Good one!
Posted on 07/01/2010 7:08:29 AM PDT by Ogie Oglethorpe
Multiple sources tell me the National Rifle Association is planning to endorse liberal Harry Reid against pro-gun champion Sharron Angle.
Two weeks ago, I told you about the carveout the NRA received in exchange for their support for the DISCLOSE ACT deal.
Then this week, RedState broke the story of the “gag order” the NRA issued to members of its Board on the Kagan nomination.
Now, I’m getting credible reports that the NRA is leaning toward endorsing Harry Reid, even though the NRA is finally saying it will score a vote on Kagan — something that was not a sure thing.
Why would they do this? Why would they go out of their way to protect a Senator who has demonstrated a repeated hostility to the Second Amendment in his votes and his leadership?
Well, I thought perhaps the NRA carveout in the DISCLOSE Act might be the answer. But, there is more. It turns out, Reid secured a $61 million earmark for a gun range in Clark County, Nevada.
NRA members were recently treated to a three-page spread in the American Rifleman about a visit to Nevada by Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox to “thank” Reid for the earmark. The article even includes a cliché picture of Reid cutting a ribbon with a gigantic pair of scissors. (Every good porker has his own giant pair of gold earmark scissors.) More here.
Here is a video of the event from Reid’s youtube site.
At 3:25, you can hear LaPierre touting Reid’s record on guns saying, “I also want to thank you, Senator, for your support every day for the Second Amendment and for the rights of American gun owners. “
The American Rifleman article also commends Reid’s Second Amendment record noting, “His dedication to this project is just one of the ways Sen. Reid has demonstrated his support for gun owners and the Second Amendment.”
Well, that’s all very nice. What politician representing a pro-gun red state wouldn’t want Wayne LaPierre to come out for a personal photo op at their earmark ribbon cutting.
But, here is the problem. Reid has not supported the Second Amendment “every day.” Or ever.
Reid has a lifetime rating of “F” from Gun Owners of America (who Ron Paul once called “the only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington”). GOA is actively supporting the 100% pro-gun Republican nominee, Sharron Angle, in her campaign to unseat Harry Reid.
But if you don’t believe GOA, see for yourself below the fold. Then call (800) 392-VOTE (8683) before it is too late and make the NRA knows they’d be betraying second amendment voters by endorsing Harry Reid.
Below are just a few of the votes that demonstrate Reid’s longstanding hostility to guns and the Second Amendment. Not included in this list is the long list of consistent and active support for anti-gun nominees to the Federal Judiciary and to high level cabinet posts. The reason I did not include anti-gun nominees is because he supported every last one of them.
June 28, 1991. Vote No. 115. Voted for a 5 day waiting period for handgun purchases.
October 21, 1993. Vote 325. Voted to eliminate the Army Civilian Marksmanship Program. Only the most fringe anti-gun Senators voted for the amendment.
November 19, 1993. Vote 385. Allow states to impose waiting periods over and above the 5 days waiting period required under the Brady Bill.
November 19, 1993. Vote 386. Voted to eliminate he 5-year sunset in the Brady Bill.
November 19, 1993. Vote 387. Voted to close off debate on the Brady Bill.
November 19, 1993. Vote 390. Voted to close off debate on the Brady Bill.
November 20, 1993. Vote 394. Voted for the Brady Bill, which imposed a 5-business-day waiting period before purchasing a handgun.
August 25, 1994. Vote 294. Voted to close off debate on the Clinton Crime Bill, which contained the ban on so-called “assault weapons.”
August 25, 1994. Vote 295. Voted for the Clinton Crime Bill, which contained the ban on so-called “assault weapons.”
April 17, 1996. Vote 64. Voted to expand the statute of limitations for paperwork violations in National Firearms Act from 3 years to 5 years.
June 27, 1996. Vote 178. Voting to destroy 176,000 M-1 Garand rifles from World War II, and 150 million rounds of 30 caliber ammunition, rather than giving them to the Federal Civilian Marksmanship program.
September 12, 1996. Vote 287. Voted to spend $21.5 million for a study on putting “taggants” in black and smokeless gunpowder.
