LEXINGTON, Ky. — Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., visited the Commonwealth Friday and discussed various topics with local leaders in three Kentucky cities. Paul’s first stop of the day was in Lexington.

What You Need To Know

  • Sen. Rand Paul met with Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton Friday morning to discuss violence and crime 

  • Paul wants to use money from the $1.2 billion Afghanistan reconstruction fund to hire U.S. attorneys to prosecute more felons trying to buy guns 

  • Lexington saw a decrease in homicides from 2022 to 2023 

  • So far, only four murders have happened in Lexington in 2024

Senator Paul met with Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton, law enforcement officials and other community stakeholders to discuss violence and crime in Lexington-Fayette County. Paul said it’s time to crackdown on felons trying to buy guns.

According to Paul of the 100,000 felons who tried to buy a gun, only 12 were prosecuted because of a lack of resources.

“We have a $1.2 billion fund for Afghanistan reconstruction. I don’t know about everyone else but I’m kind of tired of sending our money overseas and I think we can spend some of that money here, hire some more U.S. attorneys and prosecute some of the felons who try to buy guns,” Paul said.

Paul said he will introduce a bill that would do just that. He believes doing so would reduce some crime by adding on to a felon’s sentence and keeping them away from guns for a longer period.

“Who are the highest risk people to shoot somebody? Somebody who's already committed a crime with a gun and now they’re trying to buy a gun again, I would think we should throw the book at them,” Paul said.

Senator Paul clarified he’s for gun rights but does not support someone having a gun who has targeted another person or their property with a firearm. Kentucky’s junior senator also expressing some support for state Republicans passing the Safer Kentucky Act. A provision he advocated for is expanding the definition of attempted murder and violent crimes.

“Now, if there’s an attempted murder, but the person wasn’t wounded but shots were fired at them then that attempted murder would be treated as a violent crime, and I hope that keeps some violent people away from the rest of us,” Paul said.

Paul also applauded Lexington’s homicide and violent crime rates decreasing, from 44 murders in 2022 to just 24 in 2023. The city has seen only four homicides this year.

Senator Paul also criticized the government’s borrowing habits. Saying he and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., would have supported Israeli aid if it came from another part of the budget.

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