Cruz Targets Trump on Previous Support of Gun Bans -- And Marco Rubio Too

As regards Trump, it's pretty easy to find his previous support (when he wasn't running for president and didn't have to claim things like that he's super into the Bible) for gun control.

Just a rich buffet of gun-grabbiness.

Dems and Reps are both wrong on guns

It’s often argued that the American murder rate is high because guns are more available here than in other countries. Democrats want to confiscate all guns, which is a dumb idea because only the law-abiding citizens would turn in their guns and the bad guys would be the only ones left armed. The Republicans walk the NRA line and refuse even limited restrictions.
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.102 , Jul 2, 2000

For assault weapon ban, waiting period, & background check

I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun. With today’s Internet technology we should be able to tell within 72-hours if a potential gun owner has a record.
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.102 , Jul 2, 2000

Of course he supported the very reasonable ban on assault weapons. Because that's what people without any sort of conservative ideology do -- they adopt the easy, path-of-least-resistance claims of the left.

But as for Marco Rubio -- this is a new one on me.

But Cruz is putting Rubio's bona fides into question.

"I will not compromise your Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms," the U.S. senator from Texas told supporters. "You know, it's worth noting my two leading competitors have both previously supported banning firearms. Donald Trump supported Bill Clinton's nationwide ban on many of the most popular firearms in America, and Marco Rubio, when he was on the city council in West Miami, voted to ban firearms in public parks. Let me tell you this: There is no universe in which I would ever support banning guns because I believe in the Second Amendment."

Cruz's criticism of Rubio centers on a resolution from 1999 that urged the Florida Legislature "to prohibit firearms in county or municipal parks, recreational facilities, or playgrounds, which are locations where children frequently congregate." With Rubio present, the West Miami City Commission unanimously approved the resolution, according to minutes from its March 3, 1999, meeting.

Maybe not the worst sort of gun-grabby position, but I'm interested to hear Rubio either defend this or explain how he "evolved."

A former NRA president says Rubio was no friend to gun rights, and while he publicly talked up a pro-gun-rights bill to permit guns in motor vehicles, behind the scenes he was working to subvert it.

According to Politico, Hammer described Rubio as a man who talked pro-gun when the cameras were rolling but worked in ways that hurt the bill's chances of passage behind the scenes. Hammer said, "He has not been a friend to gun owners. He tried to cover himself by voting for it after doing everything he could to work against it. He plays to an audience. We will make sure our members know."

The "Preservation and Protection of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms in Motor Vehicles Act" passed the legislature in 2008--during Rubio's tenure as Florida House Speaker--and was signed into law by Governor Charlie Crist. Rubio voted for the measure, yet just over a year after it was signed, Hammer reflected on the effort it took to get the bill passed and said, "[Rubio] was a big disappointment to us when he was the speaker. He talked the talk, but he didn’t walk the walk,"according to the Tampa Bay Times.

posted by Ace at 04:56 PM

| Access Comments