The Democratic presidential nominee owns a type of weapon whose sales are restricted in California under a handgun safety law.
Vice President Kamala Harris revealed this week that she owns a Glock — a weapon that is restricted for purchase in California amid a court battle over the state’s gun laws.
“I have a Glock, and — I’ve had it for quite some time,” Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, said in an interview that aired Monday on CBS News’ “60 Minutes.” “My background is in law enforcement.” She added that she has fired the weapon at a shooting range.
A Harris campaign aide said in a statement to NBC News that it is the same gun that she mentioned owning in 2019 during her previous run for president and that it “is in a secure location in her home in California.”
Harris’ revelation unleashed a wave of criticism from Second Amendment groups and conservative media, which accused her of hypocrisy given her long-standing support for measures that would restrict people from purchasing certain types of weapons. They also questioned how she originally bought the handgun given California’s strict gun-purchasing requirements.
The Harris campaign did not specify where and when she bought the Glock, which model she owns or which storage devices she uses. Harris said last month that the gun is for self-defense and that “if somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot.” Harris’ current residence is guarded by armed Secret Service agents.
Under a 2001 California law, which is being challenged in court, handguns that are purchased or sold in the state must meet certain product safety standards, and the state maintains a roster of firearms that are approved for sale.
Some older models of Glocks and other handguns that do not meet the standards have been grandfathered in. But the roster excludes Glock pistols released from 2010 onward, as they lack mandatory safety features such as magazine disconnects, which prevent guns from being fired if the magazines are removed. Glock did not respond to a request for comment.
There is an exemption for certain law enforcement officials “for use in the discharge of their official duties,” as well as “for personal use,” according to the state Justice Department. Those exempt include members of the Justice Department and district attorneys’ offices.
Harris has a long track record as a prosecutor, starting in 1990 with her work in Alameda County, California. She was elected district attorney of San Francisco in 2002 and oversaw many high-profile cases.
The campaign did not say whether Harris bought the gun before the law or the limits on Glocks were enacted or whether she received an exemption to purchase her handgun, and the state Justice Department did not immediately comment.
NBC News could not confirm Wednesday whether Harris would have qualified for an exemption in her previous positions as California’s attorney general or in local district attorney offices. In 2013, as attorney general, Harris cleared the way for a new provision of the handgun safety law to take effect.
Gun-rights advocates denounced Harris for owning a firearm while she was arguing for policies that would restrict which weapons people would be allowed to buy. She previously supported mandatory buybacks of assault weapons. She has since recanted her position, but she continues to support a federal assault weapons ban. In 2008, she led a group of district attorneys who urged the U.S. Supreme Court not to strike down a broad ban on handguns in Washington, D.C., arguing that it would interfere with state and local governments’ authority to create their own firearm laws; the court ultimately overturned the law.
“Out of one side of her mouth, she sees the social utility of firearms for her. But she doesn’t want anyone else to have access to the most effective tools to defend themselves or their families,” said C.D. Michel, a California attorney who is representing the gun-rights advocates suing California over its handgun safety law. “I think that she’s basically a hypocrite.”
Kris Brown, a leading gun safety advocate, argued there was no contradiction between Harris’ gun ownership and her support for restricting ownership of certain types of weapons.
“I think it’s fantastic that she talks about being a gun owner — she doesn’t try to hide it from the public,” said Brown, president of Brady, which advocates to prevent gun violence.
“The general public understands there’s no daylight between believing in the Second Amendment and being a gun owner and believing in policies that save lives,” she added.
Harris has maintained there is no contradiction between her belief in gun rights and her support for policies like assault weapons bans, universal background checks and red flag laws.
“I think for far too long on the issue of gun violence some people have been pushing a really false choice to suggest you’re either in favor of the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone’s guns away,” she said at a campaign event last month.