September 12, 1996. Vote 290. Voted to make it a Federal crime to possess a gun within 1,000 yards of a school.
May 12, 1999. Vote 111. Voted to give the Treasury Department expansive new authority to regulate and keep records on gun shows and their participants, and criminalize many intrastate firearms transactions.
May 13, 1999. Vote 116. Voted to ban the importation of ammunition clips that can hold more than 10 rounds.
May 14, 1999. Vote 119. Voted to criminalize internet advertisements to sell legal firearms in a legal manner.
May 18, 1999. Vote 122. Voted to for Mandatory triggerlocks.
May 20, 1999. Vote 133. Voted to create new Federal regulation of pawn shops handling of guns.
May 20, 1999. Vote 134. Voted to give the Treasury Department expansive new authority to regulate and keep records on gun shows and their participants, and criminalize many intrastate firearms transactions. The vote was 50-50, with Vice President Gore casting the tie-breaking vote.
May 20, 1999. Vote 140. Voted for the Clinton Juvenile Justice bill, which contained a package of gun control measures.
July 29, 1999. Vote 224. Voted to close debate on the Clinton Juvenile Justice bill, which contained a package of gun control measures.
February 2, 2000. Vote 4. Voted to make firearms manufacturers and distributors’ debts nondischargeable in bankruptcy if they were sued because they unknowingly sold guns to individuals who used the gun in a crime. 68 Senators voted against Reid’s position, including 17 Democrats including Bryan of Nevada.
March 2, 2000. Vote 27. Voted to say that school violence was due to the fact that Congress “failed to pass reasonable, common-sense gun control measures” and call for new gun ownership restrictions on the anniversary of the Columbine shootings.
March 2, 2000. Vote 28. Voted to say that school violence was due to the fact that Congress “failed to pass reasonable, common-sense gun control measures” and call for new gun ownership restrictions on the anniversary of the Columbine shootings (reconsideration of vote 27).
March 2, 2000. Vote 32. Voted to use Federal taxpayer funds to hand out anti-gun literature in schools and to run anti-gun public service announcements.
April 6, 2000. Vote 64. Voted for a gun control package including new onerous restrictions on gun shows.
April 7, 2000. Vote 74. Voted against an amendment to provide for the enforcement of existing gun laws in lieu of new burdensome gun control mandates.
May 16, 2000. Vote 100. Voted to commend the participants of the so-called “Million Mom March” for their demand for more Federal restrictions on firearms ownership, and to urge the passage of strict gun control measures.
May 17, 2000. Vote 102. Vote to overturn the ruling of the chair that the Daschle amendment (commending the participants of the so-called “Million Mom March” for their demand for more Federal restrictions on firearms ownership, and to urge the passage of strict gun control measures) was out of order.
May 17, 2000. Vote 103. Voted against an amendment stating “the right of each law-abiding United States citizen to own a firearm for any legitimate purpose, including self-defense or recreation, should not be infringed.”
May 17, 2000. Vote 104. Voted for an amendment commending the participants of the so-called “Million Mom March” for their demand for more Federal restrictions on firearms ownership, and to urge the passage of strict gun control measures.
February 26, 2004. Vote 17. Voted for mandatory triggerlocks.
March 2, 2004. Vote 25. Voted for Federal regulation of gun shows.
July 28, 2005. Vote 207. Voted for mandatory triggerlocks.
March 5, 2009. Vote 83. Voted against a ban on the United Nations imposing taxes on American citizens after France and other world leaders proposed a global tax on firearms.
Already long pulled my membership.....
