Watch Darrell Issa Obliterate Jasmine Crockett's Self-Righteous Performance About Protecti...
Matt Taibbi Lays Out Biden-Era Censorship of Conservatives on Social Media
Right Before Corey Booker Began His Crying on the Senate Floor, His Staffer...
Trump Rakes Democrat Senator Over the Coals for Trying to Stop Tariffs
Sen. Cory Booker Has Been Railing Against Trump on Senate Floor for 16...
Attorney General Orders Prosecutors to Seek Death Penalty for Luigi Mangione
Let's Keep One Thing in Mind on 'Ghost Gun' Case, Despite California's Worries
NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging Colorado's Gun Excise Tax
Marine Le Pen Was Barred From Seeking Public Office. Trump, Musk Have...
Israeli Woman Once Held Hostage by Hamas Receives Prestigious Award From the State...
Voters in This State Show Support for Creating a State-Level DOGE
Madness: Why British Cops Showed Up at a Family's Home and Arrested Both...
Harvard Funding Under Review Over Antisemitism
Fani Willis Caught Again With Lover After Insisting Affair Ended
DOGE Just Gutted the US Institute of Peace
Tipsheet

Facepalm: Sen. Toomey Calls for Legislation He Admits Is Already on the Books

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) has been an outspoken proponent of universal background checks. Back in 2013, he co-sponsored the Manchin-Toomey bill, which would expand background checks to all firearms transactions, including Private Party Transfers (PTTs) that take place between family and friends. Interestingly enough, Toomey accidentally made the case for why universal background checks are not necessary. 

Advertisement

"Do you believe we have too many guns circulating in America?" NBC's Chuck Todd asked on "Meet the Press."

"I don't think the answer is too many guns, Chuck," Toomey said. "If I have four or five guns and I buy two more, did America become a more dangerous place? I don't think so. I'm not a dangerous person."

"My focus has always been making it more difficult for people that we all agree shouldn't have firearms, make it more difficult for them to get firearms," the senator explained. "That is violent criminals, that is the dangerous mentally ill, and that's what we should focus on."

According to Toomey, it's important for legislators to "try and understand what drives the madness" and what motivates mass shooters. 

"You know, whether a law-abiding citizen owns three or four guns, that has absolutely no impact on anyone's safety," he said. 

What's interesting is Toomey realizes the Senate lacks the 60 vote threshold needed to pass "universal background checks," which would require background checks for PPTs, something that is commonly done when a firearm is passed between family and friends. 

Advertisement

Under current law, two private parties can transfer firearms to one another without going through a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) "provided the transferor does not know or have reasonable cause to believe the transferee is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under federal law." Some states, however, require citizens to obtain the transfer through an FFL. 

The only way to create a "universal background check" is to create a firearms registry. It would mean the government would know exactly who owns what guns moving forward, something Second Amendment supporters believe could lead to firearm confiscation. 

Amazingly enough, Toomey wants to pass redundant legislation that already exists. 

"Between the sales that already occur at licensed firearm dealers, all of which require a background check, and what we consider commercial sales – advertised sales and gun shows on the internet – that covers a vast majority of all transactions," he said. "And it would be progress to have background checks for those categories."

The only "category" that doesn't require a background check is for PPTs. They're already regulated. If a person knowingly sells or gives a firearm to someone they know or have reason to believe is a criminal, that is illegal. Either Toomey doesn't know the laws on the books or he's trying to skirt saying he wants to do away with PPTs.

Advertisement

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement