California Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D) is asking Governor Gavin Newsom (D) to suspend all ammunition sales in the state during the coronavirus shutdown. Moreover, he is asking that all firearm sales be suspended as well.

Santiago sent a letter to Newsom on April 13, 2020. The letter begins: “Thank you for the work that you and your administration have been doing to face down the COVID-19 pandemic. I am writing today to urge you to enact a statewide suspension of firearm and ammunition sales, with an exception for law enforcement and authorized peace officers.”

Santiago went on the cite the surge in firearm purchases, noting that guns are one of the things Californians began “panic-buying” after “Italy’s reported outbreak of COVID-19 cases.” He then noted: “While personal safety is extremely important during these challenges times, so is public safety. According to the Department of Justice, approximately 22,424 firearms are still in the hands of prohibited persons in California. Public safety amidst a public health crisis must continue to be our shared priority.”

The NRA-ILA responded to Santiago’s reference to the 22,000+ firearms that are already possessed by prohibited persons in the state:

Santiago references the more than 22,000 open cases in California’s Armed and Prohibited Person System. What he fails to mention is that this backlog has been going on for years. In fact, in 2013 the legislature appropriated 24 million dollars under the guise that the backlog could be cleared in a year. That hasn’t happened. Instead millions of dollars continue to be poured into the program and yet the backlog remains. Meanwhile, in the face of the COVID-19 crisis, criminals are being released from prison in record numbers to mitigate spread while law enforcement resources remain diminished. At least Santiago is right about one thing – public safety should be a top priority. However, denying people their constitutional right to self-defense only makes sense if you despise freedom the way he does.

On March 28, 2020, Breitbart News reported that Trump Administration’s release of guidelines labeling firearm retailers and manufacturers as “essential” businesses during this time of coronavirus shutdowns.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.