John Cornyn
Sen. John Cornyn (U.S. Customs and Border Protection/Glenn Fawcett)
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After the horrific shooting in Uvalde, Texas last year with the appalling failure of district, local, and state police, the usual outcry went up for more gun control. The far-left gun control industry lives for these moments, seeing them as ideal opportunities to dance in the blood of innocent victims — children are always best — and call for the passage of gun control laws to finally do something about “gun violence.”

Connecticut’s Chris Murphy, one of the Civilian Disarmament Industrial Complex’s most dedicated boosters, took to the Senate floor and pleaded with his fellow legislators to finally “solve a problem as existential” as civilian gun ownership. “Why are we here, if not to try to make sure that fewer schools and fewer communities go through what Sandy Hook has gone through? What Uvalde is going through,” he wondered aloud.

But I’m here on this floor to beg, to literally get down on my hands and knees and beg my colleagues. Find a path forward here. Work with us to find a way to pass laws that make this less likely.

I understand that my Republican colleagues will not agree to everything that I may support, but there is a common denominator that we can find. There is a place where we can achieve agreement, that may not guarantee that America never ever again sees a mass shooting.

That may not overnight cut in half the number of murders that happen in America. It will not solve the problem of American violence by itself. But by doing something, we at least stop sending this quiet message of endorsement to these killers whose brains are breaking. Who see the highest levels of government doing nothing, shooting after shooting.

Texas’s John Cornyn heard Murphy’s speech and decided that he was the kind of Republican who could work with Murphy to finally do something.

cornyn murphy
Shutterstock

What they ultimately did was to partner up, write, and pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Through his willingness to work with Murphy and co-sponsor the legislation, Cornyn also gave political cover to a handful of other liberal and middle-of-the-road Republicans to get back the bill and pass the first federal gun control legislation in almost three decades.

President Joe Biden signs into law S. 2938, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act gun safety bill, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Saturday, June 25, 2022. First lady Jill Biden looks on at right to make sure he does it correctly. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

There was much rejoicing by all of the usual suspects when Joe Biden signed the BSCA into law.

“While this bill doesn’t do everything I want, it does include actions I’ve long called for that are going to save lives,” Biden said just before signing the measure.

“Today, we say more than enough. We say more than enough,” he added. “At a time when it seems impossible to get anything done in Washington, we are doing something consequential.”

Consequential indeed. Just not in the way the credulous Senator from Texas thought. As Cornyn himself proudly announced . . .

So often around here people do things and say things not with the intention of actually passing legislation but with the intention of making a political statement or messaging. That’s not what we’re doing here.

Law-abiding gun owners are not the problem. That was a red line for me. Unless a person is adjudicated mentally ill or is a violent criminal, no one’s Second Amendment rights will be impacted by this legislation. Period.

This bill does, however, include important targeted reforms, complete with robust due process protections that I believe, in the end, will keep our children and our communities safe while respecting Second Amendment rights.

Cornyn sold his compromise claiming that the BSCA would provide support for state crisis intervention orders (whatever the hell that means), “invest” in children and family mental health services, protect victims of domestic violence, fund school safety initiatives, among other bullet points.

But what has the BSCA really done? What else was in the bill that Cornyn and nine other Republican Senators voted for? A bill Murphy ludicrously claimed would “save thousands of lives?”

A lot, as it turns out. As we pointed out at the time, the BSCA that Cornyn made possible was an anti-gun Democrat’s dream. Like most federal legislation, it was a Christmas tree from which to hang spending to shovel federal tax dollars to favored constituent groups and gun control supporters.

But the BSCA is much more than just pork. The Biden administration has taken full advantage of its language to push restrictions on legal firearm purchases, strong-arm states into enacting “red flag” confiscation laws and pull federal funding from schools that were retrograde enough to still have hunting and archery programs.

While Cornyn was full of happy talk of bipartisanship and finally getting things done in our nation’s capital, the folks back home weren’t buying the steaming load of longhorn manure wrapped in across-the-aisle compromise that Cornyn was trying to sell them.

