Two gun-control measures deemed a top priority by Minnesota DFL lawmakers this session were dealt an all-but-fatal blow Tuesday after they failed to advance on a party-line vote.
Coming after three hours of debate, the result appeared to stymie efforts by gun-control advocates to expand criminal-background checks to private gun sales (*and* transfers, which gun control advocates conveniently leave out of their diatribes - ed.) and create a “red flag” law that would allow authorities to temporarily confiscate firearms from people considered a threat to themselves or others (without the accused receiving due process - ed.).
The gun proposals, similar to federal proposals that have divided Congress, came to a head when Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, called for a vote on whether to add them to a broader spending bill being assembled by members from both the House and Senate.
The gambit paid off for Limmer, who earlier expressed deep reservations about both policy proposals: Members of the joint conference committee on the public safety budget split 5-5 along party lines and failed to add either measure to the spending bill.
“I’ve always regarded controversial policies in budget bills as something we really shouldn’t do (so did the DFL --- until this session apparently - ed.) because it gums up the work,” Limmer said after Tuesday’s meeting. “Let’s tear the Band-Aid off and get at it.”
The "gun control" issue was one which many DFLers claimed had upwards of "90% support" among Minnesotans yet the substantial Dem majority in the House never took a vote on the standalone bills. Seems to me that something which has that kind of overwhelming support could easily get through the House but then could be hung around the necks of the GOP controlled Senate if they voted down the legislation. Why it's almost as if folks like Rob Doar of the MN Gun Owners Caucus was shining a light on the DFL's blatant obfuscation regarding the two bills thus making Dems.....ahem...."gun shy" in bringing them up for votes.
Regardless, the leftist chanting points will remain the same.
Rep. Dave Pinto, DFL-St. Paul, chief author of the background check bill, later characterized the vote as an effort by Minnesota Republicans to stymie new gun legislation.
“Today, they chose not to move forward on two gun-safety measures despite broad public support,” Pinto said. “That is deeply disappointing to thousands of families who have been touched by gun violence and expect action.”
You want action, Rep. Pinto? You might wanna study what has taken place over the past quarter century. As Doar pointed out during this testimony in the conference committee, "Minnesota violent crime rates has dropped 50% over the last 25 years while gun ownership permits to carry has sky rocketed.” Seems to me the answer is right in front of you.
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