Kirsten Gillibrand tells Stephen Colbert how to break the NRA's 'chokehold on Congress'
Stephen Coblert's guest on Tuesday's Late Show was Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and after discussing what they gave up for Lent, Colbert turned to last week's school shooting in Parkland, Florida. "You've been in D.C. since 2007, why can't there be any meaningful reform — or even meaningless reform?" he asked. "Congress has done nothing," Gillibrand agreed. "And they don't get anything done because the NRA has a chokehold on Congress. The NRA is concerned only with gun sales — it is literally all about money, it is all about greed, it has nothing to do with the Second Amendment — and we've seen death after death after death. And it has to stop."
Colbert prodded a bit, asking if lawmakers are beholden to the NRA's campaign cash, its firing-up of single-issue gun voters, or its threat to fund primary challengers. Gillibrand said all of the above: "It's the power of money, it's the power of communications, it's the fear they instill in members, and it's wrong." She ducked a question about the NRA and Democrats but offered her solution: "Listen to these kids" in Florida who are "speaking truth to power."
Listening to parents and children who lost loved ones to guns changed her mind, Gillibrand said, accounting for her drop from an NRA A rating to an F. "I think this whole conversation has a chance of changing because of these kids," she said. Colbert noted that it isn't just guns — large majorities of both parties also support protecting DREAMers, and Congress does nothing there, either. Gillibrand blamed "dark money" from corporations.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"You need to take away the voice and the outsized influence that corporations have over members of Congress, and the NRA is one of the worst offenders," she said. They ended by talking about ongoing Russian efforts to sway U.S. elections and what she said, as the "#MeToo senator," to her former colleague Al Franken. Watch below. Peter Weber
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 17, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - history repeating, the Pope's white flag, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Derelict homes, Welsh mines, and vinyl
Podcast What can we do about abandoned property? Are old mines still doing us harm? And what do LP sales tell us about the economy?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Dresden: on the trail of a Romantic icon in Germany
the week recommends The Saxon city celebrates the 250th birthday of Caspar David Friedrich this year
By The Week UK Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Immigration helped the US economy outpace peers
speed read The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.2% last quarter
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
4-day workweek gets boost from UK study
Speed Read Following a six-month trial, the majority of participating British companies are still using the truncated schedule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sues to block Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The Federal Trade Commission sued to block the $24.6 billion merger between the grocery giants
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Nvidia sees historic stock rise on AI chips success
Speed Read U.S. chipmaker Nvidia achieved the biggest one-day increase in value of any company in history
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York may seize Trump's assets for $450M penalty
Speed Read The former president likely owes $600 million from two civil judgments in New York
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Capital One to buy Discover for $35B
Speed Read The deal, if cleared by regulators, would create the biggest credit card lender in the country
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sports Illustrated publisher fires CEO after allegedly getting caught using AI-generated articles
Speed Read The CEO is one of several executives to be fired in the wake of the scandal
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published