National Rifle Association leader Wayne LaPierre was in Utah over the weekend pushing his case that the federal government wants universal background checks to make it easier for federal officials to seize firearms.
LaPierre told a crowd of more than 1,000 people at the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo that universal background checks would generate lists of registered firearms that would then be used by the government to confiscate guns. He said such lists would be vulnerable to being hacked and ending up in the hands of criminals.
Meanwhile, Miriam Walkingshaw of Utah Parents Against Gun Violence criticized LaPierre's speech, saying it played on the fears and paranoia of gun owners. She said LaPierre can characterize universal background checks as gun control. But, she said it's all about public safety.