Not that he cared all that much. He knew good and well that he wouldn’t have to go before the voters again until 2026. Four-plus years is an eternity in politics.

In the mean time, the FBI has used the “enhanced background check” language of the BSCA to institute a de facto 10-day waiting period on firearms purchased by adults under age 21.

Under cover of the BSCA, Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice has used federal dollars to “strong-arm” states into passing “red flag” laws.

“The Department of Justice appears to have weaponized the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to illegally fund ineligible ‘red flag’ laws and bribe pro-gun states into passing gun confiscation laws,” … lawmakers wrote.

You don’t say.

The latest revelation of the BSCA being a useful tool in the Biden administration’s ongoing War on Guns™ is withholding federal education funding from schools with hunting and archery programs.

This appears to be just another manifestation of Joe Biden’s crusade against anything promoting a positive approach to firearms, especially if it is taught in elementary and secondary schools, where young people can learn about genuine firearms safety, and perhaps prevent a tragedy.

Cornyn, for his part, is shocked, SHOCKED — and don’t forget that he’s OUTRAGED —  that the most anti-gun administration in American history would use the language of the gun control bill he wrote and voted for to attack the gun rights of law-abiding Americans.

John Cornyn
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

In all three cases, he — along with some of the other simps who backed the BSCA— has written letters (very sternly worded, no doubt) expressing his very deep concern over how his gun control bill is being (ab)used by the executive branch.

“We were alarmed to learn recently that the Department of Education has misinterpreted the BCSA to require the defunding of certain longstanding educational and enrichment programs — specifically, archery and hunter education classes — for thousands of children, who rely on these programs to develop life skills, learn firearm safety and build self-esteem,” Cornyn and [Senator Thom] Tillis wrote to [Education Secretary Miguel]Cardona.

“The Department mistakenly believes that the BSCA precludes funding these enrichment programs,” they continued. “Such an interpretation contradicts congressional intent and the text of the BSCA.”

Cornyn and Tillis can’t possibly be so deluded as to believe their expression of displeasure with a Biden administration functionary will carry any weight. Still, they have to go through the kabuki exercise of issuing strongly worded missives to get it on the record that they’re not happy about the bill they voted for being used to limit gun rights, just as many predicted it would.

Cornyn, Tillis and the rest have no expectation at all that the Biden administration will change how it chooses to interpret the BSCA short of being sued and an injunction being issued.

So Cornyn and his gullible, useful idiot GOP confederates who were convinced to compromise and get on board with Democrats to pass this abomination will be relegated to issuing bewildered expressions of displeasure as ever more creative uses of the BSCA are revealed as time marches on.

Cornyn’s apparently betting that no one in Texas will remember or care enough in 2026 for his gun rights capitulation to hurt him significantly. Besides, who are the voters in Lubbock, Amarillo, Wichita Falls, and Abilene going to vote for…Beto O’Rourke or whatever clone of him Texas Dems recruit to challenge the incumbent?

In the mean time, if Cornyn actually thought that reaching across the aisle and throwing in with his political opponents to finally do something would buy him any respect or good will from the Dems or the media, he’s dumber than even we thought. Anti-gun Democrats will literally never be satisfied until Americans are disarmed. No incremental steps that can make it through a closely divided Congress will ever be enough for them, as Democrat leaders have made abundantly clear.

John Cornyn
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

All Cornyn accomplished by jumping into bed with Chris Murphy and his kind was to reveal his weakness and antagonize the base back home. Senate Democrats used the issue to make the GOP rubes self-identify and Cornyn eagerly stepped forward and raised his hand.

Just as Joe Manchin stupidly caved to Chuck Schumer on the laughable “Inflation Reduction Act,” (the dupe from West Virginia expressed just as much outraged as Cornyn is now by what the administration did after that monstrosity became law), the Dems knew a mark when they saw one. They took full advantage of a sucker like Cornyn and rolled him. They used him like a $10 hooker and then tossed to the curb.

That should be a lesson for Republicans the next time a high profile shooting once again raises the cry for more gun control, but the GOP isn’t known as The Stupid Party for nothing.

