Some of the testiest questioning came from Sen. Doug Steinhardt (R-Warren), who interrogated Platkin over gun data in the wake of Bruen, the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision that forced states like New Jersey to remove restrictions on carry permits.
Steinhardt and Platkin sparred over whether an increase in people carrying firearms results in more violence. Platkin maintained that it does, which Steinhardt called a “false narrative.” Steinhardt noted that Platkin himself testified that the 778 people who were shot last year in New Jersey represents the smallest number of people shot here since state police began tracking shooting data in 2009.
“What you’re saying makes zero sense,” Steinhardt said. “You come in here telling us that shooting stats are down, yet 60,000 more people have carry permits than they did in the two and a half years preceding Bruen. With people running around carrying firearms like they would be, why aren’t the stats through the roof?
Platkin responded: “I’m not sure that anything I said doesn’t make sense … The statistics that I’m referencing are kept and collected by the state police. I don’t cook them up in my office.”
— Dana DiFilippo in Attorney general grilled over guns, court losses in Senate hearing
“New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin”………….A jerk by any other name!
At least there is still one American left in Warren County politics, thank you Mr. Steinhardt.
The fact that more carry permits coincided with less shootings may be two unrelated matters, but only a liberal would say that more carry permits and less shootings means were all gonna die…