On Thursday, one day after the mass shootings in Southern California that killed 14 people, New Jersey Assembly members from both sides of the political aisle invoked or at least referenced the tragedy as they debated an override attempt of Gov. Christie’s veto of a gun control bill that would make it more difficult for mentally ill people to buy a gun.

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In the end, the override was postponed until mid-December because there weren’t enough Republicans votes for it to be successful.

Here are some of the comments made by lawmakers in the wake of the San Bernardino massacre:

“I wasn’t planning on speaking today, but I have to say I was in part inspired by the text messages from yesterday among my three daughters and wife, my daughter lives in Southern California all ending with, ‘Dad, something needs to be done.’ The BBC yesterday reported, ‘Just another day in America,’ if the BBC was here today watching this they’d say, ‘Just another day in New Jersey.’” Assemblyman John McKeon (D-Madison) who supported the override.

“Normally when there’s a national tragedy or an occurrence such as yesterday we all rise for a moment of silence and we generally offer our thoughts and our prayers. Well, I didn’t come here for a moment of silence. I came here for a moment of action. I think that we owe it to the 14 people who were killed yesterday that we owe them a moment of action.”Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Trenton) who supported the override.

“I thought very hard about what I wanted to do considering what is going on across the country and throughout the world.” Assemblywoman Betty Lou DeCroce (R-Parsippany) who voted against the override.

“Let me begin by acknowledging what Assemblyman Gusciora spoke about. He raised the tragedy from San Bernardino yesterday and the fact is we don’t know yet if the two individuals involved in it had any mental health issues.” - Assemblyman Scott Rumana (R-Wayne) who voted against the override.

“I don’t have to talk about California. I don’t have to talk about any other state. I can talk about the State of New Jersey.” - Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) who supported the override.

“I do think and I’d ask the Speaker if he could do a moment of silence for everybody that was killed yesterday.” - Assemblywoman Holly Shepisi (R-Westwood) who voted against the override. Assembly Speaker Vinnie Prieto (D-Secaucus) honored the request and asked for a moment of silence.

“When I heard the comments of my colleague Assemblyman Gusciora referencing how this bill demonstrates our action in the face of such a hard incident that took place in California, I said to myself, ‘This bill has nothing to do with that situation.'” - Assemblyman Chris Brown (R-Medford) who voted against the override.

“Look, I don’t know that this legislation would have any impact on what happened in California. I don’t know that.” - Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald (D-Voorhees) who supported the override.

“What we’re not thinking about at this point is that these incidents that have occurred around the country have spurred people to buy more guns. People who have never thought about owning a gun are now seeking to get and purchase arms because of the fear that citizens have based on these latest incidents and with that I think this override is even more important." - Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Belleville) who supported the override.

“I have a long memory and I remember Sandy Hook. I don’t need to remember yesterday. I can remember Sandy Hook.” - Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt (D-Voorhees) who supported the override.

Kevin McArdle has covered the State House for New Jersey 101.5 news since 2002. Contact him at kevin.mcardle@townsquaremedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @kevinmcardle1.

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