President Trump has told lawmakers and aides in private conversations that he is open to endorsing extensive background checks and red flag laws after the recent mass shootings, three in short succession. The NRA and the Gun Owners of America have warned the President his supporters will not back him on this.
THE NRA
NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre spoke with Trump on Tuesday after the president expressed support for a background check bill and told him it would not be popular among Trump’s supporters, according to anonymous officials. LaPierre also argued against the bill’s merits, the officials said.
The NRA, which opposes the legislation sponsored by Sens. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.) and Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.), declined to comment. It is seen as a Trojan Horse.
Advisers to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he would not bring any gun-control legislation to the floor without widespread Republican support. Trump has waffled, current and past White House officials say, between wanting to do more and growing concerned that doing so could prompt a revolt from his political base.
“I don’t think the president or his Republican allies are going to become out of nowhere advocates of aggressive gun control,” said Matt Schlapp, who leads the American Conservative Union and is a close ally to Trump.
The President has even talked about an executive order on gun control. He does need to be careful. Responding to Democrats screams won’t win any support from even one and they will go on to the next gun control law. They want full control of everything we do and own.
“He seems determined to do something and believes there is space to get something done this time around,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), who said he had spoken to Trump “four or five times” since the shooting. “The president has a pretty common-sense point of view. He’s never been a sports or gun enthusiast. But he is more determined than ever to do something on his watch.”
Manchin said Trump called him at 6:30 a.m. Monday and that the two spoke again on Tuesday when Trump said he wanted legislation before September when the Senate is scheduled to return.
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Most of the recent mass shootings were carried out with guns purchased legally.
On Tuesday, Trump outlined some NRA concerns in a second call with Manchin. “We talked about that,” Manchin said. “I told him, we don’t expect the NRA to be supportive. Mr. President, in all honesty, when you did the bump stocks, they weren’t for you. They were against that, too. You didn’t take any hit on that.”
Toomey spoke with the President recently about his bill and he said the conversations had been “encouraging.”
“I will just tell you generally the president is open-minded about this,” Toomey said.
Some measures — such as a ban on assault weapons — have been ruled out, White House officials and legislative aides say.
However, about 9 in 10 Americans support requiring background checks for all gun purchases, including more than 8 in 10 Republicans, Democrats and independents, according to polling.
Their support is, in part, due to the fact that they don’t understand what is in the bill. We already require background checks for all gun purchases.
“Republicans are headed for extinction in the suburbs if they don’t distance themselves from the NRA. The GOP needs to put forth solutions to help eradicate the gun violence epidemic,” said Dan Eberhart, a Republican donor.
The only problem with that is it isn’t the gun, it’s violence, evil, and a corrupted culture.
THE GOA SENT THE SAME WARNING
The Gun Owners of America (GOA) has more than two million members nationwide. The Second-Amendment advocacy group urged Trump to reject calls for more gun control.
[These impulsive reactions are going to end in taking away our inherent, God-given rights.]
“We think it’s important for Congress and the President to know that gun owners do not support the gun control measures Trump is advocating,” GOA vice president Erich Pratt told the Daily Caller.
“Many presidents have failed to recognize how gun control motivates voters,” Pratt said. “He doesn’t know how volatile this issue is. It will be interesting to see how the grassroots react to his comments.”
Pratt said he was alarmed when President Trump said he supports “red flag” laws, which would allow the government to confiscate guns from someone who has been red-flagged as dangerous.
“It is frustrating to see President Donald Trump’s continued support for so-called ‘red flag’ laws,” Pratt said. “These ‘red flag’ laws — properly known as gun confiscation orders — are incompatible with actual due process and allow for the confiscation of firearms from innocent Americans.”
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BACKGROUND CHECKS, THE NRA SAYS
- ATF has said that nearly half of illegally trafficked firearms originate with “straw purchasers”—people who pass background checks to buy firearms for criminals. The terrorists who attacked in San Bernardino in 2015 got firearms from a straw purchaser who passed a background check.
- Federal law requires firearm dealers, regardless of location, to initiate a background check before selling or otherwise transferring a firearm to a person who is not a dealer.
- There is no “gun show loophole.” Federal law is the same, regardless of where a firearm sale takes place.
- There is no “online sales” loophole. Federal law is the same, regardless of how people communicate about selling/buying a firearm. Federal law prohibits anyone— licensed firearm dealer or not—from shipping a firearm to a person who lives in another state, unless that person is also a dealer. Dealers must document all firearms they receive.
WHAT SOME ARE SAYING
“What’s also missing from the national dialogue is how guns are saving more lives than they take. In fact, they are used 16-100 times more often to save life every day,” — @erichmpratt https://t.co/6gRCSanC1e
— GOA (@GunOwners) August 7, 2019
Earlier this year, Democrats approved legislation to require background checks for all sales of firearms.
But they BLOCKED a part of the bill that would alert ICE when illegals failed background checks.
For Democrats, it’s not about safety—it’s about control!
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) August 7, 2019
I don’t know why people are worried about Red Flag Laws. It’s not like it will be radical congressman administering them. We’ll instead entrust our faithful servants at the FBI to determine if you’re guilty of wrongthink. What could go wrong? https://t.co/KBLpsN10PK
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) August 7, 2019
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