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McCaskill’s excuse for opposing 2nd Amendment exposed as deceptive

May 21, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY—The Missouri Republican Party commended Missouri’s Republican congressional delegation for voting to affirm the 2nd Amendment by allowing states to determine gun policies on federally-owned land within their borders. Coming only a few days after the Senate approved a similar measure, yesterday’s vote was a victory for law-abiding gun-owners that would not have happened if Sen. Claire McCaskill and all Missouri House Democrats, except one, had their way.

Last week, a McCaskill spokesman told the St. Louis Beacon that she voted against the measure because it was a “poison pill” meant to kill the bill. But yesterday’s vote in the House of Representatives made it clear that this was simply not true.

“McCaskill’s justification was a pathetic response from a politician desperate for an excuse after she got caught breaking her promise to hunters, sportsmen, and other law-abiding gun-owners,” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party. “Claire McCaskill should know that the Senate Majority Leader, 67 Senators, and 279 Representatives would not support a ‘poison pill’ amendment. It’s plain and simple: McCaskill voted to the left of Harry Reid and turned her back on the 2nd Amendment.”

The provision passed the House of Representatives 279-147 yesterday. Missouri Congressmen Emanuel Cleaver, Russ Carnahan, and Lacy Clay voted no. Not surprisingly, U.S. Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan has not taken a position on this issue, but her past tells us more than any statement she could make.

“Missouri already has four anti-gun votes in Congress—Clay, Carnahan, Cleaver, and Claire. We do not need another in Robin Carnahan, who previously led the opposition to the state’s concealed-carry initiative,” said Smith. “Robin Carnahan’s record is clear on this issue: she opposes the freedoms embodied in the 2nd Amendment.”