Posted on 01/31/2015 11:56:29 AM PST by marktwain
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick was quoted as saying that open carry bills might not come up for a vote this session on Tuesday. From dallasnews.com:
“Open carry is important, but I don’t think there is support in the Legislature to pass it,” Patrick said. “The votes have not been there.”Wednesday he reiterated his support for that legislation. From texastribune.org:
After noting that he had referred a bill to committee allowing concealed weapons to be carried on university campuses by those with appropriate licenses, Patrick said in a statement, "Now that [Senate Bill] 11 has support and is moving towards passage we can focus on other Second Amendment issues, including open carry, which I have consistently supported."It does not appear to me that Patrick is actually waffling here. What I suspect is that this controversy was ginned up by the more leftist media in Texas, attempting to derail pro-second amendment legislation. Patrick made the initial remarks to Texas Tribune editor in Chief, Evan Smith. Smith is an Austin Texas transplant from New York, who founded and runs the Texas Tribune, a decidedly left of center publication. From chron.com:
When Smith pressed the Houston Republican whether he would be a “yea” or “nay” vote for open carry if he was still a senator, Patrick deflected, saying, “I don’t have a vote anymore.”If open carry is to pass in Texas, open carry advocates will have to convince 19 Texas Senators that they have more clout than leftwing Texas media does. That is the power structure that the senators will be looking at.
“That’s not an answer,” Smith shot back, to which Patrick finally responded, “If I was going to vote against it, then as lieutenant governor I would hold the bill. I just said I’m going to let the bill move, OK?”
Patrick, who co-sponsored legislation in 2013 to legalize concealed carry on college campuses, also said he thinks the votes are there this year to allow gun toting at universities. On Monday, a campus carry bill filed boasted a super-majority of 19 co-sponsors, the exact number needed to pass the bill out of the Senate under new rules the chamber passed last week.
Then I found this statement at the facebook page above:Dan Patrick ✔
@DanPatrick
It's typical of the media looking to build wedges among conservatives, to take words out of context. More : https://www.facebook.com/dan.patrick.texas/posts/10152543325461836 …
There were inaccurate reports in the media and across the Internet yesterday regarding my comments concerning Open Carry legislation. Despite reports to the contrary, I have never changed my position on the issue. I remain a steadfast supporter of the second amendment and Open Carry legislation.It is clear that the activists are finding out who really opposes them. From the facebook page comments:
As is typical of the media looking to build wedges among conservatives, many stories took words out of context. I did not say the bill was dead but suggested instead that, because the votes were not there (at this time), it had not risen to a level of priority....at this point. That is far different than saying an issue is not a priority, it just means work still needs to be done.
Sarah Mass Lefever Figured lamestream media had something to do with this mess.. keep up the good fight. . Would love to volunteer for you!
Jarrad Mears Dan,
I've been hating on you a little hard but I do know how the media can twist words. Get this done and make it happen. A lot of people are stirred up and really pissed off. All I can say is prove yourself and we'll follow. If you don't then you know how that story will end.
Pat Davis Pearson Fight for us sir, and we will fight for you. I expect to see this bill come up for vote.
This appears to be an attempt to create a "scandal" to divide second amendment supporters.
/johnny
Maybe if those open carry chumps from Tarrant County hadn’t stirred up that trouble at the Capitol bldg. things would have gone smoother.
The legislature only meets every other year, so we might have to wait two years for something to happen if nothing is passed this year.
/johnny
later
If only one could pass, then campus carry would seem more important.
I'll take the strong sisters over nervous nellies.
/johnny
I wouldn’t exactly call Jerry Patterson a nervous Nellie. He’s one of the main reasons we got concealed carry legislation passed years ago.
Open carry has been no scandal here in Michigan.
There have been plenty of cases of police harassing open carriers but every single case that has gone to court has ended with police on the losing side. The result is that those instances are becoming rarer.
/johnny
2nd amendment should be your open carry too, I guess but you’ll be in for a lot of legal troubles if you try it.
I didn’t vote for him either, but not because I disagree with his views on the 2nd amendment.
/johnny
Patrick is pulling a rope-a-dope my friends.
If Patrick says he doesn’t have the votes to pass open carry and he’s telling the truth, I don’t have a problem with it. But he did campaign on the issue. I suspect the real reason why “the votes aren’t there” is Joe Straus.
http://www.empowertexans.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Straus-Booklet.pdf
Could be. But as you stated earlier on the thread...I really think the wackos from Ft Worth may have soured the deal. Maybe next session.
Thanks for the article. :)
When I saw this on the news I was pretty discouraged. It really doesn’t matter what he REALLY meant...public perception will be what is presented.
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