Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., said Obama had taken \u201cdivisive, unilateral action\u201d that infringed upon the rights of gun owners.<\/p>\n
\u201cExecutive orders cannot, and should not, stand in place of the Constitution,\u201d Gardner said. \u201cThe desire on the part of the president to govern the entire country based on his own whims is dangerous. I empathize with the desire of many to do something about recent incidences of violence in our country. But these executive actions would not have prevented many of the tragedies our communities have faced.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gardner added that he would continue to urge his colleagues in Congress to take legislative steps to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and to \u201cbetter enforce the countless regulations on gun ownership already on the books.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, echoed Gardner\u2019s sentiment and added that the legality of the executive actions would be challenged.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe president\u2019s overreaching proposals to restrict the Second Amendment for law-abiding citizens have already been debated and rejected by the Senate,\u201d Tipton said. \u201cYet the president is playing politics rather than working with Congress to advance solutions. These executive orders, like many of the president\u2019s previous such actions, will be challenged and likely defeated in the courts.\u201d<\/p>\n
But other Colorado politicians were more supportive of the efforts, citing the state\u2019s expanded background checks as an example of how improved safety standards save lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cBackground checks keep guns out of the wrong hands,\u201d said Gov. John Hickenlooper in a statement soon after the president\u2019s announcement. \u201cIn Colorado, expanded background checks prevented more than 27,000 illegal purchases since 2012, including more than 100 denials based on prior arrest or conviction of homicide. The president\u2019s orders are an important step in saving lives across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., has advocated for expanding background checks, and has previously supported similar legislative efforts in the U.S. Senate. Adam Bozzi, a spokesman for Bennet, told The Durango Herald that the president\u2019s executive orders built off of previous efforts but that Congress needed to act further.<\/p>\n
\u201cSenator Bennet has voted for the bipartisan Manchin-Toomey bill to require common-sense background checks on most gun sales, like we\u2019ve done here in Colorado,\u201d Bozzi said. \u201cHe has also supported efforts to improve the background check system, to prevent criminals and terrorists from purchasing guns, and to increase support for mental health services. The president\u2019s actions today are consistent with these initiatives and Congress still needs to act.\u201d<\/p>\n