Free Republic

n. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) panned an agreement to expand background checks on gun sales that Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) unveiled on Wednesday. "The Manchin-Toomey proposal is a good faith but unworkable plan," Coburn said in a statement. "The proposal will impose new taxes and unreasonable burdens on law-abiding citizens."

I just talked to someone familiar with the Toomey-Manchin proposal who raises a serious concern based on his understanding of the legislation. Everyone on all sides agrees that we need better help for those with mental health problems who need treatment. Unfortunately, the person I talked with is concerned that the Toomey-Manchin proposal could discourage people from getting help. The proposal will allow a doctor to add a patient to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) without ever telling the patient he or she has been added. There would be no due process requirement. Not all doctors will...

The National Rifle Association will oppose the background check bill introduced by Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) and Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.) Wednesday, the pro-Second Amendment group told the Free Beacon. Manchin and Toomey held a press conference Wednesday morning announcing a bipartisan bill that would expand background checks for all commercial firearm sales, including gun shows and Internet sales. The bill is the latest effort by the Senate to introduce background check legislation, after negotiations between Sen. Tom Coburn (R., Okla.) and Democrats broke down earlier this year. Manchin’s office told BuzzFeed Wednesday that the senators had been...

Two key senators have reached a deal to expand background checks to firearms sales at gun shows and on the Internet, sources close to the negotiations said early Wednesday. Sen. Pat Toomey, a conservative Pennsylvania Republican, plan to announce the deal Wednesday with West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who holds an A rating from the National Rifle Association. The two have been working on a compromise proposal that could draw Republican support for expanding background checks. On Tuesday evening, the two had an agreement in principle, and spent the night hammering out the final details.

Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey is close to a deal with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia on background checks for gun show and Internet gun sales, his office said Tuesday night. The two are planning a joint press conference for Wednesday morning. A Toomey spokesperson on Tuesday told NBC News that the two senators have agreed on all but the final details of a compromise. Manchin told reporters Tuesday that the compromise would close the gun show loophole by mandating background checks for those transactions and also require background checks for all Internet gun sales.

(WASHINGTON) — Talks between two influential senators have emerged as the most promising route for a bipartisan breakthrough on expanding federal background checks for gun buyers, a pivotal part of President Barack Obama‘s plan for combating gun violence. One possibility being discussed by Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., would involve expanding background checks to gun show sales and firearms transactions online, Senate aides said. Sales between close relatives and temporary transfers between hunters may be excluded, but an agreement along those lines could give Obama’s guns agenda a significant boost and would be a major expansion...

Full title - "There’s Always One: Will Pat Toomey Help Democrats Save Gun Control? Why All Modern Politics Is National." Somewhere, Arlen Specter is smiling. Two influential senators, one from each party, are working on an agreement that could expand background checks on firearms sales to include gun shows and online transactions, Senate aides said Sunday. If completed, the effort could represent a major breakthrough in the effort by President Barack Obama and his allies to restrict guns following last December's massacre of schoolchildren in Newtown, Conn. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., could nail down an accord...

Reports out of Capitol Hill reveal that just-reelected turncoat West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is about to stick a big knife in the back of American gun owners. And to make matters worse, he's lying about what he’s doing. Both Manchin and House anti-gun crazy Carolyn McCarthy are claiming to be “working with NRA” to enact gun bans and national gun registries. NRA says flatly that Manchin is lying, and we believe he is. (The Hill, 1/24/13) Ironically, Manchin was the “gun owner's best friend” on November 5 -- the day before his reelection to a six-year term let him...

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Reports out of Capitol Hill reveal that just-reelected turncoat West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is about to stick a big knife in the back of American gun owners. And to make matters worse, he’s lying about what he’s doing. Both Manchin and House anti-gun crazy Carolyn McCarthy are claiming to be “working with NRA” to enact gun bans and national gun registries. NRA says flatly that Manchin is lying, and we believe he is. (The Hill, 1/24/13) Ironically, Manchin was the “gun owner’s best friend” on November 5 2012 — the day before his reelection to a...

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Thursday that he was working on a bill with Senate colleagues and the National Rifle Association (NRA) that would implement universal background checks, a major component of President Obama's proposed gun-control reforms. Manchin, a member of the NRA, had not previously endorsed any specific measures to address gun violence. "I’m working on a bill right now with other senators — Democrats and Republicans — we’re trying to get it, and looking at a background check that basically says that if you’re going to be a gun owner, you should be able to pass a background...

