New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a bill on Wednesday to lower the limit on ammunition magazines from 15 rounds to 10 rounds, handing gun rights activists a victory after they lost the battle in the legislature.
The Republican governor called the measure “reform in name only,” arguing that “[m]ass violence will not end by changing the number of bullets loaded into a gun,” according to the Asbury Park Press. He called on the legislature to instead focus on addressing mental illness.
Ammunition magazines with more than 10 rounds are generally known as high-capacity. Second Amendment activists strongly opposition such restrictions. Advocates for reducing gun violence — including parents of the Sandy Hook shooting victims, who authored a petition in favor of the bill — strongly criticized Christie for his veto.
“Governor Christie has chosen to put gun industry profits ahead of saving lives,” said Kristen Rand, legislative director for the Violence Policy Center.
Christie’s move comes ahead of a possible run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, where candidates like to tout their pro-gun credentials.