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82 COMMENTS

    • With over 1.6 million in cash on hand, he doesn’t care if he gets voted out. We need term limits!

      • He isn’t running again. So term limits would do nothing. The most dangerous politician is the one that isn’t running for reelection. The answer you’re seeking is accountability. You won’t get that from term limits.

  1. quote———–In the mean time, the FBI has used the “enhanced background check” language of the BSCA to institute a de facto 10-day waiting period on firearms purchased by adults under age 21.———-quote

    This was probably the one of the best parts of the bill which unfortueately did not go far enough. Assault rifles should have been put on the NFA list for everyone and in today’s dollars “not 1933 dollars” the fee should have been raised to $3,654, not the outdated $200 dollar fee. It can take up to a year for one to get approval for an NFA weapon and it would be an excellent tool to keep assault rifles out of the hands of Trumpite stormtrooper revolutionaries, nut cases and criminals.

    quote———Cornyn sold his compromise claiming that the BSCA would provide support for state crisis intervention orders (whatever the hell that means), “invest” in children and family mental health services, protect victims of domestic violence, fund school safety initiatives, among other bullet points.———quote

    There is nothing wrong with the above parts of the bill and why would anyone want to dispute this??????????

    • Assault rifles should have been put on the NFA list

      Newsflash Sparky, “Assault Rifles” ARE on the NFA list along with submachine guns, machine guns, machine pistols and any other full-auto capable firearm… And the fact that you even considered including that last question removes ALL doubt about your fantasies of a totalitarian fascist type of government controlling every aspect of your day to day life, I’m betting on serious “daddy” issues…

      • I’m not sure he wants a totalitarian government as much as he needs one. I’m pretty sure his mom still dresses him and breast feeds him.

      • He longs to be the “Great Leader’s” personal executioner to start the great purge.

        He aims to beat Vasily Blokhin, Stalin’s personal executioner, in personal tally, the Khmer Rouge in population percentage, and Mao in sheer numbers.

        • Unfortunately for Sparky, IT will probably be one of the first group to be put up against the wall… They always start with the weak and totally feckless, you know, the path of least resistance…

    • If dacian says there is nothing wrong with an anti-gun bill you know its just part of the overall tyranny and there is plenty wrong with it.

  2. Do you feel “safe”? Didn’t think so. RINOS gotta RINO. Texans you need to throw the Cornyn bum out🙄

    • We have a few (less now) in NY that probably should go as well. Would imagine they are sprinkled all over if one looks close enough but yeah the publicity of this one was notable. Also get out of my head 😉

    • He’s already indicated he’s not running for re-election. So unfortunately he can keep RINOing his way along for the rest of his term.

        • Obozo will probably step up, tell the folks he was just “joking” about “Hell yes I’m going to take your AR15s and AK47s” and tearing down the border wall… Enough people will buy his bullshit and he’ll be the next Jr Senator from Texas, or Allen West might step up, he’d be a friendly seat warmer…

        • Haven’t heard any big rumors. And it’s not impossible that Cornyn could change his mind, especially depending on what happens in 2024. E.g., if the GOP regains control of the Senate and McTurtle rides off into the sunset, Cornyn’s positioned to become majority leader. If he did, I suspect he’s decide to run again so he could stay in that job.

          Allen West is a possibility, but conventional wisdom is that he doesn’t have the chops to win a statewide election. His run for the GOP nomination against Abbott was very underwhelming.

          I suspect a number of wealthy folks who could self-fund a campaign are looking into this. Former state Senator Don Huffines (who challenged Greg Abbott in the last GOP primary) springs to mind.

          The RINO faction of the Texas GOP (the remnants of the old Bush machine and the current Phelan machine that runs the Texas House in an alliance with the Dems) will decide on a candidate and hope that the mob of conservative candidates will splinter the primary vote. The youngest Bush is a possibility here, but his pitiful showing in the runoff for AG may have convinced them that the Bush name is now radioactive. They may get behind someone like Will Hurd.

