Former prosecutor and Congressman Trey Gowdy is under attack from some on the political right following comments he made on Fox News that suggest support for stronger gun control measures.
Gowdy appeared on the show “Outnumbered” on Aug. 27 and discussed the mass shooting in Minneapolis that left two schoolchildren dead and 17 people injured.
Asked about the capacity of the justice system to confront the scourge of mass shootings, Gowdy said, “Our system is reactive. Something bad happens, we react to it. What people are crying for now is, ‘How can we prevent this? How can we stop it?’
“And the only way to stop it is to identify the shooter ahead of time or keep the weapons out of their hands. So we’re going to have to have a conversation of freedom versus protecting children.”
Gowdy, who hosts the Fox program “Sunday Night in America,” stopped short of calling for any specific legislation to curb gun violence or restrict the ownership of firearms. But his opening the door to the prospect of limiting individual freedom where guns are concerned drew harsh criticism.
On X (formerly Twitter), the National Association for Gun Rights posted, “Influential former GOP Congressman and FOX News host Trey Gowdy just went on national TV to shill for gun control in the wake of today’s Minneapolis terrorist attack. Unacceptable.”
Commentator Mike Cernovich also weighed in on X, posting, “Trey Gowdy hates you and wants to take your guns.”
Writer Eric Daugherty described Gowdy’s comments as “shameful.”
Gowdy, a Spartanburg High School graduate, worked as a federal prosecutor before being elected to become 7th Circuit solicitor, serving Spartanburg and Cherokee counties.
He represented South Carolina’s 4th District in Congress from 2011-2019.
During his time in Congress, Gowdy was known as a strong advocate for the right to bear arms. He spoke in favor of gun ownership rights at a 2016 national meeting of the NRA.
Gowdy has also been known to engage in discussions on finding common ground in polarized political times. Earlier this year, he appeared onstage at Wofford College with former South Carolina state legislator Bakari Sellers, a Democrat, for a moderated discussion aimed at highlighting diverse perspectives while encouraging civil discourse.
In addition to his regular appearances on Fox News, Gowdy recently co-authored a mystery novel called The Color of Death, based in part on his experiences as a prosecutor.
President Trump praised the novel on social media, calling it “a fantastic book.”
He added, “People love it!!! Get it NOW!”
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Critics attack Trey Gowdy comments on guns following mass shooting
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