Senators Caught on Tape: "Confiscate GUNS!, Confiscate, Confiscate

Second Amendment rights advocates are fuming today over words from three Democratic state senators caught on tape after Thursday’s hearing on the upper chamber’s gun control package.

The three female senators, who sound from the recording to be Sen. Loretta Weinberg, Sen. Sandy Cunningham and Sen. Linda Greenstein are heard discussing the the just closed hearing.

“We needed a bill that was going to confiscate, confiscate, confiscate,” said an unknown voice.

Weinberg said she had no idea who said confiscate or in what context, or if it was even a lawmaker. The next voice, which is clearly Weinberg, said, ”They want to keep the guns out of the hands of the bad guys, but they don’t have any regulations to do it.”

Next up was Cunningham: “They don’t care about the bad guys. All they want to do is have their little guns and do whatever they want with them.”

Then Greenstein: “That’s the line they’ve developed.”

Scott Bach, executive director of the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, said the comments are indicative of an extremist mentality.

“We’re outraged by this,” Bach said.  ”These are the words of gun ban extremists and unfortunately they have the ear of the senate president right now. The bill package that is coming up Monday in the full senate needs to be held.”

Reached Friday, Weinberg took issue with the gun advocates and the release of the hot mic recording.

“The advocates would be much better off not inflaming people,” she said.  ”Nothing in this package of bills ‘confiscates.’ If people want to inflame folks rather than advocating on the reality of the situation, I can’t do anything about it.”

Asked who used the words “confiscate” on the recording, Weinberg said she has no idea.  It could have been a staffer, she said, adding that she has no idea what microphone was still on or who it would have picked up in addition to the three senators.

“All I know is it’s not my voice and I don’t know who said it or in what context.”

Calls to Greenstein and Cunningham were not immediately returned.