      • That’s one of the most infuriating aspects of politics. RINO’s knowing they aren’t going to run for reelection and voting against their constituents wishes.

    • Yes we do need to throw him out. But Texas politics are especially dirty and Benedict Cornyn has his system well greased. Not so easy a task.

  3. While certain Gun talking blowbags were barking at me for daring to Define Gun Control by its History one man stood on the Floor of Congress and gave a Gun Control History Lesson. His speech broke the knee jerk forward momentum for the much more Gun Control the despicables in congress wanted.

    • No one on this forum has “dared” you to Define Gun Control by it’s History. Quite the opposite. We have asked you to limit your screeching. Most of the people on this forum agree with the history and tradition of gun control being racist. And it’s worth reminding folks occasionally about it. However, the way your message is conveyed is one of a scourned woman off her meds.

      • 300outhouse…for daring to does not mean I was dared. Before I arrived azzhats like you were total Gun Control History illiterates so how could anyone even have sense enough to make such a dare? Perhaps barking at having-the-nerve-to may help you grasp a better understanding.

        Nonetheless Gun talking blowbags got their panties in wad seeing me Define Gun Control by its History from the first time…Complaining about too much History makes as much sense as complaining about seeing the words Gun Control on this forum too much. So cease with screeching at seeing History especially since I have not seen you going further back in History than the day you were potty trained.

        • How about this.
          Gun Control is far more than just racist. Over the course of history, it has been:
          Aristocratic (only the noble can have them)
          Anti-secular (removal of guns from persons of a certain religion)

          just to name a few. And that was well before there were racist policies in the US against Blacks, Irish, etc. Hmm, maybe if King George and General Thomas Gage hadn’t attempted to secure the arms in Lexington and Concord, our Constitution would look different.

          Gun Control has also been, just in the 20th Century, responsible for more than 100 million deaths, when considering Mao, Stalin, Lenin, and others.

          Of course, the 2A is predated by many other writings, notably the Magna Carta.

          But you’re right, Debbie. I’m obviously ignorant of the history of gun control since before, say 1950. Keep attacking fellow PotG and saying you are our champion. Guarantee that’s the way to win the hearts and minds of those on the fence.

        • 300Blackout,

          Don’t bother. You are right, of course – gun control has frequently been classist, theocratic, and many different other things. Today, while there are racist elements to it, it is largely fascist/authoritarian. But don’t get poor Debbie Dimwit confused; she found out gun control (in the US and the colonies) was largely race-based in the beginning, and her tiny little mind can’t hold more than one thought at a time (and barely that).

      • 300outhouse…You cannot educate me however you can educate others who are prone to be clueless about the atrocities inherent with Gun Control.

        Based on you describing what I say here as “screeching” it is safe to assume you do not or have not Defined Gun Control by its History for anyone.
        Instead of commiting on the video you chose to aide certain gun talking blowbags that barked at everything you just preached to me. Not a commit out of you or others about a real man who stood up in congress and spoke saying things the blowbags you aided would never, ever say in a hundred years.

        Have you or any of your ilk passed that video along or did you just sit on your thumbs and leave the football sitting on the field?

        • Dunning-Kruger in action truly a majestic climb to the summit. Now to see if she ever does learn anything.

        • Thanks for acknowledging that you refuse to listen to any viewpoint – whether they agree with you or not.

          I actively support the Armed Women of America (formerly The Well Armed Woman) and actively teach them to become better marksmen using the NRA Marksmanship Program, and teach them to accept responsibility for their safety and well being through a host of other programs such as Stop The Bleed.

          While AWA is a-political, yes, we often discuss political matters outside of AWA, as required.

          You seem to think you are the only one on here with any involvement in pro-2A activities. How about you tell us how “you’re picking up the football and running with it”. Because if it’s saying “Gun Control is RACIST” on a 2A forum, then, honey, that ain’t a football you’re running with.

        • “You cannot educate me”

          Void nailed it – Dunning Kruger in action.

          Here, since you’re too lazy to look it up :

          “The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias[2] whereby people with low ability, expertise, or experience regarding a type of task or area of knowledge tend to overestimate their ability or knowledge.”

