Americans for Responsible Solutions is the anti-gun group led by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly. In a surprise move (for me anyway), ARS has thrown its support behind Pennsylvania Republican congressional candidate Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick. The “Not Afraid to Lead” ad above touts Fitzpatrick’s legislative efforts to keep guns “out of the hands of the dangerously mentally ill, stalkers and domestic abusers.” It shows two bills: H.R. 329 and H.R. 1565. The first, Strengthening Background Checks Act of 2013, never made it out of subcommittee. It would have penalized states that didn’t submit adequate records to the FBI’s firearms background check system. The second . . .

the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act of 2013, also died in subcommittee. It was New York congressman Peter King’s boondoggle to “Amend the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to reauthorize for FY2014-FY2017 the grant program for improvements to the criminal history record system.” In other words, more money for more reporting to a system that has no proven effect on firearms-related crime rates.

So that’s what gun grabbers Giffords and Kelly like about Fitzpatrick? The guy who voted “yes” to prohibiting product misuse lawsuits against gun manufacturers (the Brady Campaign must LOVE this guy). But also voted for the post-Newtown Toomey-Manchin bill to create “universal background checks.” And said the following:

Their proposal also closes gun show loop holes while creating a national commission on finding the best ways to address a culture of violence in America. Ultimately, their proposal creates a comprehensive system for background checks that protects family transfers while not infringing on constitutional rights. These policies have my support . . .

This is a common-sense proposal that can make a real difference. As proposed, it deserves the support of the House. I will work with a bipartisan group in the House to introduce a similar proposal this week.

Et voila! Le smoking gun. Fitzpatrick wants the feds to monitor any and all firearms transactions in the United States. For the children (presumably). As always, the friend of my enemy is my enemy, no matter which political party claims him or her as one of their own.

35 COMMENTS

  1. Interesting. But who is his competitor? Also, don’t forget pinnochio, I mean the congresswoman, may know this guy personally from her time in the house.

    • All very good points, but if I ( or someone else) cannot find the answers to those points mentioned, I probably will be voting against him

    • Even if his competitor is a pro-gun democrat, it might actually be better to have the RINO. He’d caucus republican, so the republicans would get all the committee chairs. No anti-gun laws would get through.

      I’d still vote Libertarian.

  2. It would have penalized states that didn’t submit adequate records to the FBI’s firearms background check system.

    Say whaaat? WTF does that mean? What records do states submit to the FBI’s “firearms background check system”, and why does the FBI have one, that is the job of ATF?

  3. Gun shows aren’t loopholes… They were not created to bypass the law. They have always existed and always will.

    • And there’s no loophole. FFLs who sell at gun shows still have to have purchasers complete Form 4473s, and run the NICS background check.

      Are there many (any?) gun shows that allow non-FFL registrants to sell without conducting background checks?

      • The only non-FFL selling I’ve ever seen at my local shows were individuals attending the shows selling to each other. Considering the premium you have to pay to get a booth, I’m not surprised gun shows are comprised almost entirely of FFL dealers.

      • I see them all the time in Arizona: both collectors with booths buying/selling and individuals walking the floor with rifles with “for sale” signs.

        • …and individuals walking the floor with rifles with “for sale” signs.

          That’s a private seller, unaffiliated with the gun show. I’m talking specifically about registered sellers (i.e. the ones with tables).

          Interesting if Arizona still allows that. Seems to be (in my limited experience), either gun shows are self-policing their registered sellers (by requiring all registered-seller sales go through an FFL), or else states are passing laws requiring the same.

        • @Chip: I’m not affiliated with Crossroads of the West and have never exhibited with them, but it looks like they have no FFL/background check requirements for their sellers, except in (where else?) California: http://www.crossroadsgunshows.com/vendor_information.php.

          I believe Tucson AZ passed an ordinance against gun show sales without a background check, but it was overturned on preemption grounds.

          And I always assumed that private parties selling guns on the floor at gun shows was a part of the so-called “gun show loophole.” Since it’s individual Americans buying and selling personal property without asking The People’s permission and all.

          • And I always assumed that private parties selling guns on the floor at gun shows was a part of the so-called “gun show loophole.”

            But private parties conducting a transaction on the floor of a gun show have absolutely nothing to do with the gun show. They could be standing in McDonald’s doing the same thing. It’s simply a private sale of a firearm between two individuals.

            And there’s the rub: that’s what the gun-grabbers are really after, when they invoke the so-called “gun show loophole”. It has nothing to do with gun shows. They’re after private sales.

      • I see many tables with “Private Seller” (AKA non FFL) signs at the shows here in Texas. They are greatly outnumbered by FFL tables, but they do exist… here at least.

  4. Luckily this guy isn’t trying to represent my district. This is another example of a Republican who would sh*t on the Constitution for some votes. Maybe people will wake up and not blindly vote for a candidate based solely on party. Both parties must be held in check. Or the one party (Dems and Repubs being two sides of the same coin) must be held in check depending on what you believe. None of the measures he proposes have proven to be effective in the communist states.

  5. Just tried to read the summaries of the two bills linked above. Now I have to take some Excedrin. My head hurts.

  6. Isn’t there some really long space mission to Alpha Centauri the Giffords can be enticed to volunteer for ?

  7. Someone should bring this to his attention. His reaction might be instructive, for those with eyes to see and ears to hear…

  8. But also voted for the post-Newtown Toomey-Manchin bill to create “universal background checks.

    No, he didn’t, but only because he couldn’t. Fitzpatrick is in the House. He supported Manchin-Toomey, but that particular abortion was only presented to the Senate.

    Anyway, he’s still a d!ck.

  9. I’ve lived in his district for 15 years. Met him a bunch of times. He’a a real nice guy, but is a wet noodle that bends whichever way the wind blows.

    Our district is full of upper middle class suburbanites riddled with liberal guilt. The type that put Obama stickers on their Audis and solar panels on their McMansions. Fitzy is a republican only because he votes to keep their taxes low. In all other aspects (including gun control) he leans towards the Dems.

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  11. As someone above me mentioned there are a good bit of liberal yuppies in the district but the upper part of the county can get pretty rural. His competitor Kevin Strausse has been pretty mum about gun related issues. Despite the proximity to Philly the county is pretty 2A friendly

  12. This Pennsylvanian has a simple electoral rule:

    If you accept endorsement by an anti-gun group, you lose my vote.

    -D

  13. Boy, they really suckered him!
    Gabby’s gang ran this spot twice during Sunday’s NASCAR race. We all know what a magnet for anti-gun liberals NASCAR is…

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