By LKB
Recently, I sent a message to my sellout Texas Senator, John Cornyn. Inter alia, I pointed out that while I have supported him for decades (going back to his Texas Supreme Court races), his caving to the Democrats on gun rights meant I will never do so again.
Here is the canned response I received yesterday (apparently sent after he’s starting to realize that the blowback is real) . . .
Dear Louis:
Thank you for contacting me regarding federal firearms policy. I appreciate your comments on this important matter.
On May 24, 2022, a gunman maliciously took the lives of 21 innocent people, including 19 children at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. My heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones. As you know, this is an incredibly difficult time for the Uvalde community, Texas, and our Nation. We are committed to coordinating with federal, state, and local officials to assist the Uvalde community as they navigate the aftermath of this tragedy.
Students and teachers deserve to feel safe inside of their schools, and parents deserve peace of mind when they send their children to school. To that end, my Senate colleagues and I have engaged in bipartisan discussions to draft mental health and school safety legislation to identify and prevent violence in our communities. It is imperative for Congress to improve the availability and accessibility of mental health services across the country, particularly within our schools, to address the root causes of mass violence. In addition, school safety measures must be bolstered to ensure schools have effective violence prevention mechanisms in place.
To be clear, we are not talking about restricting or limiting the rights of current law-abiding gun owners. We need targeted reforms to ensure existing laws keep guns out of the hands of criminals and those who have been adjudicated as mentally ill. The Constitution guarantees the right to keep and bear arms, and I strongly oppose any effort to infringe on that right.
As this legislation begins to take shape, my goal is to reach an agreement that can earn broad bipartisan support. In the wake of the 2017 Sutherland Springs shooting, we learned that the existing background check system-the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)-did not identify that the shooter was prohibited from purchasing and possessing a firearm under federal law. As a result, I reached across the aisle and worked with my Republican colleagues to pass the bipartisan Fix NICS Act (S. 2135; 115th Congress), which was signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (P. L. 115-141). This law improves the uploading of records from local, state, and federal agencies to better identify those who are already disqualified under current law from purchasing a firearm. States and federal agencies have uploaded more than eleven million records since the bill’s passage. I’m convinced that this legislation has saved lives.
Like you, I am outraged by mass shootings and the violence inflicted upon our communities. As your Senator, I am committed to focusing on the root causes of mass violence, improving the enforcement of current law, and addressing improvements to mental health care in America. I will continue to push for effective solutions that protect communities while preserving the protections and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution.
I appreciate having the opportunity to represent Texas in the United States Senate. I recognize we may have differing opinions on this important matter, but I hope you will continue to share your views with me. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
Sincerely,
JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov
Note that he claims his support of the Second Amendment is purportedly adamant, and he would never, ever to anything to jeopardize the rights of law-abiding citizens.
However, when I actually read and analyzed the text of the bill that was released yesterday (see especially section 12003), it’s clear that his idea of “protecting” our rights is merely mouthing platitudes rather that insisting on actual, concrete protection of due process and preventing abuse of red flag laws, such as guaranteed legal counsel and mandatory compensation for those whose rights are infringed.
In short, his “support” for the rights of law abiding gun owners is illusory.
I sent him the following reply. I don’t expect a response.
Senator Cornyn:
I’ve now read the bill, especially the Red Flag provisions. It’s clear you have sold us out. (Who wrote section 12003, a ten year old? It has so many holes any first year law student could drive a truck through them!)
If you were actually serious about protecting the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners, you could have insisted on some actual teeth in the law to punish those who abuse Red Flag laws (and/or to compensate those people who are wrongfully deprived of their rights, or heaven forbid ensure that they have legal representation before being deprived of them). But no, doing that might offend the tender sensibilities of the Georgetown smart set whose affection you so desperately crave.
And, of course, you cravenly surrendered to the left without getting (or apparently even seeking) ANYTHING for our side in return. National reciprocity? Nope. Requiring states like New York, Illinois, and California to actually obey FOPA? Nope. Maybe even ask why DOJ isn’t prosecuting Hunter Biden for firearm law violations that us peasants would be locked up over, or demanding answers about why those involved in Fast and Furious are still drawing government paychecks? Of course not — that might cause the Washington Post to say unkind things about you, which apparently matters more to you than representing the rights of your constituents.
We need leaders like Gov. DeSantis who don’t live in fear of the Beltway media and aren’t too cowardly to fight. Instead, you’ve become another John McCain — or Lindsay Graham.
What you encountered at the recent Texas GOP convention is just the tip of the iceberg. You’re permanently losing the support of your base, who now will crawl over broken glass to support your primary opponent. And just as Ted Cruz sent the RINO David Dewhurst into retirement, I be looking to support a candidate who can do the same to you.
LKB
Austin, Texas