          That’s *you*, cupcake… 🙂

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

        • Skank (Deb)

          I asked 10+ people as you ordered. It proved you are wrong. No one I spoke to is worried about future racist gun control laws based on gun control’s racist past.

          It’s time to fight the battle of today. You are stuck in the past and stuck on stupid.

    • Furthermore…Instead of picking up the football and running with it certain Gun talking blowbags sat on their thumbs and to this day continue to bark at Defining Gun Control only to win applause from Gun Control zealots for keeping the public deaf, dumb and blind.

    • Any gov’t that is afraid of an armed citizenry likely SHOULD be. As demtard party of 2023.

  4. What will the great senator John Cornyn say when? When all of the shooting and archery teams, are attacked and destroyed in the schools of the great state of Texas.

    “He was hanged with a rope that he made.”

    This historical statement comes to my mind.

    • Gunman and convicted murderer Tom Horn?
      Unfortunately, unlike Mr Horn, Mr Corn will escape justice and live out his days in peace and comfort.

      • Just a reminder, the anti-gun and anti-civilrights, senator Barbara Boxer. She was attacked and mugged in Berkeley. A few years ago.
        Fate/karma still has plenty of time. To catch up with Senator John Cornyn.

    • Here I thought Cornyn might have had at least a legal background. Instead I think he was elevated to his level of incompetency.

      He is appealing to the Golden Rule of the “good” the legislation is trying to provide. The executive branch are applying loose interpretations of the literal rule to get the legislation to do what they want.

      I think a first semester law student would run rings around Cornyn in interpreting legislation.

  5. As I remember the libertarians offered Gary Johnson and William Weld as an alternative. And they supported open borders. Not very popular in Texas.
    But in the far away lands of, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, open borders are very popular.

    • The fantasy of open borders played well in Chicago and New York until they got hit with the reality of the situation.

      • Honestly keep sending them it is causing a welcome attitude adjustment to all involved along with some comedy gold in the mental gymnastics division.

        • I totally agree. It would be worth the tax dollars spent to send thousands upon thousands of illegal aliens to San Francisco. The city where Kate Steinley’s illegal alien murderer was let off the hook.

          Nothing gets the attention of a liberal faster than having their family member raped murdered and robbed. Yes, that is a terrible thing to say, isn’t it?

          The open Borders crowd are quite content to have it happen to other people. To quote their favorite President obama.

          “It’s about time we spread the wealth around.”

          It’s only fair that we have an equal distribution of crime into all white liberal neighborhoods.
          They got the them the hell out of Martha’s vineyard real fast, didn’t they????

        • Seeing the third world in the nicer parts of Schenectady and Albany counties is forcing a lot of hard discussions………..and county level emergency orders preventing further busloads so NYC it is for new arrivals as I doubt the Governor will want any in her Buffalo homeland.

        • Chris,
          “Nothing gets the attention of a liberal faster than having their family member raped murdered and robbed.”
          Saying it isn’t terrible. The fact that it happens is. Will they learn from it? Not likely.

        • “… welcome attitude adjustment to all involved along with some comedy gold in the mental gymnastics division.”

          True, too bad an intractable problem that greatly assists in the destruction of the country had to occur to get the adjustment.

          Maybe it will wake people up and we can avert full Zimbabwefication. Or, maybe not.

          ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯

  6. Remove immunity for cops that don’t go in during school shootings. At the very least pull their pensions. That would be “doing something.”

    Also, consent decrees around any PD that repeatedly lets people off the hook after doing things like threatening to kill people (Parkland Shooter) should be a thing too.

  7. I hope this RINO and all his RINO cronies like Eye-patch McCain get rolled next primary. The NSSF’s Fudd support A-grades aren’t going to help these RINO anti-2A scrubs.

