On Thursday night, the major broadcast networks saw no point in informing their viewers of Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy’s party affiliation (Democrat) as ABC, CBS, and NBC all reported that Malloy had issued an executive order banning those on government watchlists from possessing guns in his state.
Along with being arguably the strictest governor in the country when it comes to gun control, Malloy was also recently selected as the chair of the Democratic Governor’s Association (who’s term will run through the 2016 election).
Broadcasting from Washington, CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley hyped that the Nutmeg State “is about to become the first state to ban anyone on a government watch list from buying a firearm” because it’s “something that Congress has not done, despite a request from the President.”
In concluding the 16-second brief, Pelley explained that such a ban will become a reality through an executive order by Malloy after announcing it on Thursday.
ABC’s World News Tonight anchor David Muir similarly cheered Connecticut “pushing a new gun control law” with Malloy “planning to sign an executive order, becoming the first state to close a loophole banning gun sales to anyone on the federal no-fly list.”
Unlike his network competitors, Muir made sure to add that, for those on government watchlists that already own firearms: “Gun permits already issued to those on the list will be revoked now.”
Over on NBC Nightly News, anchor Lester Holt ruled in a 21-second brief that Malloy’s executive order is the “first in this country” that “den[ies] gun permits to these individuals.” Piggybacking on the chiding of the Senate for not leading the way, Holt pointed out that “the U.S. Senate rejected a measure that would have stopped people on the terror watch list from buying guns.”
Whether the liberal media never thought of attributing party label or made the conscious decision to leave it out, it’s something that’s quite simple and thus disconcerting whenever the proverbial ball is dropped in stories concerning Democratic politicians.
The transcript of the brief from the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley on December 10 can be found below.
CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley
December 10, 20156:39 p.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Firearm Sale Ban]
SCOTT PELLEY: Connecticut is about to become the first state to ban anyone on a government watch list from buying a firearm. That is something that Congress has not done, despite a request from the President. Governor Dan Malloy announced today he'll do it by executive order.
The transcript of the brief from ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir on December 10 can be found below.
ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir
December 10, 2015
6:41 p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Gun Ban]
DAVID MUIR: Now to Connecticut, pushing a new gun control law. The governor there planning to sign an executive order, becoming the first state to close a loophole banning gun sales to anyone on the federal no-fly list. Gun permits already issued to those on the list will be revoked now.
The transcript of the brief from December 10's NBC Nightly News can be found below.
NBC Nightly News
December 10, 20157:21 p.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Gun Ban]
LESTER HOLT: In a first in this country, Connecticut's governor says he will ban people on the federal no-fly list from buying guns in his state by issuing an executive order. Governor Daniel Malloy says the order will deny gun permits to these individuals. Last week, the U.S. Senate rejected a measure that would have stopped people on the terror watch list from buying guns.
