Now the battle over new gun control laws here at home, tomorrow NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre is going to testify from the Senate Judiciary Committee, now tonight, we're learning he plans to attack the proposals for a new ban on semiautomatic weapons and he takes on some critics who want to expand background check. According to prepared testimony just released, LaPierre will say, and I quote, "When it comes to the issue of background checks, let's be honest, background checks will never be universal, because criminals will never submit to them."
The NRA is calling on members to show their support in a big way, the organization's political arm just sent a mass email calling on all 4 million members to show up tomorrow, and quote, "pack the hearing room, all of this coming with ungoing hearings and emotional hearings in Connecticut."
That's where governor Dannel Malloy's bipartisan task force on gun violence prevention is talking with hundreds of people in Hartford. It's the panel's job to propose ways to address the factors that led up to the tragedy in Newtown. Connecticut already has some of the toughest gun laws in the country. But some of the Sandy Hook parents argue to make them even stricker, and they faced opposition from some vocal opponents in the crowd.
Metal detectors, heavy security and a sign on the door reading "No Guns Allowed!". That's what greeted hundreds attending this Connecticut hearing on gun law.
"Try put yourself in the place I'm in, it's not a good feeling to look at your child laying in a casket, look at your child with a bullet wound to the forehead."
Neil Hesin's son Jesse was killed at Newtown, but that didn't seem to matter to the hecklers.
"If there's anybody in this room that can give me one reason or challenge this question. Why anybody in this room needs to have listen, one of these assault style weapons or military weapons or high capacity clips? Not one person can answer that question."
"Second Amendment shall not be infringed."
"Alright."
"Please, please no comments whille Heslin's speaking or we'll clear the room."
This hearing was designed to review the state's gun laws and to hear proposals for change. It was the first time family members who lost love ones at Sandy Hook elementary testified in public. The state's considering enacting a 50% tax on ammunition, expanding a state ban on assault weapons and banning large capacity magazines like the one used by Adam Lanza in the Newtown shooting. This single mother from Waterbury believes those changes would be going to far.
"You will take away my legal ability to protect myself and my children at a reasonable price. Protecting myself and my children means I shoud continue to be able to select the firearm in magazine size that I believe will keep us safe, don't my children and I deserve your support, your consideration to be safe?"
"Not one of these gun proposals would have impacted the heinous act, nor will it affect future perpetrators, these current quick fix do something bills, do not address the root cause and actions of the Newtown criminal, please remeber, gun owners of the good guys.."
Rabbi Shaul Praver counseled many of the Newtown families.
"And this is serious, I do not want to come here or at any other city to describe what it's like to console parents who have had their children's brain shot out."
Mark Mattioli, whose son James was killed at Newtown, surprised the crowd when he suggested tighter gun control is not the answer.
"How do we expect to have any impact on an society and say we'll, we're going to pass a law, hey, this is inexcusable, we can't allow any more of this. Let's pass a law that will change the course of future when we don't enforce the laws that we have on the books."
Another parent, Veronique Pozner, who lost her six-year-old son Noah in the shooting. She sat next to his photographes while calling for lawmakers to ban all assault rifles and tax ammunition to help pay for school security.
"The time is now, let the state of Connecticut become an agent for change."
Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.