Gun Owners on Edge as Resurfaced Harris Video Promises Home Gun Confiscation
Concerns among gun owners over a potential Harris-Walz administration are intensifying after footage from 2007 recently resurfaced, showing Vice President Kamala Harris, then a San Francisco prosecutor, making alarming promises about firearm confiscation. The video shows Harris asserting that law enforcement could enter private homes to inspect firearm storage, a claim that gun rights advocates fear could signal broader confiscation policies.
In the video, Harris, who served as San Francisco’s district attorney from 2003 to 2011, is seen promoting a new law aimed at regulating gun storage within homes. Speaking to reporters, she emphasized the legal authority of her office to ensure compliance with firearm safety regulations, stating, “Just because you legally possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn’t mean that we’re not going to walk into that home and check to see if you’re being responsible and safe.”
This 2007 press conference, which focused on San Francisco’s stricter gun laws, saw Harris and other Democratic prosecutors pushing for tougher enforcement, especially if firearms were found improperly stored. The law, signed by then-Mayor Gavin Newsom, included measures such as stringent storage requirements, inventory submissions by gun distributors, and a ban on firearm ownership in public housing.
At the time, Newsom declared San Francisco’s gun laws the “strictest in the country,” a sentiment echoed by Harris, who framed the legislation as a reflection of the city’s values. “It’s about trying to encourage certain types of behavior,” Harris said, arguing that the law wasn’t just about punishment but about shaping societal norms.
However, Harris’s past tough-on-crime rhetoric on gun control now appears at odds with her more progressive stances during her 2020 presidential run. In 2019, Harris advocated for reforms such as reducing federal conviction rates for certain offenders and providing federal funding for gender reassignment surgeries for convicted felons. This shift has raised questions among critics and supporters alike, especially following recent statements in which Harris insisted her “values haven’t changed.”
In a recent CNN interview alongside Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Harris reiterated that her views remain consistent, a claim that has left some experts skeptical. Lora Ries, a border security expert at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News that Harris’s assurances seem to be aimed at appeasing her progressive base while making broader appeals during the election campaign.
Even progressive figures like Senator Bernie Sanders have acknowledged Harris’s calculated approach, suggesting that she’s soft-pedaling her more progressive positions to win over moderate voters. “Her views are not mine, but I do consider her a progressive,” Sanders remarked, indicating a pragmatic approach to the campaign.
Last week, during a heated debate, former President Donald Trump accused Harris of planning widespread gun confiscation. Harris denied the allegation, insisting that both she and Walz are gun owners who respect the Second Amendment. “This business about taking everyone’s guns away… Tim Walz and I are both gun owners. We’re not taking anybody’s guns away,” she said, accusing Trump of spreading misinformation.
Despite her reassurances, the resurfaced video has reignited concerns among gun owners and rights advocates who believe her past statements indicate a potential for aggressive gun control measures. As the 2024 election looms, Harris’s evolving positions on firearms and crime remain a contentious issue, leaving many to wonder what a Harris-Walz administration might mean for gun owners across the country.