“I happen to believe there is evil in the world.”
Republican Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) spoke on CNN Tuesday to explain why he is choosing to oppose the Fix NICS Act, which would improve the federal background check system for firearm purchases.
While the bill, pushed by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), has received support from both parties, Kennedy said that he believes it will be ineffective, despite agreeing with the “spirit” of the plan.
Kennedy criticized the bill’s attempt to encourage federal employees to do their job so that up-to-date information is available on criminal background checks.
“We know for a fact that many federal agencies and many states are not sending information into the NICS database,” said Kennedy. “There are holes in the program you can drive a Mac truck through.”
The bill proposes that bonuses be taken from workers who fail to implement proper regulations in the NICS system, a rule Kennedy slammed.
“Why the hell are they getting bonuses to begin with?” he said, adding, “If they don’t do their job, then fire them. They already have an incentive to do their job. It’s called a job.”
When asked whether he would support any kind of gun control legislation, Kennedy said he didn’t think so.
“I think we need more idiot control,” he said.
Kennedy explained that while it’s a “misuse of the word” to refer to the mentally ill as “idiots,” he argued that people are too quick to assume that a mass shooter is in fact mentally ill.
“I’m talking about other people, we just automatically assume some of these folks are mentally ill,” said Kennedy. “I happen to believe there is evil in the world.”
Kennedy concluded the interview by suggesting that the system already in place is not being adequately implemented and that the priority for preventing future mass shootings is to ensure that current programs are enforced.
