Obama Doesn't Know a 'Fully-Automatic' Weapon From a Semi-Automatic Weapon or ... He Lied

By Susan Duclos

The second example in two days of liberal gun grabbing liberals that are proposing gun control ideas but are making erroneous statements showing they don't even know the differences in the terminology of weapons and/or magazine/clips they are talking about.

First, from the prior piece here at WuA, a Colorado representative publicly stated that ammunition magazines, once used, were done, showing she was unaware that magazines can be reloaded with ammunition after they have become empty. (Video and exact quote HERE)

Now we see that Barack Obama, at a fundraiser last night in San Francisco, told the crowd that the Newtown Sandy Hook shooter was using a "fully-automatic" weapon.(Via White House website)

Now, over the next couple of months, we’ve got a couple of issues:  gun control.  (Applause.)  I just came from Denver, where the issue of gun violence is something that has haunted families for way too long, and it is possible for us to create common-sense gun safety measures that respect the traditions of gun ownership in this country and hunters and sportsmen, but also make sure that we don’t have another 20 children in a classroom gunned down by a semiautomatic weapon -- by a fully automatic weapon in that case, sadly. 

H/T TWS.

From the State of Connecticut, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, January 18, 2013 press release, they show the weapons that were used:

STATE POLICE IDENTIFY WEAPONS USED IN SANDY HOOK INVESTIGATION;

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

   In previous press conferences, the Connecticut State Police clearly identified all of the weapons seized from the crime scene at Sandy Hook Elementary School. 

   To eliminate any confusion or misinformation, we will again describe and identify the weapons seized at the school crime scene.

Seized inside the school:

#1. Bushmaster .223 caliber-- model XM15-E2S rifle with high capacity 30 round magazine

#2. Glock 10 mm handgun

#3. Sig-Sauer P226   9mm handgun

Seized from suspect’s car in parking lot:

#4. Izhmash Canta-12   12 gauge Shotgun    (seized from car in parking lot)

   The shooter used the Bushmaster .223 to murder 20 children and six adults inside the school; he used a handgun to take his own life inside the school. No other weapons were used in this crime. This case remains under investigation.

Lt. J. Paul Vance

It is common knowledge at this point, and has been reported by multiple media outlets, like ABC News, that the .223 caliber Bushmaster  used in at Sandy Hook, is semi-automatic rifle.

A semi-automatic rifle is a rifle that fires a single round each time the trigger is pulled.

A fully-automatic weapon is (a machine gun) is one that fires a succession of bullets so long as the trigger is depressed or until the ammunition supply is exhausted. (Source)

As Barack Obama is fully aware of, it has been unlawful since 1934 (The National Firearms Act) for civilians to own machine guns without special permission from the U.S. Treasury Department.

Furthermore since the Firearms Owners' Protection Act of May 19, 1986, ownership of newly manufactured machine guns has been prohibited to civilians. Machine guns which were manufactured prior to the Act's passage are regulated under the National Firearms Act, but those manufactured after the ban cannot ordinarily be sold to or owned by civilians.

In short,  it is already illegal to own a fully automatic weapon (machine gun).

Either Barack Obama does not know the difference between a fully-automatic weapon and a semi-automatic weapon or he deliberately lied to his San Francisco audience.