Daughter Of Newtown Victim Confronts Ayotte Over Gun Check Vote

[ashling]

The daughter of Sandy Hook Elementary School principal and shooting victim Dawn Hochsprung confronted Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) over her vote against expanding gun background checks at a town hall in Warren, N.H. on Tuesday.

"You had mentioned that day you voted, owners of gun stores that the expanded background checks would harm," Erica Lafferty said, according to NBC News. "I am just wondering why the burden of my mother being gunned down in the halls of her elementary school isn't more important than that."

[DevonRex]

1. Good for her.

That took strength.

[spanone]

2. k&r...

[Generic Other]

3. She deserves to be confronted

They all do. They should be ashamed. If you can't represent your constituents better than that because you have taken out-of-state contributions from the NRA, you need to resign from public office. It is corruption of the basest sort.

[CatWoman]

4. Tweety showed the video

and Ayotte came across as a complete ass.

[Skittles]

7. because she is a bully and a coward

the exact kind of person the NRA buys EASILY

[Cha]

5. Good on Erica Lafferty! "Poor gun store owners".. Kelly Ayotte is

sociopathic tool.

[CTyankee]

6. This is exactly what is needed. A showdown with the rep who voted against bc.

Get the cameras in there, confront the rep. and ask the question.

When you got them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow...

[umt9]

8. I have a suggestion

Why don't we try enforcing some of the 20,000 gun control measures already on the books?

[The Blue Flower]

9. If the Repubs would fund BATF again, perhaps we could

They've obstructed the nomination of a permanent head of BATF as well as defunded it. So maybe you could ask your friends in Congress to take care of that little problem. And then we can work on plugging the loopholes in those existing laws that make so many of them a joke.

[Shrike47]

12. Got that right.

Rethugs love to block funding and appointments then bitch because of claimed lack of effectiveness.

[umt9]

16. enforcement

The problem doesn't lie with BATF funding but with the fact that the laws are seldom enforced. Gun law violations are always the first charges to be dropped or plea bargained. For example every jurisdiction has laws against ex-felons possessing firearms usually subject to extra prison time. Over-worked DA usually drop the charge in order to expedite the case. Many places have "use a gun, go to jail" laws threatening to double sentences if a gun is used in the commission of a crime. Guess what the first charge waived is. Criminals know these facts almost as well as they know how to obtain an illegal firearm. The answer isn't in putting more restrictions on or disarming citizens, its in actually punishing people who commit crimes.

[FourScore]

10. 5...4...3...2...1...

Buh Bye!

[rl6214]

24. Wrong

Time to edit again?

[hatrack]

13. As it's been seven years since ATF had a full-time head, and as Reps still block Obama's choice . .

Your tear-stained concern is deeply and compassionately noted.

[Marr]

15. That's literally like saying, "why do we have laws against stealing when so many

thieves are going unprosecuted?".

You do realize that, right?

The fact that few people are being prosecuted for trying to illegally obtain a gun does not mean those laws aren't working. It means a whole lot of people aren't trying to illegally obtain a gun who otherwise might. The fact that they were turned away when they tried is proof it worked. A prosecution is unnecessary.

[umt9]

17. The laws aren't working

Trying to illegally obtain a gun does not mean the criminal goes to a gun store. They know that the mere act of attempting to will result in a background check and bring them to the attention of authorities. Gun shows aren't a problem either because criminals aren't interested in antiques or collectibles. The exhibitors with modern firearms are either factory reps taking orders or FFL holders who both do background checks. Criminals usually either steal guns or buy or trade with other criminals. There is a huge reservoir of untraceable weapons in the underground. The old Soviet bloc and China handed out AK-47 and AK-74 battle rifles like party favors. There are literally millions of those things floating around. A few years ago the Arizona State Prison had to close down its machine shop rehab facility because inmates were manufacturing guns and selling them on the outside. The prison was doing a good job making sure friends and family weren't smuggling guns in but weren't checking to see what was going out.

[Marr]

18. First you complain that the current laws aren't being prosecuted.

Then you admit that the current laws are primarily meant to discourage the wrong people from even *trying* to buy a gun from a gun store in the first place.

And your suggestion that criminals and lunatics get their guns by stealing them is also pure bullshit, from my personal experience. Many do, I'm sure, but then many criminals obtain cars by stealing them, too. That doesn't mean driver's licenses and vehicle registration are a waste of time.

[umt9]

20. wrong people

Actually criminals never did aquire weapons through "normal" channels. The majority of crimes are committed by a very small percentage of the population. Of that group 10% are hardcore committing 90% of the violent crimes. If gun laws already on the books were enforced that 10% would be out of circulation for a long time.

[Marr]

22. Cite a source, please. /nt

[Control-Z]

19. 20,000?

Are there really 20,000 gun control measures on the books? That seems like a lot.

[VA_Jill]

11. Kelly Ayotte

is probably the worst wannabe in the senate. Why do you think she's always sniffing around McGrumpy and Miss Lindsey? However, she is destined to be an ain't-gonna-be.

[mythology]

14. Please don't refer to Lindsey Graham in that fashion

It links him being perceived as feminine as an insult. There are plenty of reasons and ways to express disdain for him without resorting to that.

[Carolina]

27. Oh puhleeze

it's suits shim to a tee

[rl6214]

25. Miss Lindsey? Pretty sexist

Borderline mysogonistic.

[Carolina]

28. Of puhleeze

It suits shim to a tee.

[rl6214]

30. That's gonna be your standard answer, huh?

Next your gonna say its ok to call gays "princess".

[Carolina]

31. sometimes ...

if the shoe fits!

[Carolina]

33. Can't you recognize tongue

in cheek, or HUMOR!?

Did this thread bother you: Million Fag March today in Topeka - pictureshttp://www.democraticunderground.com/10022766279

It was sarcasm, but still...

[Carolina]

35. here's one more for you

Lindsey Graham tweets like a twat #Benghazi http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022789020

And they are not joking!

[Carolina]

26. VA_Jill, Love, love, love

your expressions from wannabe to ain't gonna be.

And also as a resident of SC, I love your appellation Miss Lindsey for that chickenshit chickenhawk. I would only modify it slightly to add little Miss Lindsey

Welcome to DU

[Tommy_Carcetti]

21. But she's just a mindless prop.

Good on her.

[rl6214]

23. Would the death of her mother changed with the new background laws?

[JohnnyBoots]

29. If the daughter

is a NH resident I have no problem with this.

If she isn't, it's political theater and meant to score political points. My money says it's MAIG carpet bagging to manufacture the videoclip to get in the news cycle.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

32. Yes, because advocacy stops at the state line. nt

[redqueen]

34. K&R

She rocks.