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Joe Biden says families who leave guns unlocked should be held ‘responsible’ in first remarks after Hunter's verdict
“It’s time we establish universal background checks — and by the way, and require the safe storage of firearms,” Joe Biden said at a pro-gun control conference.
Joe Biden has demanded that families who leave guns unlocked be punished. These public remarks, made on Tuesday, June 11, were his first after his son Hunter Biden was convicted of three felonies.
“It’s time we establish universal background checks — and by the way, and require the safe storage of firearms,” the president, 81, said at a pro-gun control conference held a few blocks from the White House. “We should hold families responsible if they don’t provide those locks on those guns.”
Biden added that he had visited three “major crime scenes” where “the mother or father left open — left stuff out on the desk, left it out on the table and the kid came out and used it.” However, he refrained from directly addressing his son’s guilty verdict during the pre-scheduled speech, delivered to the group Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit founded by Michael Bloomberg, a former New York City Mayor.
Joe Biden’s public show of support for son Hunter
Shortly after Hunter’s guilty verdict, Biden broke his silence, saying in a statement, as per AFP, “I am the President, but I am also a Dad. So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery. I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal.”
The president later arranged a photo op at the airport of the Delaware Air National Guard, after he travelled to Wilmington, Delaware, to console his son. He was seen embracing Hunter at the airport and talking to him for several minutes in a public show of support. Hunter’s wife Melissa Cohen and the couple’s son Beau, 4, were also present during the interaction.
