Did NBC's David Gregory Violate D.C. Gun Law on National TV?

NBC's David Gregory held up a magazine for ammunition on Sunday's "Meet the Press." (Image source: NBC)

NBC's David Gregory on Sunday held up a high-capacity magazine for ammunition on national television, a possible violation of Washington, D.C. gun law.

Gregory was asking National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre whether the NRA was willing to cede any ground on new gun legislation following the Dec. 14 elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn.

"Here is a magazine for ammunition that carries 30 bullets," Gregory said on "Meet the Press," holding it up. "Now isn't it possible that if we got rid of these, if we replaced them and said, 'Well, you could only have a magazine that carries five bullets or ten bullets,' isn't it just possible that we could reduce the carnage in a situation like Newtown?"

As blog The Patriot Perspective pointed out, Gregory's demonstration may itself have been a violation of existing D.C. gun law, where "Meet the Press" tapes.

"No person in the District shall possess, sell, or transfer any large capacity ammunition feeding device regardless of whether the device is attached to a firearm. A 'large capacity ammunition feeding device' means a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition," D.C. code states. Violations may include a $1,000 fine or imprisonment for up to a year.

A representative from NBC did not immediately return an emailed request for comment.