37 gun rights groups form 'Coalition Against Universal Background Checks'

Last Monday a "divided Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday narrowly approved a Democratic bill expanding required federal background checks for nearly all gun [transfers and not just] purchases . . . by 10-8, supported by all Democrats and opposed by every Republican." But now a broad coalition of 37 gun rights groups from across the United States has stood up to stop the bill.

Calling themselves the Coalition Against Universal Background Checks, these groups, normally focused on state legislation and elections, are poised to enter the fray with all their "grass roots" blazing to stop what they view as a “prior restraint” which will: destroy gun shows, and cost gun owners over $1.04 billion per year (1). In a press release, posted below, John Pierce from one of the Coalition's national groups, OpenCarry.org, said that

the Senate bill will "strip 18-20 year old adults of their right to buy a handgun and turn you, friends, neighbors, and un-married domestic partners into felons.(2)"

Time will tell if the Senates bill will garner 60 votes in favor of cloture, but in the mean time, 37 gun rights groups stand ready to play hard ball. According to Mr. Pierce, both a Virginia attorney and co-founder of OpenCarry.org, politicians know that gun rights are a bigger "voting issue" for pro-gun voters than nominally anti-gun voters. And he adds that

"local state gun rights groups ARE the local ground game, and they do know how to primary members of Congress who vote against gun rights, just ask President Bill Clinton who watched a 1994 Democratic majority in Congress be eviscerated after voting for a ten year ban on new sales of so-called ‘assault weapons.’"

“It’s kind of like that Kevin Costner movie Field of Dreams (5),” chuckles Pierce: “If they vote for it, we will come - and primary them.”