NRA Wades Into Debate Over Violence Against Women Act A handful of disputes, including over VAWA,
NRA Wades Into Debate Over Violence Against Women Act
A handful of disputes, including over VAWA, have exposed rifts within the GOP on gun issues.
Congress arrived to work Tuesday greeted by 10-foot tall letters facing the Capitol’s East Front spelling out a stark message from gun-control advocates: "YOUR COMPLACENCY KILLS US." Some Republicans have the same message for the National Rifle Association.
Cracks are emerging in the GOP’s wholesale opposition to gun control on the anniversary week of the March For Our Lives, signaling slow but steady success in the intense public campaign for stricter firearms laws—and questions about whether the NRA is doing enough to fight back.
The NRA appears to be taking heed. As House Republicans had hoped, the group will issue a key vote against the politically dicey Violence Against Women Act over its so-called red-flag provisions, which seek to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said the group objects because it believes the legislation could lead to firearm confiscations over misdemeanor domestic violence or stalking convictions. “The NRA opposes domestic violence and all violent crime, and spends millions of dollars teaching countless Americans how not to be a victim and how to safely use firearms for self-defense,” Baker said. “It is a shame that some in the gun-control community treat the severity of domestic violence so trivially that they are willing to use it as a tool to advance a political agenda.”
The move comes after Republicans discussed enlisting backup from the NRA to give them cover to vote against the bill, in a sign that they are feeling political pressure on the issue.
Staff from the House Judiciary Committee and a handful of rank-and-file GOP member offices concerned about the VAWA bill held a conference call Monday. Staff for the individual member offices said having a key vote from the NRA would alleviate political pressure on their bosses. A key-vote alert may dissuade Republicans from voting for the measure because of the possibility of losing percentage points on their NRA rating, a metric that the group’s supporters use to evaluate whether they should support a political candidate.
Still, an NRA key vote will play right into Democratic leaders’ hands, too, and they are sure to make the case that the influential group does not care about violence against women. Such is the political hot potato that VAWA has become. In response to National Journal's story, Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted Tuesday night: "Members have a decision to make: will they protect survivors of stalking & domestic abuse? Or are they willing to allow their convicted stalkers & abusers to have access to firearms?"
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