N.J. Dems will try again on gun-control measure vetoed by Christie

New Jersey’s Senate Democrats plan to try to override Gov. Chris Christie’s veto of legislation that would create a formal process to take guns away from domestic violence abusers.

When he rejected the bill in November, Christie said it substantially restates existing laws. But Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg said the governor may have had another reason.

“I believe it was vetoed by the governor because he was then a presidential candidate and had promised people in New Hampshire that he would never sign another gun bill,” said Weinberg, D-Bergen.

Senate President Sweeney said Thursday the legislation is reasonable and responsible — and that lawmakers should support an override.

“I think we will be able to get it done at the right time. I’m not saying I’m doing it next week because we’re going to give all these advocates a chance to start talking to people,” said Sweeney, D-Gloucester. “It’s the right thing to do.”

The mass shooting in Orlando demonstrates a need for better gun laws, he said.

“If that doesn’t send a signal that we need to do more with our gun laws to protect our citizens, I don’t know what does,” he said.

Christie, however, said the Democrats are exploiting the Orlando shootings.

“Radical Islamic terrorism is what brought that man into that club with violent intent not the gun, but ideology,” he said. “Yet you don’t hear anybody down the hall talking about that because it doesn’t suit their political purposes.”

No date for the override attempt has been set. Sweeney said he wants to give advocates enough time to build support.