Democrats Go Ballistic Over Assault Rifle Lapel Pins Worn By GOP Lawmakers
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Florida GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna sports an assault rifle lapel pin even though there were six mass shootings in her state in January.
At least three Republican lawmakers in the House have been sporting tiny assault rifle pins on their lapels amid an alarming series of mass shootings — and critics are exploding.
“To promote that on the floor of the House is despicable and an insult to all of the victims of assault weapons,” Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) told a Nexstar Media reporter.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) said that “anybody can wear whatever they want, but you have to have some common decency.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), who has worn the lapel pin for years, said in a tweet that he distributed them to his colleagues to “remind people of the Second Amendment of the Constitution and how important it is in preserving our liberties.” He appeared proud that he was “triggering” Democrats.
Apparently I’ve been triggering some of my Democrat colleagues… pic.twitter.com/3qJB1bRuBP
— Rep. Andrew Clyde (@Rep_Clyde) February 2, 2023
Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and George Santos (R-N.Y.) have both been photographed wearing the pins. Luna did so on Monday less than 48 hours after a mass shooting in her state that injured 11 people, two of them critically. There were six mass shootings in Florida in January.
“You can’t make this sh*t up,” Gomez tweeted.
He also pointed out the utter heartlessness of wearing the pins during Gun Violence Survivors Week — and noted that Clyde is the owner of a major gun retailer in Georgia that profits from gun use.
Anna Paulina Luna wore an assault weapon pin at today’s Oversight hearing — less than 48 hours after her state experienced a mass shooting.
You can’t make this sh*t up. This isn’t the flex you think it is. pic.twitter.com/AxEOmM6dN6— Rep. Jimmy Gomez (@RepJimmyGomez) February 1, 2023
It is not lost on me that several Republicans wore assault weapon pins on #GVSurvivorsWeek.
After a series of mass shootings in California and across our country.
After we saw kids murdered by weapons of war in Uvalde, Parkland, Sandy Hook and more. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/gvr6X7Q4yb— Rep. Jimmy Gomez (@RepJimmyGomez) February 3, 2023
Is it really about the 2nd Amendment?
Funny how you didn’t mention you own the No. 4-ranked gun store in GA.
Not only are you mocking gun violence survivors during #GVSurvivors Week, but you’re making a profit off of mass shootings too. https://t.co/ykegFm8wuX— Rep. Jimmy Gomez (@RepJimmyGomez) February 3, 2023
In response to one of Gomez’s comments, Luna bizarrely tweeted a photo of a signed, handwritten note apparently taped to a House office door saying: “Jimmy, stop trying to date me!” — with the rifle pin attached.
@RepJimmyGomezpic.twitter.com/RO4fwYQnim
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) February 1, 2023
As of early February, the Gun Violence Archive counted 54 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2023. Six of them involved four or more fatalities.
Though handguns are most often used in mass shootings, AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles or similar guns — just like the ones the lapel pins depict — are increasingly a mass shooter’s weapon of choice, USA Today reported.
Some new GOP House members are wearing lapel pins shaped like assault rifles, other Republicans have worn them for years, but Democrats @RepJimmyGomez & @RepGregoryMeeks say it's “despicable” and lacks “common decency.”
So far in 2023 there have been more than 55 mass shootings. pic.twitter.com/9QxNdikHTJ— Alexandra Limon (@AlexLimonNews) February 2, 2023