JFK’s Grandson Proposes Penalties for States with Weak Gun Laws
Jack Schlossberg, grandson of John F. Kennedy, is proposing a new plan to hold states accountable for gun violence that affects New York.
The 32-year-old congressional candidate, running for Rep. Jerry Nadler’s 12th District seat, wants to impose financial penalties on states that fail to enforce stronger background checks and whose guns end up in crimes in New York. The collected funds would be directed to federal investigators under a policy he calls the “Ricochet Rule.”
“We’re not challenging the Second Amendment,” Schlossberg told The Post. “There’s an illegal flow of guns into states across the country from a few states with weaker gun laws. At the very least, there should be a penalty to fund enforcement of this common-sense approach.”
Schlossberg said the proposal responds to what he describes as a “gun epidemic that is hurting New York.”
“The ‘Ricochet Rule’ reflects the fact that guns ricochet into New York from other states, so accountability should as well,” he explained. “It’s particularly important for New York City, where the majority of guns used in crimes come from states with weaker gun regulations.”
Under the plan, states with a disproportionately high number of guns linked to crimes in New York would be fined, with the money directed to the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
ATF data shows that between 2017 and 2021, New York recovered 27,407 guns used in crimes, with 21,863 coming from outside the state. Of those, 68% originated from states without background check requirements. Schlossberg did not specify the amount of the fines, but said they would need to be “significant enough to incentivize cooperation.”
“I think we should be addressing this problem continuously, not just when it’s in the news,” Schlossberg said. “We can’t stop or forget — we’re not powerless.”
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