CNN "The Lead with Jake Tapper" - Transcript: Interview with Arizona Senator Jeff Flake
Interview
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TAPPER: Senator Jeff Flake, Republican of Arizona, is pushing to raise that age limit. He joins me now.
Senator Flake, thanks so much for joining us.
SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R), ARIZONA: Sure.
TAPPER: I understand that you just met with about five students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
I have heard a lot of conservatives say these kids aren't experts. Why are they having an influence on this debate? But you met with them. So, what do you think?
FLAKE: Right.
Well, I think that this is a different kind of tragedy, in that it is high school kids, a sympathetic group, obviously, but a very, very articulate, committed bunch of kids. And they are obviously social media savvy.
And that's why I think they're having the impact that they're having. They're organized, and they're here. So, I'm glad they are. And I hope they keep it up.
TAPPER: The White House says that President Trump still supports raising the age limit for the purchase of certain semiautomatic weapons to 21, which you have legislation to do. He hasn't mentioned that age limit idea in any of his most recent
remarks on guns. There are reports on Capitol Hill that he seems to be walking away from it. Are you worried at all that this is going to play out the same way immigration reform did?
FLAKE: Yes, I am. That is a concern.
But I did just hear a few moments ago that he seems to have committed again to that particular item, raising the minimum age. I hope he has.
[16:40:01]
TAPPER: I guess the big question, though, for people like you who are trying to get things done and also trying to figure out what the president will sign, are you worried at all that you can't trust the president to stick by policy proposals that he might change his mind about the next day?
FLAKE: Well, it has been an issue. You mentioned on immigration.
There was talk of the Tuesday president or the Thursday president. And he seemed to have changed on a few of those items. It is difficult to negotiate.
But I hope that he sticks with this. He said it a number of times just after the tragedy. And I know that that is where the kids are. That's what they want, and a lot of parents across the country and others too. There's just simply no justification for having the minimum age be 21 for a handgun, but only 18 for an assault weapon.
That makes no sense at all.
TAPPER: Our new CNN poll shows that 70 percent of those polled in this country now support tightening the nation's gun laws. That is up almost 20 points since October.
I guess a question, I don't know if the kids asked you this or not, but it is something on the minds of our viewers, I'm sure. With such overwhelming support for an issue, why does it still seem so unlikely that Congress will actually do anything about it?
FLAKE: Well, this is an election year, and people worry about how this will play.
I think it is long past time that we take some commonsense measures like the one we've been talking about, and also the no-fly, no-buy. I will be introducing that with Senator Collins and a few others today. So, there are things that we can do and we should do this week.
TAPPER: The students probably, I don't know, I wasn't in the meeting, and you haven't told me what they said. But it sounds like one of the things that they want to do is get rid of some kinds of semiautomatic weapons, otherwise known as assault weapons.
Did they push for that and what would your response be one way or the other?
FLAKE: They didn't. I don't want to characterize their positions. But they talked about the age limit and a few other items. So, that's all they talked about in my meeting.
TAPPER: Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that President Trump can ban bump stocks through regulation alone. It doesn't need legislation.
I have heard from an expert who said that that's not true, actually, that the reason that they're legal is because, if you go through it in the regulatory process, you're taking the bump stock and you're actually classifying it as a machine gun, and that is going to definitely result in lawsuits.
Do you think that it needs to be done with legislation?
FLAKE: Well, I hope they move ahead and put whatever it is, a temporary ban or whatever from ATF. But I do think Congress needs to act on it.
And that's why Martin Heinrich and I are offering a bipartisan piece of legislation, not just bump stocks, but any mechanical device, whether it's a crank or bump stock, that increases the rate of fire to make a semiautomatic weapon act for all intents and purposes like an automatic weapon.
So, I do hope that Congress moves on that. I think we should put it in statute.
TAPPER: Next month, you're speaking at a politics and eggs breakfast in New Hampshire.
This was just announced. For those who don't know, that breakfast is a traditional testing ground for politicians considering running for president.
Do you have anything to tell us?
FLAKE: No. I received an invitation, and I accepted it. So I look forward to speaking there.
TAPPER: Is it possible that you might run for president in 2020?
FLAKE: That's not in my plans. I never rule anything out, but that's not in my plans right now. But I'm glad to be there in New Hampshire.
TAPPER: Senator Jeff Flake, it's always good to have you. Thank you, sir.
FLAKE: Thanks for having me on.
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