Oops, Wayne LaPierre did it again.
Fresh off the PR mess that the National Rifle Association Executive Vice President created in the wake of last month’s tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., LaPierre backtracked on past Congressional testimony he delivered while testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee this morning.
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The incident arose during a dialogue between LaPierre and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on the issue of universal background checks for prospective gun owners at gun shows. According to LaPierre’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee in 1999, LaPierre was in favor of the background checks – something which the NRA strongly opposes.
From today’s testimony:
Wayne LaPierre: “We supported the national background check system on dealers. We were here when one of your colleagues held the hearings in terms of who would be a dealer and who would be required to have a license…”
Leahy: “Let’s make this easy. I’m talking about gun shows. Should we have mandatory background checks at gun shows for all sales of weapons?”
LaPierre: “If you are a dealer, that is already the law.”
Leahy: “That is not my question. Please, I’m not trying to play games. If you could, just answer my question.”
LaPierre: “I do not believe the way the law is working now, unfortunately, that it does any good to extend the law to private sales between hobbyists and collectors.”
Leahy: “You do not support background checks in all instances at gun shows?”
LaPierre: “We do not.”
While the NRA has long opposed background checks, last week NRA Executive Director Chris Cox issued a statement reaffirming the organization’s position after a story broke in The Hill claiming that the lobbyist organization was working with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) to draft legislation that would implement universal background checks.
“NRA does NOT support universal background checks and is not working with Manchin to implement this type of legislation. NRA opposes, and will continue to oppose, universal background checks and registration schemes,” the statement read.
In his opening statement this morning, LaPierre noted that background checks could never be “‘universal – because criminals will never submit to them.”
You can watch the footage of Leahy and LaPierre’s tete-a-tete below:
