Gun Owner ID Card Plan Opposed by Thornburgh
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WASHINGTON — A Justice Department task force is floating the idea of requiring weapons purchasers to obtain a national gun owner’s identity card, but Atty. Gen. Dick Thornburgh will not endorse it, a spokesman said today.
David Runkel, commenting on a proposal contained in a lengthy list of gun-control options published this week, said Thornburgh “is opposed to that and would not recommend it to the President.”
“He feels that’s an infringement on rights of Americans and believes that is not the way to tackle this problem,” the spokesman said.
Thornburgh opposed a similar plan that was advanced in the 1970s when he was assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department’s criminal division, Runkel said.
The card plan has been strongly opposed by organizations of gun owners.
The task force study was required by Congress last year as part of anti-drug legislation.
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