Feinstein, Perata express disappointment over Supreme Court gun ban ruling

U.S. Supreme Court: Getty Images PhotoA visibly upset U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-San Francisco) laced into today's U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Washington, D.C.'s gun ban.

Speaking during a meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee, California's senior senator expressed bitter disappointment in the decision, saying the 5-4 ruling will make less safe the entire nation, not just the District of Columbia.

"I speak as a former mayor. I speak as somebody who has gone to homicide crime scenes," Feinstein said. "I speak as somebody who (has) lost a youngster that I mentored, who killed himself by playing Russian roulette with a weapon he found. I speak as somebody who authorized assault weapons legislation, who believes that it was working when it was allowed to expire....

I think this is a monumental decision. I am profoundly disappointed in Justice Roberts and Justice Alito, both of whom assured us about their respect for precedent."

Listen to Feinstein's entire testimony here.

UPDATE, 1:41 p.m.:

California Senate President pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) released the following statement on the Supreme Court decision:

"Today's Supreme Court decision is a concern for all of us who favor gun control. I understand the right to bear arms -- the problem is in how it is expressed. My concern has always been the proliferation of guns. I'm glad that the Court recognized some ability to regulate guns -- we will now have to figure out what exactly that means."

Perata authored California's ban on assault weapons that was signed into law by Gov. Gray Davis in 1999.

Earlier this year the senator also sponsored a successful gun buyback event in Oakland. The program was marred however when Perata and Oakland Police officials, not anticipating demand, ran out of cash and were forced to issue IOU's to gun owners turning in their weapons.

UPDATE, 5:02 p.m.:

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who presides over a city that has attempted to ban handguns outright, said this about today’s ruling:

“The gun laws that San Francisco has enacted in recent years are reasonable regulations that will be upheld under today's ruling. I intend to fight any NRA lawsuit that challenges our common-sense gun laws every step of the way.”

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