As public pressure continues to mount in favor of stricter gun control laws, and while Republicans are becoming increasingly vulnerable to such calls, the National Rifle Association is ramping up its own pressure campaigns. The powerful gun lobby is currently helping Republicans in Congress advocate against the Violence Against Women Act because of provisions that help prevent stalkers and abusers from owning guns.
From the National Journal:
At the request of House Republicans, the group will issue a key vote against the politically dicey Violence Against Women Act over its so-called red-flag provisions, which seek to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said the group objects because it believes the legislation could lead to firearm confiscations over misdemeanor domestic violence or stalking convictions.
“The NRA opposes domestic violence and all violent crime, and spends millions of dollars teaching countless Americans how not to be a victim and how to safely use firearms for self-defense,” Baker said. “It is a shame that some in the gun-control community treat the severity of domestic violence so trivially that they are willing to use it as a tool to advance a political agenda.”
The NRA has long argued that gun rights are a women’s rights issue, claiming that women who are armed are better able to protect themselves from harm. This is a deadly and debunked myth, but it persists as a talking point.