Dem. Congressman: GOP Reps. Support Background Checks But Don’t Want to be ‘Out in Front’

https://youtube.com/watch?v=aue9BS5Yz6E

Representative Mike Thompson (D., Calif.), who is pushing a House version of a bill similar to the Senate’s failed Manchin-Toomey bill, said that he knows of Republicans who want to support the background checks, but are hesitant to be the first to voice support. “I’ve had folks on the proverbial ‘other side of the aisle’ tell me that they’re for background checks, they just don’t want their name out in front for a whole host of reasons,” Thompson told MSNBC’s Chris Jansing this morning.

He said one of the reasons why Republican members haven’t supported the bill is because they haven’t heard from constituents in favor of background checks, despite poll numbers indicating widespread support.