The Eight Republicans Who Joined Democrats to Criminalize Private Gun Sales

Eight Republican Reps. joined Democrats on Wednesday in the vote to criminalize private gun sales.

Five of those eight sponsors and/or co-sponsors of the bill, and the three remaining Republicans simply joined the vote to criminalize a neighbor who sells a gun to a lifelong neighbor without government permission.

The Hill listed the eight Republicans:

• Rep. Peter King (R-NY)
• Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
• Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL)
• Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.)
• Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
• Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
• Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
• Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX)

The gun control supported by eight Republicans would not have prevented a single mass shooting that occurred to-date in the 21st century. Moreover, although the legislation was pushed to honor Gabby Giffords for surviving eight years since being attacked, the gun control would not have prevented the attack on Giffords. This is because Giffords’ attacker acquired his gun via a background check.

But the gun control would criminalize a friend who sells a gun without government permission to someone he has known since childhood.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) opposed the Democrats’ gun control by explaining that it is insidious; that it will lead to more and controls, including a firearm registry. On January 13, 2019, Breitbart News reported that universal background checks are unenforceable without a gun registry.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.