The United States House of Representatives voted to advance legislation that will allow police to confiscate firearms of individuals believed to be a threat to themselves or others, known as Red Flag Laws, that became highly controversial during the Trump administration due to fears they would be abused. The anti-Second Amendment bill, which soared through the U.S. House and will now head to the Senate, had the bipartisan support of 135 Republican representatives.
While many of those who voted alongside Democrats are not surprising to many, others portray themselves as America First candidates who seek to realize President Donald Trump’s agenda. Among these are Reps. Matt Gaetz, Madison Cawthorn, Elise Stefanik, Devin Nunes, Ronny Jackson, President Trump’s former White House doctor, and Greg Pence, the brother of former Vice President Mike Pence, as well as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Other Republicans who voted for the Red Flag Law gun confiscation bill include many of President Trump’s opponents, including those who voted for impeachment. Among these are Reps. Herrera-Beutler, Dan Newhouse, Fred Upton, Peter Meijer, John Katko, Dave Valado, Adam Kinzinger, and Liz Cheney.
As is typical for Democrat presidents, the Red Flag Law gun confiscation legislation was folded into the often-controversial National Defense Authorization Act bill for 2021, which funds the United States Armed Forces. Typically, Democrats use this bill – which is politically costly for Republicans to avoid assenting to – to ram unpopular legislation through the U.S. House.
In 2012, many Republicans faced similar outcry from voters after they voted for Barack Obama’s 2012 NDAA, which Obama signed into law in December of 2011. The 2012 NDAA legalized the indefinite detainment and detention of American citizens, and made it illegal to protest at an event where Secret Service was present. Many Republicans defended their vote by claiming it was necessary to make sure active duty troops would receive their pay. The ACLU slammed the Obama regime for the law at the time.
Source: National File