Bloomberg hits Sanders on gun reform record

[RandySF]

Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg attacked his primary opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Thursday in a series of tweets slamming the progressive on his gun reform legislation voting record.

Bloomberg, a billionaire self-funding his campaign, claimed the National Rifle Association (NRA) helped Sanders “get elected,” and added that Sanders then voted against a background check bill multiple times.

“Senator Sanders has said that he’ll stand up to 'the NRA and its corrupting effect on Washington,' Bloomberg tweeted. “But the truth is that if the NRA has corrupted Washington, Bernie is among the corrupt.”

"The NRA never endorsed Bernie Sanders and he has never taken a dime of their money," Sanders campaign adviser Jeff Weaver said in a statement. "In fact, he lost his 1988 Congressional race because he backed an assault weapons ban. But even after that, Sanders maintained his opposition to these weapons of war.”
Bloomberg claimed the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre “told Vermonters to vote for Bernie” and ran ads against Sanders's opponent in 1990.

The NRA asked its members to vote for Sanders in his congressional bid, after Republican Rep. Peter Smith (Vt.) changed his mind about a ban on assault weapons and the NRA sought to have him beat in his reelection campaign.




https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/483978-bloomberg-hits-sanders-on-gun-record

[ucrdem]

3. Biden is good on this issue.

It's Bloomberg's signature issue, that's true, but Biden isn't Bernie by a long shot. He has record he can point to and it's a good one.

[W_HAMILTON]

2. Yep. I believe his congressional career was kickstarted by backing from the NRA.

BURLINGTON, Vt. — A few days before Election Day in 1990, the National Rifle Association sent a letter to its 12,000 members in Vermont, with an urgent message about the race for the state’s single House seat.

Vote for the socialist, the gun rights group said. It’s important.

“Bernie Sanders is a more honorable choice for Vermont sportsmen than ­Peter Smith,” wrote Wayne LaPierre, who was — and still is — a top official at the national NRA, backing Sanders over the Republican incumbent.

That was odd. Sanders was the ex-hippie ex-mayor of Burlington, running as an independent because the Democrats weren’t far enough left. He had never even owned a gun.

But that year, he was the enemy of the NRA’s enemy.

Taken from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-the-nra-helped-put-bernie-sanders-in-congress/2015/07/19/ed1be26c-2bfe-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html

[ibegurpard]

4. If that's someone's problem with Sanders

Then vote for one of the other Democrats who didn't try to barge in front of others with their billions.

[evertonfc]

5. Mike is going to unleash

on the Democratic Socialist.

[liskddksil]

6. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Because of Mike spending 12 million to get Pat Toomey

re-elected in a close race in PA in 2016, no gun reform is happening for the foreseeable future as it sits in Moscow Mitch's crypt.

[Lordquinton]

7. So this is the angle they are trying to get on Sanders now?

I appreciate that his opponents are recycling, shows support of his green new deal.

[BusyBeingBest]

8. Bloomberg is a stalwart on gun reform, and has been for a long time.

I appreciate it.

[Gothmog]

9. Joe also hit sanders on gun control

Link to tweet

?s=20

[honest.abe]

10. Good. This could be Bernie's Achilles Heel.

Bloomberg might be realizing he cant win this thing and will now focus on simply taking Sanders down.

[Devil Child]

11. If Bloomberg marks some one as bad on guns that translates as good on RKBA for me

Sen. Sanders, yes. Bloomberg, no.