Fox News Channel anchor Bret Baier, one of the co-moderators of a town hall featuring Micheal Bloomberg told his TV audience there were multiple protests happening Monday night in Manassas.
For about a minute, the hour-long town hall that was broadcast live on the Fox News Channel from the Hilton Performing Arts Center in Manassas went off the rails.
It happened after Clark Chitty, a Bristow resident asked a question of Bloomberg, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. President.
“How you do justify when you have an armed security detail that is likely equipped with the same firearms and magazines that you seek to ban citizens from owning. Does your life matter more than mine, or my family’s, or these peoples,” asked Chitty.
Bloomberg, a media mogul billionaire, and former New York City Mayor poured his own cash into many down-ballot races here in Virginia last fall supporting Democrats who backed stricter gun control measures, and Red Flag laws that would prevent the sale of guns to those with a criminal or psychiatric record.
Bloomberg gave a lengthy response.
Look, I probably get 40 or 50 threats every week, and some of them are real. That just happens when you’re the mayor of New York City, or you’re very wealthy, or your campaigning for President of the United States. You get a lot of threats. I have a security details. I pay for it all myself. They’re all retired police officers who are very well trained in fire arms.
Let me talk about firearms for a second. The second amendment gives you the right to bear arms. Nobody suggests we’re going to change the constitution. Even if you wanted to, you’re not going to get it done. So nobody is going to take away you right to bear arms.
The Supreme Court says you can have reasonable restrictions, and the only restrictions in which I’m in favor of is to prevent us from selling guns to people with psychiatric problems, criminals, or people who are minors.
And the federal law, right now… if you go into a gun store, that law applies to all gun stores across America. You cannot buy a gun in a gun store where they won’t do a background check. And all they do is look for those three categories: if you’re a minor, if you have psychiatric problems, or if you have a criminal record. The law does not apply to guns sold over the internet or sold at gun shows. Why? Because those two things came after the law that applies to gun stores was. passed.
What I’ve tried to do is to get every state, because the federal government doesn’t seem to want to do it, just check, before they sell anybody a gun, to make sure they’re not in one of those categories where most people would agree should not have guns.
Afterward, a man sitting in the audience stood up and shouted at Bloomberg if residents in New York City enjoyed similar gun rights protections, as the city is one of the strictest in the nation when it comes to owning a firearm.
At the same time, two other people unfurled banners with the words “Bloomberg protects racists and rapists,” and chanted “let the women speak.” That, apparently, was in response to criticism Bloomberg faced during a recent debate over women that were paid not to disclose the details of abuse and discrimination hat occurred inside his firm.
“No, we don’t protest. We don’t do that,” shouted the man to the banner-carrying protesters.
“Yes they do,” Bloomberg chimed in.
Fox News Channel quickly faded to black, entering a commercial break. Upon the program’s return to the air, Baier assured the audience the situation was now in hand and that “dual protesters” had been present inside the Gregory Family Theater where the event was taking place.
The town hall comes the night before Super Tuesday when 14 states — including Virginia — will hold Presidential Primary Elections. Some of the largest states like California and Texas will also vote on Tuesday, allotting 415 and 228 delegates, respectively.
A total of 1,357 of the 3,979 pledged delegates to be awarded to the candidates in the Democratic primaries will be awarded on Super Tuesday.
Amy Klobuchar Pete Buttigieg, both who were prominent contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, dropped out and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden, who also seeking the nomination. Political insiders say it is a clear move to slow the momentum of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a socialist, who is poised to win the nomination.
Tuesday also marks the first time this Primary Election season voters will be able to vote for Micheal Bloomberg. He chose not to participate in primaries and caucuses in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina.
