Chuck Schumer thought he had an opening to make Senate Republicans look bad.
But he got out over his skis.
And Chuck Schumer turned red with rage when this political stunt blew up in his face.
Chuck Schumer pumps a bump stock bill up for a vote in the Senate
Bump stocks were back in the news again after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling in Garland v. Cargill that overturned the federal ban on them. Justice Clarence Thomas authored the majority opinion that found that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) didn’t have the legal authority to designate bump stocks as machine guns under federal law.
The anti-gun lobby was predictably outraged that the Supreme Court handed them another crushing defeat in a high-profile Second Amendment case. Bump stocks have become an object of hysteria among Democrats. That’s why Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tried to use the outrage cycle from the Supreme Court ruling to his political advantage. Schumer has been running a series of show votes that he can use against Republicans in the 2024 Election cycle.
“The Senate can help restore this public safety rule, and next week, it will try. As majority leader, I have the ability to allow a unanimous consent vote, and we’ll see just what Republican MAGAs do: Will they allow it to go forward, or will they cower to MAGA and hurt the American people?” Schumer said at a press conference.
A unanimous consent vote can be blocked with one Senator. This allows Schumer to claim that Republicans oppose “gun safety,” and it protects his vulnerable incumbents like U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) from going on the record with a roll call vote.
The bump stock ban bill is a Trojan Horse
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) was going to put his BUMP Act for a vote. The bill is sold as a bump stock ban but it is really not only a bump stock ban but also a backdoor ban on many semiautomatic weapons. It would give the ATF the authority to ban semiautomatic weapons that have parts that “materially increase the rate of fire.” RINO U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) is his co-sponsor on this unconstitutional travesty.
“As a firearms owner myself, there’s no legitimate use for a bump stock – not for self defense, not in a law enforcement context, not even in military applications … but what they are tailor made for is a mass shooting,” Heinrich ranted.
U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) objected to Heinrich, with anti-gun Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) even among the other GOP Senators backing the objection. Ricketts called the bill out for what it was.
“This bill would ban literally any item that makes a firearm easier and in some cases safer to shoot,” Ricketts explained. “It’s not really about bump stocks, this bill is about banning as many firearm accessories as possible. It’s an unconstitutional attack on law-abiding gun owners.”
U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) tore into Schumer afterward for bringing the bill up for a vote. The rumored Vice Presidential candidate called it a “huge distraction” and pointed out it was worthless.
“I think that we have to ask ourselves: What is the real gun violence problem in this country, and are we legislating in a way that solves fake problems? Or solves real problems?” Vance told reporters. “And my very strong suspicion is that the Schumer legislation is aimed at a PR problem, not something that’s going to meaningfully reduce gun violence in this country. And you have to ask yourself the question: Will anyone actually not choose a bump stock because Chuck Schumer passes a piece of legislation?”
Chuck Schumer wants to try and paint Republicans in a bad light for opposing a bump stock ban. But his best targets this election cycle are U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), two longshot seats for Democrats.
Keep Fully Loaded Magazine in your sights to stay on top of exactly what the Gun Control Lobby is plotting, how guns actually make Americans safer, and fun stories surrounding the regular exercise of your Second Amendment freedoms.