Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused Rep. Dan Crenshaw of “likely” being friends with violent criminals and domestic abusers after the Texas Republican said universal background checks would keep him from lending guns to his friends.
“You are a member of Congress. Why are you ‘lending’ guns to people unsupervised who can’t pass a basic background check?” the New York Democrat said Wednesday on Twitter. “The people you’re giving a gun to have likely abused their spouse or have a violent criminal record, & you may not know it.”
You are a member of Congress. Why are you “lending” guns to people unsupervised who can’t pass a basic background check?
The people you’re giving a gun to have likely abused their spouse or have a violent criminal record, & you may not know it.
Why on earth would you do that? https://t.co/TQFjcLQebO
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 4, 2019
Crenshaw, 35, responded to Ocasio-Cortez saying his friends are not criminals and that she was stuck in a New York City bubble.
“Just so I’m clear: you think my friends are domestic abusers/criminals? Seriously that’s your argument? That they can’t pass a background check?” Crenshaw said Wednesday. “Wrong. People lend guns to friends, esp if they don’t own a gun, for self-defense and hunting purposes. This is America outside NYC.”
Just so I’m clear: you think my friends are domestic abusers/criminals? Seriously that’s your argument? That they can’t pass a background check?
Wrong. People lend guns to friends, esp if they don’t own a gun, for self-defense and hunting purposes.
This is America outside NYC. https://t.co/wkWPhfi0JB
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) September 4, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez, 29, tweeted that New York “is one of the safest states in the country” in regards to guns, telling Crenshaw to “try to keep up.” The congresswoman went on a Twitter screed where she said rapists and domestic abusers hid by presenting themselves as “outstanding” and that “vouching for a friend” was potentially enabling them.
Herein lies an important point abt domestic abuse: most of it is hidden. You could know an abuser & have no clue.
I’ve had friends come out to me as victims. It’s not obvious. Unsafe relationships are COMMON.
That’s why House Dems passed closing the boyfriend loophole in VAWA.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 4, 2019
Rapists can have Ivy League degrees. Abusers can look like “good dads” or have high incomes or “great jobs.”
Good appearances are often a cover for abusers. In fact, many abusers RELY on their public reputation to intimidate partners from leaving (ex: “no one will believe you.”)
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 4, 2019
Domestic abusers can be master manipulators. Plus, domestic abuse is a HUGE indicator for gun violence.
That’s why “vouching for friend” isn’t a substitute for a background check.
You wouldn’t lend a car to someone w/o a license.Why lend a gun to someone w/o a background check?
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 4, 2019
The argument between the two began with Crenshaw’s criticism of universal background checks and his claim they would keep him from loaning guns to his friends for self defense.
“With universal background checks, I wouldn’t be able to let my friends borrow my handgun when they travel alone like this. We would make felons out of people just for defending themselves,” the freshman congressman said Tuesday.
Situations like this story are why we protect the 2nd Amendment.
Side note: With universal background checks, I wouldn’t be able to let my friends borrow my handgun when they travel alone like this. We would make felons out of people just for defending themselves. https://t.co/x60mdd1WW1
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) September 4, 2019
Crenshaw and Ocasio-Cortez have clashed in the past over policy issues, with Crenshaw accusing his fellow freshman congresswoman of being a liar.
The debate over universal background checks follows a mass shooting in Texas in which the shooter had been banned from buying a gun because of he was mentally unfit and failed a background check. He bought his gun in a private sale.
