As Dan reported a little earlier, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump announced on Twitter today that he was going to meet with the NRA “to discuss ways to block people on terrorism watch lists or no fly lists from buying guns.” The NRA has issued its own statement on the forthcoming meeting:
We are happy to meet with Donald Trump. The NRA’s position on this issue has not changed. The NRA believes that terrorists should not be allowed to purchase or possess firearms, period. Anyone on a terror watchlist who tries to buy a gun should be thoroughly investigated by the FBI and the sale delayed while the investigation is ongoing. If an investigation uncovers evidence of terrorist activity or involvement, the government should be allowed to immediately go to court, block the sale, and arrest the terrorist. At the same time, due process protections should be put in place that allow law-abiding Americans who are wrongly put on a watchlist to be removed. That has been the position of Sen. John Cornyn (R.-Tex.) and a majority of the U.S. Senate. Sadly, President Obama and his allies would prefer to play politics with this issue.
The “news” organization Reuters immediately jumped on this, implying that it represented a sea change in the NRA’s position:
BREAKING: NRA says anyone on terrorism watchlist who tries to buy a gun should be investigated by the FBI and the sale delayed.
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) June 15, 2016
Dana Loesch and Ed Morrissey claim the NRA is being consistent. But Reuters is right. A gun right delayed is a gun right denied. The NRA is putting its seal of approval on suspending an American’s gun rights without due process, arguing that it’s OK because it’s only temporary, and due process will be retroactively applied.
How long would the “temporary ban” for Americans on the government’s secret, unaccountable Terrorist Watch List last? What would be the process for appealing and “un-suspending” the “temporary” ban? Does the “temporary ban” extend to firearms already in a suspect’s possession?
There’s no putting lipstick on this pig. Make no mistake: this is the NRA caving to pressure from gun control advocates and, presumably, the Republican presidential candidate they recently endorsed.