Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has criticized President Biden’s new executive order aimed at reducing gun violence, calling it “flagrantly unconstitutional.” Knudsen appeared on Fox Business’ “Varney & Co.” to discuss the order, which strengthens background checks for guns.
According to Knudsen, the executive order is largely meaningless but contains some concerning elements.
He expressed concerns about the president’s encouragement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to collude with shippers to crack down on firearms transfers, as well as the increase of red flag laws, which he deems unconstitutional.
Knudsen plans to sue on the grounds that the president cannot make law, only respond to it.
In a separate interview, Knudsen revealed that Montana is trying to ban TikTok outright across the state, with a new bill that would fine app stores or TikTok $10,000 for each violation and an additional $10,000 each day the violation continues.
Knudsen cited concerns over TikTok’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party and its potential use for spying on Americans.
Although the bill is moving through the state senate, TikTok has hired lobbyists to try to stop it.
Knudsen said he would feel better if TikTok were a wholly-owned American company, but as it is currently owned and controlled by ByteDance, which is owned and controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, it poses a problem for Montana.