In unambiguous terms, the Republican Party of Texas’ Platform Committee unanimously approved last night a resolution condemning the “compromise” package U.S. Sen. John Cornyn crafted unilaterally with his Democrat colleagues to impose new gun control laws.
Earlier this week, Cornyn announced he had taken the lead in working with Democrats to reach a “compromise” on gun restrictions.
Among other things, Cornyn’s proposal would incentivize states to impose “red flag” laws. The purpose of such laws is to deny otherwise law-abiding citizens of their right to purchase firearms by circumventing the Constitution’s due process protections. The GOP resolution describes such laws as “a pre-crime punishment of people not adjudicated guilty.”
Also included in the proposal is an increase in waiting times and the age of citizens to purchase a firearm.
The other Republicans working with Cornyn and the Democrats were Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.).
Cornyn has not yet been seen at the GOP convention in Houston, though he is scheduled to speak. Even before the resolution, many of the nearly 10,000 delegates and alternates were expressing their frustration with Cornyn’s work. His campaign sponsored the “lanyards” from which hang delegates’ credentials. Thousands of those have been discarded in favor of those produced by Texas Scorecard and other organizations at the convention.
The text of the resolution reads:
Resolution against the Gang of 20 Gun Control bill.
Whereas those under 21 are most likely to be victims of violent crime and thus most likely to need to defend themselves.
Whereas “red flag laws” violate one’s right to due process and are a pre-crime punishment of people not adjudicated guilty.
Whereas waiting periods on gun purchases harm those who need to acquire the means of self defense in emergencies such as riots.
Whereas all gun control is a violation of the Second Amendment and our God given rights.
We reject the so called “bipartisan gun agreement”, and we rebuke Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.).
