8/5/2019

GOP/GUNS/LEGISLATION/MASS SHOOTINGS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump briefly raised eyebrows Monday [8-5-19] when he tweeted an endorsement of stronger background checks, tied to immigration reform, after the nightmarish mass shootings over the weekend. But skeptical Republicans familiar with Trump’s mercurial nature didn’t rush out to embrace the idea…Not 30 minutes later, Trump used a White House address to call for changing mental health laws and implementing ‘red flag’ laws — far more modest proposals — while condemning white supremacy and avoiding the topic of background checks altogether…Congressional Republicans are ignoring Democratic demands for stricter gun control after at least 31 people were killed over the weekend in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. They’re far more comfortable blaming the increasingly frequent horrors on problems with mental health or American culture than in taking on the National Rifle Association and conservative grassroots activists.”

Melanie Zanona, Marianne Levine and Sarah Ferris, “Republicans hide behind Trump in gun debate,” Politico, August 5, 2019 6:41 pm