Feinstein: 'The NRA has become an institution of gun manufacturers'

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) on Sunday lashed out at the National Rifle Association (NRA), suggesting the "venal" organization had been corrupted to the point that it was taking money from gun manufacturers to "provide weapons" to children as young as 8 years old.

In an appearance on CNN, host Candy Crowley asked the California senator if she agreed that opposition from Democrats would make it tough to pass her recently-proposed assault weapons ban.

"Because the NRA is venal," Feinstein explained. "They come after you, they put together large amounts of money to defeat you. They did this [before the assault weapons ban was passed] in '93 and they intend to continue it."

"Are they venal or do they just disagree with you?" Crowley wondered.

"The NRA has become an institution of gun manufacturers," Feinstein insisted. "This morning on the front page of the New York Times, I was reading about their program now to provide weapons and training for youngsters from 8 years old to 15 years old. And this is supported by the gun manufacturers."

"In other words, here is a whole new group of people that we can get these weapons to. They just don't happen to be adults, they're children."

Watch the video below from CNN's State of the Union, broadcast Jan. 27, 2013.