By Dave Workman | Senior Editor
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms announced this morning that it has withdrawn its support for the Manchin-Toomey alternative background check measure because a key amendment for restoration of firearms rights is not being considered.
CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb advised TGM by telephone that, “Our support for this measure was contingent on several key provisions, the cornerstone of which was a rights restoration provision that is not on the schedule for consideration
“But it appears the Democratic leadership in the Senate was opposed to letting this important consideration come up for a vote,” he said. “We told everyone including a number of senators, that while there are many pro-gun rights provisions added to the main body of the bill, our support was contingent on this additional amendment coming to the floor. When we say something, we mean it.”
Gottlieb came under fierce criticism earlier in the week for revealing that he had a hand in crafting the alternative background check measure, sponsored by Senators Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey. The National Rifle Association and National Shooting Sports Foundation continued to oppose that proposed substitute, which was intended to replace the original background check bill sponsored by anti-gun Sen. Charles Schumer.
In a statement, CCRKBA noted that, “Rights restoration has been withheld from American citizens for more than two decades, ever since Schumer – when he was still in the House of Representatives – successfully strong-armed a provision to withdraw funding for rights restoration investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.”
“Senators Manchin and Toomey are not to blame for this,” Gottlieb stated, “as they have been negotiating in good faith throughout this process. But Schumer and other anti-gun Democrats are continuing their campaign of demagoguery in order to permanently disqualify as many Americans as possible from being able to exercise their fundamental rights under the Second Amendment.
Gottlieb is frustrated, and he made it clear that this “is not a reflection against Senators Joe Manchin or Pat Toomey, who are staunch Second Amendment advocates, and I want to thank them for all of their efforts to include as many protections for our gun rights as possible.”
He said that if the Manchin-Toomey alternate now is defeated, “Democrats in the Senate, led by Harry Reid, have only themselves to blame.
“While the Manchin-Toomey alternative has a significant number of gains for gun owners, it will not include this key provision, upon which our support was dependent,” Gottlieb said. “We cannot, in clear conscience, continue to support a measure that will not include this critical relief component.”
The announcement came as the Senate is poised to begin voting on a list of gun control measures today, while a new Gallup poll shows a diminishing public concern about firearms as an “important problem” facing the nation.
According to the Washington Times, Democrats were scrambling last night to get the votes necessary, as it appeared momentum had shifted to the other side, making it less likely that gun measures are going to be adopted, as this column reported.
At the same time, a new Gallup Poll released yesterday shows that Americans are less concerned about gun control than they were two months ago, down to a scant four percent in terms of a priority issue. The greatest concerns people have are the economy, unemployment and dissatisfaction with government.
Guns run far behind concerns over the federal budget deficit and health care as well, the Gallup numbers reveal.
Another survey, released by the Associated Press and conducted by GfK Roper also shows waning support for gun control. This survey shows a dead heat between gun control supporters and those wanting gun laws to remain the same or become less strict. Forty-nine percent favor stricter gun laws, and 48 percent favor current or less restrictive gun laws.
Pro-gun Senators Charles Grassley, Ted Cruz and others offered a different substitute proposal Wednesday morning, as support for the original background check measure offered by anti-gun Sen. Charles Schumer began losing steam days ago.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation yesterday threw its weight behind the Grassley-Cruz alternative, which calls for improvements to the National Instant Check System, increases resources for gun crime prosecutions, addresses mental health issues, establishes a Nationwide Project Exile program, sets up a study on the causes of mass shootings, provides Second Amendment protections for military veterans and has several other key tenets. There is also a component that places limits on Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives operations like Fast and Furious.
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms has withdrawn its support for the Manchin-Toomey alternative background check measure because a key amendment for restoration of firearms rights is not being considered.
“Our support for this measure was contingent on several key provisions, the cornerstone of which was a rights restoration provision that is not on the schedule for consideration,” said a frustrated CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “This is not a reflection against Senators Joe Manchin or Pat Toomey, who are staunch Second Amendment advocates, and I want to thank them for all of their efforts to include as many protections for our gun rights as possible.
“But it appears the Democratic leadership in the Senate was opposed to letting this important consideration come up for a vote,” he said. “We told everyone including a number of senators, that while there are many pro-gun rights provisions added to the main body of the bill, our support was contingent on this additional amendment coming to the floor. When we say something, we mean it.”
Rights restoration has been withheld from American citizens for more than two decades, ever since Sen. Charles Schumer – when he was still in the House of Representatives – successfully strong-armed a provision to withdraw funding for rights restoration investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“Senators Manchin and Toomey are not to blame for this,” Gottlieb stated, “as they have been negotiating in good faith throughout this process. But Schumer and other anti-gun Democrats are continuing their campaign of demagoguery in order to permanently disqualify as many Americans as possible from being able to exercise their fundamental rights under the Second Amendment.
“If the Manchin-Toomey alternative now goes down to defeat,” he continued, “Democrats in the Senate, led by Harry Reid, have only themselves to blame. While the Manchin-Toomey alternative has a significant number of gains for gun owners, it will not include this key provision, upon which our support was dependent.
“We cannot, in clear conscience, continue to support a measure that will not include this critical relief component,” Gottlieb concluded. “If Democrats like Schumer thought we could be flim flammed on this, they were wrong.”
