Toomey Refused to Have Schumer at Gun Deal Presser

Four senators may have signed on to a gun background check deal Wednesday, but only two showed up for the news conference — in part because Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Patrick J. Toomey’s public support for the bill hinged on not having to stand next to Democratic Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York.

The background check bill, which would close the gun show loophole and expand checks to online sales, is officially co-sponsored by Schumer; Toomey; Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va.; and Mark S. Kirk, R-Ill. But only Toomey and Manchin appeared before the cameras. Toomey, the former Club for Growth president, had told Manchin he would not speak at the news conference if he had to get on stage with Schumer, according to two sources familiar with the talks. Schumer obliged, and Kirk also agreed not to appear in order to provide cover to Schumer.

“Manchin and Toomey are the best people to sell this agreement to the pro-gun community, and Schumer doesn’t want to get in the way of that. His job is to persuade the gun safety groups that it’s an acceptable deal,” a Democratic aide said of the group’s dynamic.

The aide added that Schumer on Wednesday morning called Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Mark Kelly, a gun control advocate who is the husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, to encourage them to support the deal. And indeed, Giffords’ group, Americans for Responsible Solutions, did put out a statement Wednesday saying it was “pleased” with the agreement “that respects our 2nd Amendment rights.”

A spokesman for Toomey did not immediately respond for comment.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/toomey_refused_to_have_schumer_at_gun_deal_presser-223876-1.html

Petty, maybe. Hilarious, absolutely!

 

I would have only done it if Schumer agreed to crawl across the stage on all fours and bark like a dog.

I don't quite understand this online loophole. If you buy a gun online and have it shipped, it has to go from one FFL dealer to another FFL dealer and the receiving FFL dealer will make you do the background check before he will give you the gun.

The only way you could legally avoid that is to buy online from a private party then drive to their location to pick up the gun. Then it isn't really an online sale anyway. It is just a local two party sale.

Of course, I'm sure criminals don't use FFL dealers to ship guns. And, they still won't if this law is passed either.