Gun Politics New York

The House passed their so-called “assault weapons ban” by a vote of 217-213.

The two Republicans who put it over the top were Chris Jacobs and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.  Jacobs’ vote being a middle finger to his constituents after having to end his re-election campaign specifically because of this issue.

This story is getting a lot of attention:

“Democratic New York Rep. Jerry Nadler admitted a Democrat-led bill intends to confiscate guns in “common use” during a Wednesday House Judiciary Committee hearing. Republican North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop asked House Democrats if they dispute the fact that the proposed legislation H.R. 1808, titled “Assault Weapons Ban of 2021,” bans firearms in “common use” throughout the country. “Would anyone on the other side dispute that this bill would ban weapons that are in common use in the United States today?” Bishop asked. “That’s the point of the bill,” Nadler replied. “So, to clarify, Mr. Chairman, you’re saying it is the point of the bill to ban weapons that are in common use in the United States today,” the Republican representative pressed. “Yes,” Nadler clarified. “The problem is that they’re in common use.” …”

That may be the point of the bill, but what pundits have missed is why is Jerry bringing this up now?

Answer: He’s in a nasty 3-way primary with the equally detestable Rep. Carolyn Maloney as well as newcomer Suraj Patel.

Maloney appears to be in the lead and she made abortion her signature issue. With primary turnout always low, and likely even lower this time around as it will be the first primary to take place in August, Jerry desperately needs something, anything to shift a small number of the Democrat activist base, the one who are the ones most likely to show up on August 23, to his side.