The Baltimore Banner<\/a>,<\/em> Raskin said one of his priorities would be legislation requiring background checks on private firearm sales. Not simply purchases made through federally licensed dealers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThat is still a major gun-control proposal, and 2A groups have long argued (correctly, I might add) that so-called universal background checks cannot be effectively enforced without recording private firearm transfers. But describing that concern as something Raskin explicitly called \u201cuniversal gun registration\u201d goes further than his reported remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A fact-check of the viral claim<\/a> reached the same conclusion: Raskin discussed background checks on private sales, but the \u201cuniversal gun registration\u201d language came from gun-rights advocates characterizing where such a system could lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSo, no, Raskin did not openly announce a national registry. But yes, he appears ready to revive a private-transfer background-check bill and gun owners will understandably want to watch the fine print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n