NRA terrorist/House Speaker with suspicious beardPaul Ryan, the darling of the gun manufacturers' lobbyists-- and the biggest recipient in the House of their blood money-- adamantly refuses to allow a vote on prohibiting terrorism suspects to buy guns. A known right-wing terrorist, for example, who can't buy a plane ticket because he's on the No Fly List can legally purchase dozens of military assault rifles and deadly ammunition because the NRA and other Ryan gun donors have ordered him to not permit, under any circumstances, a vote on the floor of the House. Last week, Ryan and his GOP cronies turned down 3 requests for votes to block terrorists from getting guns, including one just hours before the gun massacre in San Bernardino. On Friday Nancy Pelosi issued a statement denouncing the House Republicans intransigence and slavish devotion to the gun lobbyists.
Congress’s first responsibility is to protect and defend the American people. The horrifying terror attacks in Paris give searing urgency to that responsibility.However, Republicans refuse to close the outrageous loophole that allows suspects on the terrorist watchlist to buy guns. In fact, since 2004, more than 2,000 suspects on the FBI’s Terrorist Watchlist have successfully purchased weapons in the United States. More than 90 percent of all suspected terrorists who attempted to purchase guns in the last 11 years walked away with the weapon they wanted.Today, with Democrats’ Previous Question, Republicans will have a choice: join Democrats in calling for a vote on H.R. 1076, the bipartisan King-Lofgren Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act, or continue to allow suspected terrorists to buy deadly weapons.Congress must close this exceedingly dangerous loophole. It is time for House Republicans to join Democrats to pass this critical, commonsense legislation.
The vote on Tuesday was 243-177 to refuse a vote. All 242 Republicans voted as a bloc to block a vote on Peter King's gun legislation-- including Peter King-- and they were joined by one Democrat, NRA supporter Collin Peterson (Blue Dog-MN).Most of the Democrats who have been on the NRA payroll have been defeated-- either, like Pennsylvania Blue Dogs Tim Holden and Jason Altmire, in a primary, or, like Georgia Blue Dog John Barrow, in a general election in which Democratic voters just refused to come to the polls. The NRA's toxic embrace has become more and more deadly for Democrats in Congress.In 2005 the NRA had one of it's congressional shills, Florida wing nut Cliff Stearns present a bill, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (H.R. 800) to protect gun manufacturers from liability for mass murders. The House passed it on a voice vote so there is no roll call to see which Democrats joined the GOP to pass it. However, of the 257 co-sponsors of the bill, 47 were NRA-Democrats, most of whom were subsequently defeated, although a handful of whom are still in Congress doing the gun lobbyists' bidding. These were the NRA-Democrats who signed on as co-sponsors:
• Rick Boucher (D-VA)- defeated 2010• Allen Boyd (Blue Dog-FL)- defeated 2010• Jim Marshall (Blue Dog-GA)- defeated 2010• Joe Baca (Blue Dog-CA)- defeated in 2012• John Tanner (Blue Dog-TN)- forced to retire in 2010• David Scott (Blue Dog/New Dem-GA)- survives• Mike Michaud (Blue Dog-ME)- lost a gubernatorial race against Paul LePage in 2014• Rick Larsen (New Dem-WA)- survives• Tim Holden (Blue Dog-PA)- defeated in 2012 primary• Marion Berry (Blue Dog-AR)- forced to retire 2010• Lincoln Davis (Blue Dog-TN)- defeated 2010• Collin Peterson (Blue Dog-MN)- survives• Ted Strickland (OH)- defeated as Ohio governor 2010; Chuck Schumer is trying to get him into the Senate today• Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (Blue Dog-SD)- defeated 2010• Paul Kanjorski (PA)- defeated 2010• Gene Green (TX)- survives• Bart Gordon (Blue Dog-TN)- forced to retire 2010• Gene Taylor (Blue Dog-MS)- defeated 2010• Jim Cooper (Blue Dog/New Dem-TN)- survives• John Dingell (MI)- retired this year and gave his seat to his wife• Nick Rahall (WV)- defeated in 2014• John Salazar (Blue Dog-CO)- defeated 2010• Mike Ross (Blue Dog-AR)- forced to retire 2012• Earl Pomeroy (Blue Dog/New Dem-ND)- defeated 2010• John Murtha (PA)- RIP• Bud Cramer (Blue Dog-AL)- retired 2008• Jim Matheson (Blue Dog-UT)- forced to retire in 2014• Jerry Costello (IL)- retired 2012• John Barrow (Blue Dog/New Dem-GA)- defeated in 2014• Charlie Melancon (Blue Dog-LA)- defeated for Senate 2010• Alan Mollohan (WV)- defeated 2010• Sanford Bishop (New Dem-GA)- survives• Dan Boren (Blue Dog-OK)- forced to retire 2012• Dennis Cardoza (Blue Dog/New Dem-CA)- forced to retire 2012• Henry Cuellar (Blue Dog-TX)- survives• Ben Chandler (Blue Dog-KY)- defeated 2012• Tim Ryan (OH)- survives• Artur Davis (New Dem-AL)- defeated in 2010 gubernatorial primary; switched parties• Solomon Ortiz (TX)- defeated 2010• Chet Edwards (TX-D)- defeated 2010• Silvestre Reyes (TX)- defeated in 2012 primary• Leonard Boswell (Blue Dog-IA)- defeated 2012• Ike Skelton (MO)- defeated 2010• Ron Kind (New Dem-WI)- survives as head of the New Dems• Mike McIntyre (Blue Dog/New Dem-NC)- forced to retire in 2014• Mike Thompson (Blue Dog-CA)- survives• Bart Stupak (MI)- forced to retire in 2010
So which Democrats are still on the payroll of the gun industry. Some of the blood money makes it to congressmen surreptitiously but below is a list of pro-NRA Democrats with the amount of legalistic bribes they have taken from the gun industry in their careers. Many are so hated by their constituents that they are on DCCC life support, like Collin Peterson, the Minnesota gun fanatic who only managed to stay in office last year because the DCCC ($3,611,284) and Pelosi's House Majority PAC ($332,439) spent close to $4,000,000 to save his less-than-worthless hide. These are current House members who vote with the NRA and take money from them and other gun groups:
• Collin Peterson (Blue Dog-MN)- $84,500• Gene Green (TX)- $46,750• Sanford Bishop (New Dem-GA)- $47,815• Henry Cuellar (Blue Dog-TX)- $25,450• Tim Ryan (OH)- $20,996• Ron Kind (New Dem Chairman-WI)- $32,482• Mike Thompson (Blue Dog-CA)- $50,379• Jim Costa (Blue Dog-CA)- $2,900• Tim Walz (MN)- $18,950• Jim Clyburn (SC)- $9,900• Ben Ray Luján (NM, Chairman DCCC)- $5,500• Kurt Schrader (Blue Dog Chairman-OR)- $5,000• Loretta Sanchez (Blue Dog-CA)- $1,500
Steve and Ben RaySo far this cycle, a cycle filled with gun massacres, the only Democrats running for House seats who have been accepting blood money are New Dem chairman Ron Kind ($2,000), DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján ($2,000), NRA worshipper Collin Peterson ($2,000), and George Bush's favorite Blue Dog Henry Cuellar ($1,000).
