Back in 2013, Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey came out with a background check bill along with Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin. That was in response to the Sandy Hook school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. The bill failed by six votes, but Toomey got a lot of positive attention, even from President Obama who called him courageous. So where has Toomey been since 2013 on guns? Good question.
After that 2013 vote, though, he waited more than three years before giving another Senate floor speech on guns.
It wasn't until two weeks ago, as the nation reeled from the Orlando massacre and Democrats ramped up the political pressure, that Toomey gave another Senate address dedicated to the issue, calling for compromise as the parties debated plans to stop suspected terrorists from buying guns. […]
Some gun-control advocates who hailed Toomey's 2013 bill have been dismayed by his recent votes.
In December and June, he opposed Democratic proposals to close the so-called terror gap that allows suspected terrorists to clear background checks. He also helped block a Democratic background-check bill. Instead, Toomey voted for GOP proposals backed by the National Rifle Association.
Toomey says that floor speeches aren't an adequate measure of his commitment on the issue, that he's been working behind the scenes with his colleagues having conversations about guns, and "argued that quiet work is often more effective than speeches." Judging by the results of the Senate votes after one more mass shooting, he hasn't been at all effective.
In fact, this time around, he voted against a background check bill from Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy that was very similar to his own. Clearly, in an election year Toomey can't stray too far from the NRA.
Please send $3 to Katie McGinty to send Pat Toomey packing.