Christie’s itchy trigger finger

Chris Christie, part-time governor of New Jersey and full-time Ed McMahon to Donald Trump’s Johnny Carson, vetoed two gun-safety bills Wednesday. One bill would simply have codified into law the “justifiable need” Jersey residents must show to get a permit to carry handguns.

They would have to show an “urgent necessity” to carry a gun based on proven threats or attacks that could only be warded off by a firearm.

The standard is similar to the law here in New York City, which has roughly the same population as Jersey and had fewer homicides last year.

The second bill was aimed at breaking the National Rifle Association’s blockade of so-called smart guns.

These weapons have technology that stops them from firing except by their owners. For example, some are programmed to recognize an owner’s handprint before the trigger will unlock.

Although the technological restriction holds the promise of greatly reducing the use of stolen guns in crimes, as well as often fatal accidental firing such as by young children, the NRA refuses to let it see the light of day.

When a lone dealer decided to stock smart weapons, gun-right zealots nearly drove the dealer out of business with an orchestrated boycott. They fear that introduction of the weapons would eventually lead to regulations on the types of guns they can own.

The Jersey legislation would have required merchants to offer at least one model of a smart weapon to consumers. Christie said no, putting gun absolutism over public safety.