Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden says mass shootings in his hometown have changed his views on assault rifles — as he calls for a BAN on the ‘weapons of war’ and begs for ‘forgiveness’

A Maine Democrat has said the mass shooting in his hometown of Lewiston has changed his mind about banning assault rifles like those used in Wednesday’s massacre.

Moderate Rep. Jared Golden, a Navy veteran, apologized for his past opposition to gun control and urged Congress to pass an assault weapons ban Thursday in response to the tragedy that left 18 dead.

He said, “To the people of Lewiston, my constituents throughout the 2nd District, to the families who have lost loved ones, and to those who have been harmed, I ask for forgiveness and support as I try to bring an end to this terrible shootings. .

“I have opposed efforts to ban deadly weapons of war, such as the assault rifle used to carry out this crime. The time has now come for me to take responsibility for this failure, and that is why I am now calling on the United States Congress to ban assault rifles.”

Golden was one of only five Democrats to vote against a bill passed by the House of Representatives last year to ban assault weapons. The Democratic-led Senate has yet to vote on the measure, in part to avoid putting vulnerable party members in a difficult position ahead of next year’s elections.

As a Democrat in a red district, Golden has often campaigned since 2018 on his opposition to the positions of Democrats and the Joe Biden administration. Last year, he boasted in a campaign ad that he had taken on Biden’s agenda when he cracked open and devoured lobsters in a nod to his state’s most iconic industry.

“Last year I cracked Biden’s aggressive spending agenda,” Golden said as he tore into a meaty lobster claw. “Now I’m making common sense reforms that are good for America. Such as lowering prescription drug prices for thousands of Maine seniors, preventing health care costs from rising for working families, and opening up oil and gas production to reduce fuel costs while closing the deficit by hundreds of billions dollars to reduce.”

In 2022, he said, “We do not need to take away the types of firearms from Americans, but instead we must work to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and those who have demonstrated that they are at serious risk of harming themselves to cause damage. or others.’

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, one of the leading voices in Congress for more gun control, said he was glad Golden had changed his mind but wished “it didn’t take members of Congress to pass a massive shooting in their country. own congressional district to arrive at this reality.”

Golden, a retired U.S. Marine, defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin in the 2018 midterm elections — the first cycle to use the ranked choice system.

The district was carried by Donald Trump in both 2016 and 2020, with Golden losing his seat in 2020 by just five percent.

Golden issued a written statement after the policy announcement accusing Biden of potentially fueling runaway inflation.

“This decision by the president is separate from what the majority of the American people want from the White House, which is leadership to address the most immediate challenges facing the country,” he said.

“The president should take action to reduce inflationary pressures; with this move he may make them worse. It is inconsistent with the needs and values ​​of the American working class, and I do not support the president’s decision.”

Golden was also the only Democrat in the House of Representatives to vote against Biden’s massive construction bill for better spending.

Meanwhile, Maine police admitted Friday they have no idea where mentally ill gunman Robert Card is as the manhunt for him entered its second day and schools remained closed in the town where he slaughtered 18 people Wednesday night.

Card, described by his family as “schizophrenic” and who thought he could hear people “bashing” him through his hearing aids, has been on the run since Wednesday night, when he targeted a deaf cornhole tournament and a bowling alley in Lewiston. Maine.

His vehicle – a white Suburu station wagon – was found at a boat ramp on the Androscoggin River. Today divers will search the water for any sign of him.

The alleged killer lived in the small town of Bowdoin, close to the homes of his parents and his brother and sister-in-law.

Rick Goddard, 44, who lives across the street from Robert Card’s father’s farm in Bowdoin, was outraged that nothing was done to stop the massacre of 18 people at a Just-In-Time bowling alley and Schemengees Bar and Grille in Lewiston .

“I heard he was in the psychiatric hospital in Augusta for veterans for a few weeks because he was hearing voices in his head,” Goddard said of Card, a U.S. Army Reserve specialist who also threatened a U.S. National Guard base to shoot down. Maine.

The senseless massacre immediately renewed debate over one of the most divisive issues in American politics, gun control, and drew attention to Maine’s laws, which do not require background checks at gun shows and have a more limited “yellow flag law” rather than a red flag law.

Shocked and frightened Maine residents remained in their homes for a second night Thursday as hundreds of heavily armed police and FBI agents conducted an intensive search for Card.

Lewiston, a once bustling city, is now a ghost town as hundreds of FBI agents and Maine state troopers search for Card.

The ongoing shelter in the state covers almost 700 square kilometers.

Schools, doctors’ offices and supermarkets closed and people remained behind closed doors in cities up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the scene of the shooting. Maine’s largest city, Portland, closed its public buildings, while the Canada Border Services Agency issued an “armed and dangerous” alert to its agents stationed along the US border.