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McCaskill turns her back on the 2nd Amendment

May 13, 2009

Broken promises make it clear that Missouri cannot afford anti-gun Carnahan in Senate

JEFFERSON CITY—Claire McCaskill joined Chuck Schumer, Barbara Boxer, Illinois’ own Roland Burris, and a handful of other U.S. Senators in opposing an amendment that would extend 2nd Amendment protections.  The amendment, which would allow states to determine the gun policies of federally-owned land within their borders, passed 67-29 despite McCaskill’s objections.

McCaskill’s vote is a slap in the face to hunters, sportsmen, and 2nd Amendment supporters, who she courted during her various campaigns.  The following statements from McCaskill are representative of her now-belied campaign rhetoric:

• [McCaskill] assures listeners that she supports the rights of sportsmen to own guns.  McCaskill reminds them that she grew up in rural Missouri and her father was a hunter. As a child, she says, whenever Mom got out a can of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, “we knew that Daddy had killed something.” (KC Star, October 17, 2004)
• McCaskill recalls that her father was an avid hunter. “My dad was shooting things all the time, and we had to eat them,” she said with a chuckle. “I’m not interested in taking away anyone’s guns.” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 25, 2006)

“Claire McCaskill took a position farther to the left than Harry Reid.  By opposing 2nd Amendment protections for citizens on federal lands, she broke her promise to hunters and sportsmen across the state,” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party.  “It is clearer than ever that Missouri cannot afford to have another U.S. Senator who will turn her back on the 2nd Amendment.  Robin Carnahan has consistently opposed gun-rights legislation, and she is determined to ensure Missouri’s law-abiding gun-owners have no voice in the U.S. Senate.”