    RINOs gonna RINO

  8. If you live in a district that have hunting and archery programs that are cancelled, I have a suggestion. The parents of the students, and other interested citizens, could fund them privately. A big, fat finger to Biden’s administration. Shame this is even a thing in the United States of America. When I went to high school we just kept our firearms in our trucks. When my son was in high school (private) the duck hunters were required to check their shotguns with the assistant principal upon entering campus. No one batted an eye. It should be obvious that firearms are not the problem, but something is. The Left should look in a mirror.

    • My local school (Iowa), as most, use a district bus to haul the trap team to meets WITH THEIR SHOTGUNS IN HAND. Only thing ever “injured” has been a few clay pigeons.

    • Sleep with the devil reap the rewards. Taking fed funds for local school districts was a huge fucup to begin with. Get the feds out of education they aren’t your friends.

    • He might, if these stories were re-run in the ~3 months prior to the next election.

      Hey, TTAG admins, scheduled posts are a pretty common feature on blogging back-ends. You wouldn’t even need to remember to do it (although it might be a good idea to get in the habit of reviewing what’s scheduled for the next week).

  9. “(the dupe from West Virginia expressed just as much outraged as Cornyn is now by what the administration did after that monstrosity became law)”

    The “outrage” is an act. Both of these things were intentional. We know Cornyn’s political career is over. WV needs to dump Manchin. Both of those guys will be / are being repaid by the establishment for their service. That’s how it works.

    • Cocaine Mitch, Bill Cassidy, Roy Blunt and the entire RINO crew in the Senate and those in the house responsible for this disasterous Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

  10. There was no driving groundswell of Texans petitioning John “The Tool” Cornyn to do the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act other than his and more importantly Mitch McConnell’s desire to “do something”.

    Johnny Boy doesn’t like it when the heat is focused on him.

  11. Funny, I thought “on my knees” was Murphys normal position… As for Cornyn after over 20 years in the US Senate he is STILL “shocked” when the Democrats fuck him without so much as a kiss or a reach around… What a moron…

    • This is either a good use of “pfui” or an excellent one.

      Hard to tell with a mere two words for added context.

      +5… or +10.

  12. The 15 Republican senators who supported the bill were:

    Roy Blunt, Missouri
    Richard Burr, North Carolina
    Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia
    Bill Cassidy. Louisiana
    Susan Collins, Maine
    John Cornyn, Texas
    Joni Ernst, Iowa
    Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
    Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
    Lisa Murkowski, Alaska
    Rob Portman, Ohio
    Mitt Romney, Utah
    Thom Tillis, North Carolina
    Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania
    Todd Young, Indiana

    • dont forget the RINOs in the house that voted for it too.

      Every one of these traitors who haven’t already lost their jobs in the house such as Liz Piggy Cheney should also meet that same fate next election cycle as well

      Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan
      Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan
      Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio
      Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio
      Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio
      Rep. David Joyce of Ohio
      Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming
      Rep. Chris Jacobs of New York
      Rep. John Katko of New York
      Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
      Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois
      Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas
      Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida
      Rep. Tom Rice of South Carolina

      • I’m amazed, no California republicans on this one? Oh, thats right, we barely have any representation in congress in CA.

  13. “But I’m here on this floor to beg, to literally get down on my hands and knees and beg my colleagues.”

    The sheep on his knees, begging the wolf not to eat him….

  14. Thank god that there has not been a single mass shooting since passage and thousands, maybe even billions of lives have been saved. I hope to thank todd young for this by electing a primary competitor.

  15. Abbot should take this chance to demand his resignation so Texas can have competent representation in the Senate, but Abbot has himself shown he’s unwilling to stand up for consent of the governed and willing to tread on rights to seize unenumerated powers.

  16. The GOP gets “rolled” more than Zig-Zags next to an oz of dank-as-fuck Kush bud in a frat house.

    They’re either 1. Fully blown paint-chips-for-breakfast mental deficients or 2. They’re not actually getting rolled, you are if you believe that they are.

    Weird how the GOP and that chronic basically smell the same, skuuuuunky.

    My money’s on #2. Fuck these pinche pendejos babosos. (translate that as you like, personally I prefer the general Mexican connotation that they’re basically child-attracted assholes, but stupid/contemptable drooling idiots is also acceptable).

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