A late addendum at RedState to the original story - sounds like a confirmation to me, unfortunately:
______________________________________
A Reader Email on the NRA
Posted by Erick Erickson (Profile)
Thursday, July 1st at 10:10PM EDT
4 Comments
From the mail bag:
After reading your post, I wasted 30 minutes waiting on hold to talk to a human at NRA. I finally got a guy – I think he said his name was “Tag” – who was in full defense mode on all the good stuff Harry Reid had done, all his votes, how they gave him a B Grade, how he wrote an amicus brief for the Heller & Chicago SCOTUS cases. When I told them that there is a list on Redstate.com of all the anti-2nd Amendment votes by Harry, he said “Redstate, yeah, right.” This guy was combative and rehearsed in his defense of Harry Reid. I asked him how they can support a guy who voted against the SCOTUS nominees (Roberts, Alito) who were 2nd Amendment advocates, but vote for Sotomayor. “Tag” said that most judicial nominations are done on party line votes, and they don’t hold those votes against Harry Reid!! I said that those in the military community, where many NRA members serve their country, are still bothered by “the war is lost” comment on Iraq. “Tag” laughed at me, and said, “Oh, comeon!”.
Someone needs to start a replacement group for the NRA, and advertise it as such. The current leaders of the NRA not be allowed to join.
People go to Washington and get infected. I swear it must be something they are putting in the food in Georgetown Restaurants.
Sarah Palin will give them a huge drubbing, and she has been an NRA supporter, often speaking at their conferences.I am sure Sarah would be aghast to know the NRA is leaning toward endorsing Harry Reid.
Its hard for me to give credence to this article, how could they be so stupid?
This reads like the NRA has sold out to become a union of all things. How did THAT happen???
I believe it comes down to this. The NRA does not think the GOP can take the Senate. So they prefer Ried as majority leader over Schumer.
You posted a bunch of crap and innuendo here.
What would be called “rumormongering” aanywhere else.
Item One: thE “Gag Order” on Elena Kagan?
I’m usre you’ve heard by now the NRA came out in opposition to her nomination and warned Senators the NRA would be watching how they voted on her confirmation?
You posted a bunch of crap and innuendo here.
What would be called “rumormongering” aanywhere else.
Item One: thE “Gag Order” on Elena Kagan?
I’m usre you’ve heard by now the NRA came out in opposition to her nomination and warned Senators the NRA would be watching how they voted on her confirmation?
Not exactly Charlton’s NRA...is it?
Yes.
The Clark County Shooting Park occupies 2,900 acres, with a 900 acre range area surrounded by a 2,000 acre "desert nature area" as a buffer against future developmental encroachment.
Feel free to refute anything that is factually inaccurate. Keep in mind this is an opinion piece. Judging by the posts, the vast majority of FReepers have reluctantly come to the same conclusions.
I’m usre you’ve heard by now the NRA came out in opposition to her nomination and warned Senators the NRA would be watching how they voted on her confirmation?
Umm, from the article:
"Now, I’m getting credible reports that the NRA is leaning toward endorsing Harry Reid, even though the NRA is finally saying it will score a vote on Kagan — something that was not a sure thing."
So, it was public pressure that forced them to score the Kagan vote - something they did not do on the Sotomayor vote, BTW.
Try again...
thanks
They have been doing this since 2004 that I know of as they first endorsed the Democrat against Dr. Coburn in 2004. Finally endorsed both but in the process a lot of Oklahomans went to GOA and told the NRA where they could go.
Ping to my buddy OK, who I had several conversations with about the NRA and the Coburn situation at that time, since we faced a similar situation in PA.
See article about it in my post #201
Thanks Lucy. I am behind on the news on NRAs reaction to Kagan. They seemed a little slow.
Good one!
I thought so too. They may or may not endorse Reid after all this uproar about the story.
If it was a “trial balloon”, it’s been shot down. It will be interesting to see what they do now.
If they don’t endorse Reid, some will say that they never intended to do so. I don’t believe that for a minute. Reid wouldn’t be the first Dem they’ve chosen to endorse over a more conservative candidate.
It’s also interesting that the range will be in Clark Co. the only anti-gun county in the state. You can’t even carry a TSA secured weapon through McCarran airport legally without registration with Las Vegas police. There is a strict weapons registration law in all of Clark Co. and its cities in particular. A weapon is loosely defined but definitely includes guns of any type. The NRA knows this. Its not a new law and has been a bone of contention between hunter’s organizations, the cities/county/the Las Vegas tourist bureau and McCarran Airport Authority. Someone said it in this thread earlier- something stinks.
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