Remember the summer of 2009? Members of Congress came home to hold town-hall meetings as usual in August, part of their annual listening-tour strategy to keep incumbents in favor back in home states and districts. When voters started showing up in droves to berate these Senators and Representatives over ObamaCare, however, the town-hall meetings started getting canceled, and those that did continue made for great moments on YouTube --- especially the declaration from former US Representative Baron Hill (D-IN), who declared that no one could tape the meeting because he didn't want it to end up on YouTube [update: video...

Ladies and gentlemen of the WVCDL and West Virginia. Today, around 3PM I met with Senator Manchin. In any conversation with a person of that level of power, there are two conversations that occur at once. The first is the obvious and direct meaning of what is spoken. The second conversation is the meaning between the lines. In this case, neither is good. West Virginia, in my opinion, you have been sold out. First, let's talk about the direct conversation. It's very simple. Senator Manchin supports a three-pronged approach that includes universal background checks, including private sales. He supports mental...

We highlighted West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe “NRA A-Rated” Manchin’s post-Newtown come-to-Jesus epiphany on the need for common sense gun control laws earlier this week. But not long after basking in the approval of media outlets everywhere for his level-headedness on the issue, he tried to walk the whole thing back. As he backpeddled furiously, mediaite.com reports that he was heard shouting, “’I’m not supporting a ban on anything,’ Manchin said. He instead reinforced his praise of the gun lobby group, saying, ‘I’m so proud of the NRA, I’m so pleased they agreed to be part of this.’” But Mountain...

In the days after the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Conn., I made it clear that I believe it is time for us to move from rhetoric to action to prevent future acts of senseless mass violence. Since then, much has been made of those comments — some of it accurately reflecting what I said, some not. Because I am an A-rated, lifelong member of the National Rifle Association and a proud defender of the Second Amendment, some people viewed my comments as a tipping point in the debate about guns in America. The true tipping point, of course, is what...

West Virginians plan to rally in front of the Charleston, W.V. offices of Sen. Joseph Manchin III (D-W.Va.) Dec. 22 in protest of his abandonment of the pro-gun rights positions he campaigned on in 2010 and 2012. “We are expecting 300 to 1,000 people to attend — it will be bigger than any of the events we held during the campaign,” said Keith T. Morgan, the president of the Charleston-based West Virginia Citizens Defense League. “We have received hundreds of RSVP’s through our Facebook page and tons of emails,” he said. “It is front page news here and we’ve gotten...

In the wake of the tragedy, Democrats are calling to pass the Assault Weapons Ban. When asked by Breitbart News, Manchin disagreed that his remarks on MSNBC show his stance on the second amendment have flipped. "I didn't change my mind on anything. I think everything is open for discussion." It should be noted that Manchin, also known for breaking campaign promises on tax hikes, may have a difficult time explaining his turnaround on guns to voters in his own state. West Virginia, a state President Obama lost in 2008 and 2012, has one of the highest rate of gun...

(CNN) – Sen. Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat from West Virginia and "proud gun owner," said Monday he believes last week's Connecticut elementary school shooting should be the tipping point in the debate over limiting gun rights. "I just came with my family from deer hunting. I've never had more than three shells in a clip. Sometimes you don't get more than one shot anyway at a deer," Manchin said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "It's common sense. It's time to move beyond rhetoric. We need to sit down and have a common sense discussion and move in a reasonable way."...

Manchin: ‘Enough is enough, it’s time we cancel our flights home, roll up our sleeves and get down to the people’s business’ After vote today, Senate is expected to adjourn until the election Washington, D.C. – In an impassioned floor speech today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) urged his colleagues to stay in Washington until the nation’s fiscal problems are solved, rather than spend the next seven weeks focused on campaigning and politics.   “It’s clear to me that betting on Congress getting religion after an election is also a risky gamble – a gamble with America’s future, a gamble...

Three coal-fired power plants in West Virginia will soon stop generating electricity. The last day of power generation for FirstEnergy Corp.'s plants in Albright, Rivesville and Willow Island was scheduled for Saturday. FirstEnergy spokesman Mark Durbin said the plants would be deactivated by the end of the day. Officials say some workers likely will remain on the job for a short period. They will deactivate the plants and take care of permits and environmental regulations. The plants employ a total 210 workers. FirstEnergy also plans to close six coal-fired operations in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland. The Ohio-based utility attributes the...

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced Tuesday that he will vote on Democratic legislation to extend the Bush-era tax rates. Manchin said he will join Democrats in voting to extend the rates for income up to $250,000 a year. The Democratic legislation would allow Bush-era rates on higher annual income to expire. Republicans want to extend all the rates for another year.  The vote on the Democratic plan is expected to take place on Wednesday.  "When considering these two proposals, I kept two priorities in mind: putting our fiscal house back in order and restoring fairness to the tax code," Manchin said...