Rep. Peter King (R., N.Y.) says he still plans to pursue legislation that would make it illegal to bring a firearm within 1,000 feet of a member of Congress, despite opposition from GOP leadership. In fact, he claims to have the backing of most Republicans. The Hill reports:
King, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said that most Republicans agree with his proposed legislatio[n].
“Yes, I expect to go forward, and it’s not a disagreement I have with many people in the Republican Party,” King said on Fox News.
Both Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) have said they oppose King’s bill, which he proposed earlier this week following the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) at a constituent event.
King’s bill is one of several proposed by members of both parties in the wake of the assassination attempt against Giffords. On the Republican side, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) has proposed allowing members to carry guns in D.C. and on the floor of the House. On the Democratic side, Rep. Bob Brady (Pa.) wants to outlaw language or image that threatens lawmakers, and several other lawmakers have proposed restrictions on the kind of extended clips the alleged shooter used in the attack against Giffords.
King defended his bill in an interview with NRO’s Robert Costa, here.
I really wish Congressmen would limit their grandstanding to matters which do not infringe on Constitutional rights.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is just wrong. It only punishes the law abiding because the mentally deranged willing to shoot a congress member in the first place is not going to be deterred by an accessory felony. And why would a Republican lead the charge on this? It is called pandering. What if I do not know a member of congress is around and I inadvertantly violate the rule? What if I find out a member of congress is around, I have a legal right to carry concealed? Do I have to go home? Go put my gun in the car?
This is a terrible idea. Truth is if a few law abiding people were carrying on that day the mentally deranged shooter went off, the death toll may have been reduced.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI guess the natural reaction is going to be it's time to primary him with the current climate of zero tolerance for progressive ideas on the left or right. I wonder if he has a clue.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseKing defended his bill by saying it would not have prevented this shooting?
Gee, that's nice.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is so self-destructive that he must have another agenda.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHow about some parity here? We should also make it a felony for a member of congress to take the step that places himself or herself within 1000 feet of a person with a gun. If they need protection, let us protect them from themselves.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAt least Rep. Gohmert seems to get it. Leave it to the guy from Texas.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf King pushes this, he and any republican that votes for it, should be campaigned against.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHe's good on so many things, but on these like this, he's just another northeastern liberal.
I think Rep King is going to be Palin-ized, and I don't mean that in the BLM-destroying-a-politician way.
It means that a few hours after the "type, type, send" buttons from Wasilla, the House office phone lines would overheat.
You've crossed over into dangerous 'Cuda waters when you start talking restricting 2nd Amendment rights.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnd in other news, King announced he will still put forward an earmark to study the theory of the flat earth, despite criticism.
He's also still demanding that the President re-task NASA from the mission of enhancing Arabs' scientific self-esteem to that of proving, once and for all, that the Moon really IS made of green cheese.
Meanwhile, King's re-election campaign has announced a slogan of "Tough, Strong, Resolute: He IS the King!"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseKing's bill doesn't go far enough. I think that instead they should pass a law making it illegal to murder someone, and that will solve the problem once and for all. Right?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSee Kevin D. Williamson's article. Mr Smith is deciding to add more tape, more regulation.
Executive, Legislative, Judicial: "P.L.E.A.S.E. S.T.O.P."
Freedom is dying under your penchants.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseKing: ‘I Expect to Go Forward’ with Gun Bill
Constituents: 'We expect that King will be primaried in 2012' if he goes forward with gun bill
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBring it on, King. We'll do to your bill what we did to the Dream Act. The American people are not dumb, you'll see.
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I usually ask this question and then make the rhetorical response, about a liberal who has just made an ass of themselves, but I'll extend it to this nitwit (R) King. "Has this guy reproduced?" Boy, I hope not!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCongress should immediately appropriate funds to purchase 596 (2 + 100 + 435 + 9 + 50[governors]) Popemobiles to keep all those Very Important People safely away from us scary, scary commoners.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCan't we instead make it illegal for high profile public officials to come within 1000 feet of a firearm?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt is odd to me to read so many comments from law-and-order Republicans who now seem to believe that laws are useless as a deterrent to crime.
Do you really believe that laws "only punish the law abiding"? By the same reasoning, wouldn't it be true that laws against driving at high speed just punish capable, law-abiding drivers? Or that laws against drug possession merely punish law-abiding recreational users?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHas it really dawned on any of these idiots that if there had been a couple of others at this event who were carrying, the kid would have been DRT before he got the third shot off.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJay:
Actually, Joe Zamudio -- who was there and was carrying a weapon -- has said that he originally identified Bill Badger as the shooter, and that he was "lucky" that he didn't shoot the wrong guy. If there'd been a couple of others at the event, the odds are that somebody WOULD have shot the wrong guy -- don't you think?
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