Four senators may have signed on to a gun background check deal Wednesday, but only two showed up for the news conference â in part because Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Patrick J. Toomeyâs public support for the bill hinged on not having to stand next to Democratic Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York.
The background check bill, which would close the gun show loophole and expand checks to online sales, is officially co-sponsored by Schumer; Toomey; Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va.; and Mark S. Kirk, R-Ill. But only Toomey and Manchin appeared before the cameras. Toomey, the former Club for Growth president, had told Manchin he would not speak at the news conference if he had to get on stage with Schumer, according to two sources familiar with the talks. Schumer obliged, and Kirk also agreed not to appear in order to provide cover to Schumer.
âManchin and Toomey are the best people to sell this agreement to the pro-gun community, and Schumer doesnât want to get in the way of that. His job is to persuade the gun safety groups that itâs an acceptable deal,â a Democratic aide said of the groupâs dynamic.
The aide added that Schumer on Wednesday morning called Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Mark Kelly, a gun control advocate who is the husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, to encourage them to support the deal. And indeed, Giffordsâ group, Americans for Responsible Solutions, did put out a statement Wednesday saying it was âpleasedâ with the agreement âthat respects our 2nd Amendment rights.â
A spokesman for Toomey did not immediately respond for comment.
http://www.rollcall.com/news/toomey_refused_to_have_schumer_at_gun_deal_presser-223876-1.html
Petty, maybe. Hilarious, absolutely!
The background check bill, which would close the gun show loophole and expand checks to online sales, is officially co-sponsored by Schumer; Toomey; Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va.; and Mark S. Kirk, R-Ill. But only Toomey and Manchin appeared before the cameras. Toomey, the former Club for Growth president, had told Manchin he would not speak at the news conference if he had to get on stage with Schumer, according to two sources familiar with the talks. Schumer obliged, and Kirk also agreed not to appear in order to provide cover to Schumer.
âManchin and Toomey are the best people to sell this agreement to the pro-gun community, and Schumer doesnât want to get in the way of that. His job is to persuade the gun safety groups that itâs an acceptable deal,â a Democratic aide said of the groupâs dynamic.
The aide added that Schumer on Wednesday morning called Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Mark Kelly, a gun control advocate who is the husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, to encourage them to support the deal. And indeed, Giffordsâ group, Americans for Responsible Solutions, did put out a statement Wednesday saying it was âpleasedâ with the agreement âthat respects our 2nd Amendment rights.â
A spokesman for Toomey did not immediately respond for comment.
http://www.rollcall.com/news/toomey_refused_to_have_schumer_at_gun_deal_presser-223876-1.html
Petty, maybe. Hilarious, absolutely!
