Governor Bill Lee’s Stance On Gun Control Prior To Being Elected Differs Greatly From His Current Agenda
Image Credit: Gov. Bill Lee / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –
Prior to being elected as Governor of Tennessee, a Tennessee citizen asked Bill Lee on Facebook Messenger what his stance on gun control was.
During the same time period, Lee sent a letter to Tennessee Firearms Association members touting his second amendment support.
Bill Lee’s 2A campaign promises are to follow below…
Bill Lee Quote From Facebook Messenger:
Here is my take on the second amendment:
“This is common sense: law abiding citizens should not be punished for the actions of criminals.
Every time there’s a tragedy, the first thing that happens is that politicians and the media politicize the issue and try to turn the conversation away from real solutions and into a discussion on how take away our constitutional rights. It’s the wrong conversation.
We’ve always had guns. We haven’t always had mass shootings. We need to look behind the gun and try to get to root causes, instead of taking away the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.
There’s a lot of political pressure to “do something.” But every one of these cases we have the case of someone who is breaking multiple laws. Adding a new law won’t solve the problem.
Arming teachers
We protect our banks with guns, we protect our judges, we even protect our governor. But we leave our children defenseless in gun-free zones. We should absolutely allow a qualified and vetted teacher to make the choice to be a part of the solution.
Constitutional Carry
You shouldn’t have to pay a fee to exercise your constitutional rights. I’d work with the legislature on any proposal where we can expand your constitutional rights, and I’ll sign legislation to make it happen.
Campus Carry
Under our current laws a 21-year-old worker at the university can carry a weapon, but a 28 year old veteran attending that same university on the GI bill cannot. Picking and choosing who gets to have rights based on their status as a student is not the way the constitution is supposed to work.
“Assault weapon” bans
It doesn’t matter the type of gun, it matters who is holding the gun. As governor, I’ll oppose any attempt to ban an entire (set) of weapons, especially recent proposals from gun control advocates that would do nothing to reduce gun crime.”
In May 2018, again prior to being elected, Lee sent a letter to Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA) members touting his “position on the right to bear arms and the role of government.” According to the West TN Director and Board Member of TFA, Lee refused to fill out their 2A questionnaire that year and opted, instead, to send the following letter.
Read the letter below or download it HERE.
In sharp contrast to his campaigning stances, Governor Lee has now promised to call a Special Session of the Tennessee Legislature in response to the Covenant school shooting and reports say he will sponsor several bills, including at least one dealing with “extreme risk orders of protection,” otherwise known as a Red Flag Law.
Over the summer, Lee and his legislative team have reportedly met with both Republicans and Democrats “behind closed doors” to discuss ideas for potential legislation and share feedback.
Republican Senators John Stevens, Becky Duncan Massey, and Dawn White, as well as Democrat Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari, Democrat Senator Heidi Campbell and Democrat Representative Antonio Parkinson were all noted as meeting with Lee.
Lee’s “inner circle” that consists of between 12 to 15 House and Senate members supposedly are serving as advisors to the executive administration on any potential legislation.
According to Senate Republican Caucus Press Secretary Molly Gormley, “The working group has not been a part of drafting the governor’s ERPO [Extreme Risk Protection Order] proposal, and instead has focused on legislation to address mental health and violent crime while maintaining constitutional rights of citizens.”
The governor has previously insisted that his new gun control “framework” would be better than simply expanding current law, but there are still many opponents of his proposals.
In a recent episode of the Charlie Kirk Show, Kirk stated, “Governor Bill Lee, governor of Tennessee, wants to take your firearms away in Tennessee but is working in harmony to know that you don’t see the manifesto,” referring to the indefinite delay of release of the Covenant Shooter’s manifesto.
Kirk went on to discuss how the grassroots have been messaging him constantly with frustrations towards Bill Lee and the upcoming special session and implied that most believe Lee does not care about releasing the shooter’s manifesto, but simply wants to take away gun rights.
“Why do we need democrats when we have republicans like this? This is a theme that I keep on hitting and hitting,” Kirk said.
The Tennessee Firearms Association created the video below to “show the lack of concern for the promises made by Governor Bill and his actions. Say one thing and do another.”
- Lee Letter to TFA https://imgur.com/0XRFcbD
- TCA 33-6-402 https://bit.ly/3OVSQNA
- TCA 33-6-404 https://bit.ly/3ORNMcX
- Help for Someone I Care About Hospital Mental Health Care https://tinyurl.com/mshff3fj
- Director of TBI Testimony on HB 1005 • Director Rauch of TBI Opposing 1005
- Commissioner of Dept. of Safety Testimony on HB 1005 • Commissioner Long of Department of Sa…
- Governor Lee’s Legislative Director • Brandon Easley Legislative Director f…
- From Heller “This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty …. The right to self defence is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine the right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any colour or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction.” District of Columbia et al. v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570, 606 (2008)
- Cites from Supreme court Cases: “The test that we set forth in Heller and apply today requires courts to assess whether modern firearms regulations are consistent with the Second Amendment’s text and historical understanding…
- In keeping with Heller, we hold that when the Second Amendment’s plain text covers an individual’s conduct, the Constitution presumptively protects that conduct. To justify its regulation, the government may not simply posit that the regulation promotes an important interest. Rather, the government must demonstrate that the regulation is consistent with this Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen, No. 20-843, 14 (U.S. Jun. 23, 2022)
About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History. Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com
If someone is such a threat wouldn’t it make more sense to take THEM immediately off the street and before a judge? I mean if they are that deranged and you take their guns they could still use a truck, a car, knives, rocks, etc to kill.
