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Senate Leadership Stabs Gun Owners in the Back
– Loretta Lynch is confirmed as Obama’s new Attorney General
“Eric Holder began disregarding the Constitution and laws after he was confirmed as Attorney General. Ms. Lynch has [already] told the Senate that’s what she’s going to do.” — Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), speaking in opposition to Lynch’s nomination on the Senate floor, April 23, 2015
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TAKE ACTION: Click here to contact Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to express your deep displeasure with his role in pushing the confirmation of anti-gun Loretta Lynch.
UPDATE: The earlier email inadvertently failed to contain the pre-written letter for Sen. Mitch McConnell. This email has it below, allowing you to cut-n-paste the letter into Sen. McConnell’s contact form.
Mitch McConnell leads the betrayal, joins with Harry Reid to support Lynch
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his leadership team put a big, fat knife in the back of gun owners in connection with the confirmation of anti-gun Attorney General Loretta Lynch today.
Close to 50 senators had announced their intention to vote against Lynch’s nomination, and pro-gun senators were filibustering Lynch.
Not only that, GOA was prepared to work with Senators to invoke a parliamentary maneuver which would have killed Lynch’s nomination, because in the weeks leading up to the vote today, she didn’t have the 60 votes necessary to shut off a filibuster under Rule XXII of the Senate rules.
In fact, 43 Senators ultimately voted against Lynch, which would have been enough votes to continue a filibuster and keep her from being confirmed. But more on that below.
McConnell shuts down the pro-gun filibuster of Lynch
Given the votes that were there against Lynch, McConnell hatched a plan to ensure she would be confirmed with no difficulty.
First, McConnell brought up her nomination — even though he, alone, could have stopped Lynch’s confirmation by refusing to move to proceed to her. Then, McConnell filed what’s known as a “cloture petition” to shut down the pro-gun filibuster. Finally, the effects of leadership strong-arming were evidenced by the fact that several Republicans flipped their votes (a.k.a., lied) and voted to shut down the pro-gun filibuster — in a move called “cloture.”
Many of the fifteen senators on this Liars’ List had openly committed to gun owners that they would oppose Lynch. And they did oppose her on the 56-43 final passage vote — when their votes didn’t matter.
But, on the vote where we could have won with only 41 votes, many on this Liars’ List flipped their votes and voted for Lynch.
Consider, there were 43 Senators who voted against Lynch on the final nomination vote. If they had ALSO VOTED against Lynch on the “cloture” vote — where only 41 opposition votes were needed — the Lynch nomination would have easily failed.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz excoriated the Senate Republican leadership on the floor today for the way they rammed this nomination through:
The Republican majority, if it so chose, could defeat this nomination, but the Republican majority has chosen to go forward and allow Loretta Lynch to be confirmed. I would note there are more than a few voters back home that are asking what exactly is the difference between a Democratic and Republican majority when the exact same individual gets confirmed as Attorney General, promising the exact same lawlessness, what’s the difference?
Loretta Lynch’s anti-gun record
Sadly, the Senate has put its stamp of approval on a person who is expected to try to implement the semi-auto ban, which she supports, by executive fiat.
Apparently, it’s okay with McConnell and a majority of Senators that Lynch stated, under oath, that she has no problem implementing Obama’s unlawful, politically motivated amnesty orders — even though a federal court has found them unconstitutional.
And Lynch went on to feign ignorance on universal background checks and Operation Choke Point’s anti-gun ramifications — even though she was under oath.
Of course, Obama apologists rant about how “qualified” Lynch supposedly is. But think about it: What if she had refused to enforce the 1964 Civil Rights Act? Would Obama have simply chalked that up to a “difference on policy”?
Why, then, should an anti-gun advocate who spits on the Constitution’s Second Amendment be treated as somehow acceptable?
It is almost impossible to think of anything which would be different if Democrats were still in control of the Senate. So now it’s time to hold your Senators accountable:
* You can see which Senators VOTED TO FILIBUSTER the Lynch nomination here.
* And, you can view the FINAL CONFIRMATION vote here.
In both cases, a “NO” vote is the pro-gun vote.
One Silver Lining
If there is one Silver Lining in what happened today, consider this: In 2009, there were only 21 Senators who voted against Eric Holder to be Attorney General. There were few Senators who were willing to stand against the Obama agenda.
But fast-forward to today — after several elections have intervened to put Harry Reid in the minority — there were 43 Senators who voted against Loretta Lynch.
The bad news is that we are still at less than a majority. The good news is that we are getting close.
ACTION: If either of your Senators voted wrong on cloture (or on the final confirmation vote), contact them and tell them of your displeasure. If they voted right on both votes, thank them as well.
But most importantly, make sure you contact Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to express your deep displeasure. You can use the fax number below or click here to send McConnell a pre-written letter.(Just cut-and-paste the pre-written letter below.)
FAX for Mitch McConnell: (202) 224-2499
—– Pre-written letter —–
Dear Senator McConnell:
I am thoroughly disgusted with your role in pushing through the nomination of Loretta Lynch.
Lynch supports a renewal of the semi-auto ban, which is why Gun Owners of America opposed her nomination. So a vote for Lynch was a vote to ban semi-autos.
Plus, she supports the President’s amnesty plan that will eventually result in millions of additional anti-gun voters. In my opinion, no Senator who claims to be pro-gun could possibly vote in favor of her.
Given all of this, why would you bring up her nomination at all, since you, alone, could have stopped Lynch’s confirmation by refusing to move to proceed to her?
Why would you file the cloture petition to end the filibuster, rather than letting Harry Reid do that? Why not force Reid to get Loretta Lynch confirmed over your opposition?
And why in heaven’s name would you ever vote for her?
Americans worked hard to put Harry Reid in the minority. But it looks like the more things “change,” the more they stay the same.
I am disgusted with your “leadership,” and I will be sure to tell others how you have betrayed the country as well.
Sincerely,
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