. >> a lot of conservative groups do not trust john boehner.

it has yet to be seen. he has not given anything that would sound like an endorsement to vote on the bill. another element of negotiations in washington. you're going to see a lot of negotiations going on for the next several months. democrats are trying to get it through the house. >> i think a lot of republicans and some democrats and the house might be perfectly fine with letting things peter out. like we saw with mr. pratt, he said that is not enough. you have to come out and say that you're not going to go along with this. anything short of that is unacceptable. >> do we know what great the speaker gets from gun owners? >> i would imagine not a lot. >> you heard larry pratt talk about this whole idea of