Those comments from Lee prior to him being elected really tell us all we need to know about the type of man and politician that he is. He talked the conservative talk to get elected, but he hasn’t walked the conservative walk since being elected. He is your standard ‘Grade A’ unprincipled RINO, and the state legislature is full of these people. It is no wonder why Tennessee’s shade of red is dulling. Sad.
My thoughts exactly. He has been a huge disappointment to conservatives. But he is merely confirming what many of us suspected when he was elected.
It’s not a coincidence that Uniparty maggots proclaim to be conservatives and then sell us out. It’s happening in all Red States. They think we’re stupid. We can’t tolerate Governor Lee until 2026. We need to recall this two faced snake oil salesman.
Ain’t gonna happen james so lets turn our attention to 2026 and make sure that after Haslam and Lee we don’t let another mega-buck bloke with no conservative credentials buy our governorship again. I think Rep. Mark Green (Heritage-97%) will be running. If so, all conservatives have to do is unite behind him.
You’re an ignorant fool. Mark Green is NO CONSERVATIVE.
MARK GREEN:
1) Voted to send billions to Ukraine to support the left’s money laundering operation,
2) Voted NO to reinstating pilots who lost their jobs for refusing the clot shot.
3) Voted to fully fund Biden’s illegitimate, fascist, china controlled regime through the election
4) voted to fully fund the DOJ and FBIs fascist war against conservatives
5) voted to fully fund the continued unconstitutional pre trial detention, torture, and murder of J6 political prisoners.
Mark Green is a leftist, Biden supporting waste of skin and deserves to be removed from the state same as Lee.
No problem at all Ray. Mark Green gets the following scores from the premier conservative organizations in this country:
Heritage Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97%
Club For Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98%
American Conservative Union. . .92%.
Which makes him one of the most conservative members of the U.S. House.
On the other hand you think he “is a leftist, Biden supporting waste of skin.”
In 2026 we’ll let the voters describe, who is right, the premier conservative organizations or Ray?
Ooooops, that should be “decide” not “describe”.
So you let Heritage Action decide for you? They score on different items, pay attention to what Mark Green has done! He trusts our CIA completely! He specifically told ME, “they got it wrong in Afghanistan and Iraq, but got it right this time in Ukraine.” WHAT? Mark may have been a good guy, but he has been groomed and sucked in the machinery in D.C. He is not part of the system. MORE OF SAME if elected governor…
EXCELLENT reporting! Thank You!
The important thing I ask those who voted for Lee “HAVE YOU LEARNED ANYTHING?” When Lee first ran I begged everyone to vote for Diane Black because she was the only one running for governor with a chance of winning who had some conservative credentials. On the other hand, before deciding he wanted to buy the governorship Lee hadn’t shown the slightest interest in politics, let alone conservative politics.
Now in 2026 you just know another very wealthy Tennessean with little or no conservative record will want to buy himself the governorship too along with a few tepid conservative politicians with wealthy supporters. Now I ask those who were hoodwinked by Lee once again, “HAVE YOU LEARNED ANYTHING?”
Because like all lying leftist infiltrators, he pretends to be conservative until he gets in office, then acts like Stalin.
Lee is a lying, treasonous, anti American oxygen thief. He and his foul little anti Christian company should be driven out of the state.
Another turned RINO!!
Alexander
Bredeson
Haslam
Lee
All prime examples showing the need for
ONE SIX YEAR TERM
Ofcoarse the Tn Rep Party would block it bc the second term is whn they get their liberal spending
So Molly you are not content with our Governor being unresponsive and uncaring about the voters because he is term limited for 50% of his eight years in office, you want to ratchet the term limit idiocy to one unresponsive and uncaring term. Sorry Molly, I think you are moving in the wrong direction on this thing.
Coddling Rinos in silence for a quarter century !!!
Lee makes me sick !!! When I hear or see anything about this reprobate I want to vomit . How do we know who to trust ? Everything in this putrid swamp is a fecal fest .
Well Sparky you could check the candidate’s POLITICAL record before voting for him and ignore the campaign ads. What conservatives should demand to see before voting for anyone for high office is years in one or more lessor offices in which they compile a solid conservative record or at the very least years of sizeable contributions to EXCLUSIVELY conservative candidates running for office in Republican primaries.
Sadly, Bill Lee provides us with undeniable proof that there are Republicans and then there are RINOs. While Bill Lee has done many good things for Tennesseans, he has ignored the will of the People, whom he was elected to serve. Tennessee voters MUST educate themselves prior to going to the polls in order to make the best of all possible choices. Hopefully, in his “Special Session,” Mr. Lee will be thoroughly rebuked for his attacks on our freedoms. (While most of our so-called “elected representatives” in the House and Senate are prone to ignore our communications, it would still be worth our time to contact them and remind them that we will not forget what they do.)
So disappointing. Besides financial reasons we escaped CT going on 9 years now. We chose TN because of it being RED and mostly Christian.. We were “hoodwinked”….damn