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GOA CALLS ON SENATORS TO VOTE ‘NO’ ON ERIC HOLDER CONFIRMATION: Leader Of Large Gun Rights Organization Hopes To Capitalize On Unanimous House Vote
On Monday, Barack Obama’s nomination for Attorney General, Eric Holder, is expected to go to the Senate floor after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approve the nomination.
Executive Director of Gunowners of America (GOA), Larry Pratt is lobbying gun rights advocates to contact their Senators in an effort to prevent full confirmation. After seeing every Republican congressman in the House unite against the economic stimulus bill, Pratt sees no reason why Republican Senators can’t do the same thing with this nomination.
STATEMENT FROM GOA ON ERIC HOLDER
It was a disappointing result, to be sure. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the nomination of Eric Holder yesterday by a 17-2 vote.
Only Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and John Cornyn (R-TX) voted against the anti-gun nominee for Attorney General.
One of the things that gravely hurt us in committee was Senator Orrin Hatch's support for Holder. Even though Hatch holds a lukewarm "C"rating with GOA, he is generally viewed as "pro-gun" on the Hill. His support for Holder certainly pulled a lot of Senators with him from his side of the aisle.
Thankfully, there are some Senators who are lining up against Holder:
* Wyoming Senator John Barrasso (R-WY): "Given Holder's career of attacks on the Second Amendment, his nomination continues to be of great concern to me.... Our nation's highest law enforcement officer must be committed to protecting and defending our individual rights to keep and bear arms. I intend to vote no on the nomination of Eric Holder."
* Senator David Vitter (R-LA): "[Holder has] clearly advocated near universal licensing and registration, and he joined and filed an amicus brief in the District of Columbia v. Heller U.S. Supreme Court case arguing that the 2nd amendment was NOT an individual right. That's deeply disturbing."
Unfortunately, there are very few Senators right now who are willing to stand up to Obama's anti-gun nomination. Another conservative firebrand who opposes the Holder nomination is Senator James DeMint (R-SC). In addition to Vitter and Barrasso, DeMint is one of the few voices crying out in the wilderness of a "country club" Senate.
"Club friendships [have become] more important," DeMint says, than "where we're going as a country."
Sen. DeMint is simply standing firm on conservative, constitutional principles. Politico.com noted on Tuesday that DeMint is "less willing to compromise with Democrats than many in his party."
Translation: A lot of other Republicans would rather compromise than stand up to Obama, and that spells bad news for our gun rights.
So what can we do?
The Politico article notes an important lesson that DeMint has learned over the years. He has tried pushing good policy, being persuasive and being nice. He's tried it all, he says. But finally, he realized that lawmakers in both parties "only respond to pain."
That's the key... dishing out political pain! And that's why your grassroots involvement is so critical. It is imperative that we keep banging on the Senate. Pressure from gun owners has already helped to slow down the momentum to confirm Eric Holder. But if confirmed, he will be in a position where he will be able to use the force of government to discourage or outlaw gun ownership in America.
ACTION: Please contact your two Senators, even if you have done so already, and strongly urge them to vote AGAINST Eric Holder for Attorney General. You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Senators a pre-written e-mail message.
ABOUT YOUR EXPERT GUEST, LARRY PRATT…
Larry Pratt has been Executive Director of Gun Owners of America for 30 years. GOA is a national membership organization of 300,000 Americans dedicated to promoting their second amendment freedom to keep and bear arms.
GOA lobbies for the pro-gun position in Washington and is involved in firearm issues in the states. GOA’s work includes providing legal assistance to those involved in lawsuits with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the federal firearms law enforcement agency.
Pratt has appeared on numerous national radio and TV programs such as NBC’s Today Show, CBS’ Good Morning America, CNN’s Crossfire and Larry King Live, Fox’s Hannity & Colmes, MSNBC’s Phil Donahue and Dan Abrams show and many others.
Larry Pratt has debated Congressmen James Traficant, Jr. (D-OH), Charles Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), and Vice President Al Gore, among others.
Larry’s columns have appeared in newspapers across the country.
Pratt published a book, Armed People Victorious, in 1990 and was editor of a book, Safeguarding Liberty: The Constitution & Militias, 1995.
Pratt’s latest book is “On the Firing Line: Essays in the Defense of Liberty.”
Pratt has held elective office in the state legislature of Virginia, serving in the House of Delegates. Pratt directs a number of other public interest organizations and serves as the Vice-Chairman of the American Institute for Cancer Research.
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