Sanders aide: Clinton takes ‘gun lobby money’

A top aide to Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders said on Monday that front-runner Hillary Clinton is in the pocket of gun lobbyists.

“In terms of guns, it is Secretary Clinton’s campaign that is accepting gun lobby money,” Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said on MSNBC.

{mosads}“She says she’s going to take on the gun lobby and she takes gun lobby money. On guns, she’s been all over the place. I don’t know what her real position is.”

Clinton ripped Sanders last week over his “unimaginable” position on firearms, arguing that he is soft on gun violence for opposing liability for firearms manufacturers after mass shootings.

Sanders has repeatedly rejected Clinton’s attacks, countering that gun makers are not responsible for criminals who abuse their legal products.

Weaver on Monday said that Clinton’s positions on firearms and other issues are heavily influenced by wealthy special interests.

“She benefits from a corrupt campaign finance system,” he said. “It’s not the way that it has to be in politics.

“In 2016, Bernie Sanders has demonstrated that you can run a competitive campaign without relying on Wall Street money and special interests. Secretary Clinton has chosen to play that old game, Sen. Sanders has not.”

Weaver added that the Vermont senator will ultimately edge past Clinton once Democratic superdelegates realize he offers their party’s best chance at the White House.

“Superdelegates at the end of the day want to win,” he said. “The polls are consistent — Bernie Sanders beats every Republican more than Hillary Clinton.

“She loses to Ted Cruz, she loses to John Kasich in most polls,” Weaver added, referencing two GOP presidential candidates.

“Hillary Clinton does terrible with independent voters. In a general election, if you don’t bring independent voters with you, you don’t win.”

Clinton leads Sanders by just 1 point nationwide, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average of polls.

The former secretary of State leads Sanders in pledged delegates, 1,287 to 1,037. Her lead is much more pronounced when including superdelegates, however, which bump the two candidates’ totals to 1,756 and 1,068, respectively.