Democrats fire as GOP lawmakers wear assault rifle pins and strike down gun ban in committee
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Democrats fire as House GOP lawmakers wear assault rifle pins to protest attempts to ban firearms inside committee rooms
- Representatives George Santos, Anna Paulina Luna and Andrew Clyde were seen wearing AK-15 style pins.
- Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman wanted to ban members from carrying firearms inside committee courtrooms; the amendment failed
- “The same Democrats who are voting to send firearms to Ukraine tell me I can’t carry one.” Luna posted on social media
Republican members of the House Natural Resources Committee are up in arms after Democrats tried to re-impose a gun ban on the committee room.
Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman of California introduced an amendment Thursday that would explicitly prohibit members from carrying firearms inside committee hearing and conference rooms.
‘We have too many members who have incited and defended armed political violence. That’s really unfortunate, but that’s just a fact,’ said the California Democrat told Fox Newsaccusing anonymous lawmakers of “disobeying” federal statutes that prohibit members of Congress from carrying loaded firearms on Capitol Hill.
“Some have reveled in the removal of the magnetometers in the House chamber that were there to prevent something really horrible from happening,” he continued.
Though he stepped away from committee duties earlier this week, ethics-challenged Rep. George Santos of New York was seen with an assault rifle pin on his lapel, as well as Rep. Anna Paulina Luna from Florida and Rep. Andrew Clyde from Georgia. like a tie clip.
Representative George Santos, RN.Y. (left) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla. (right) with assault rifle pins
Rep. Andrew Clyde, Republican of Georgia, wears an AR-15 tie clip
The committee chair, Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, opposes the amendment, calling it “unnecessary” and noting that no other committee had such a rule.
Conservative Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado mocked Huffman with a photo of him wearing a tinfoil hat while claiming that Democrats were “wasting their time on political stunts.”
Not surprisingly, the GOP majority rejected the amendment 14 to 25, but not before a heated exchange among committee members, including Huffman, who called for a show of hands to see who was packing.
Republicans chose not to respond.
Huffman asked who felt they needed to carry a gun in the Capitol ‘fortress’.
âWith threats against members of Congress at an all time high, I would like to remind the gentleman that now is not the time to strip members of our constitutional right to defend ourselves,â Boebert said, alluding to the high crime rates in Washington. , direct current
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.) wanted to know why it was necessary to have a gun in a committee room
Progressive Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York insisted on learning more about House rules. I need to know for my own personal safety what your interpretation of House rules is in regards to this matter.
Do you think we’re going to hurt you? asked Luna, an Air Force veteran. We would never hurt you. I would use my firearm to defend you. Just to be clear.’
Asked if he had any concerns about his colleagues, AOC declined to name names, but noted that he was not seeking to “impeach the character of any individual member of this committee.”
She added, “I think from what I’ve witnessed, the competence of some members may be something I’d be willing to question.”