Opinion: Rep. Cloud and other GOP House members again fail to support law enforcement

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”- Second Amendment

HR 44 blocks the ATF regulations against pistol braces, used in mass murders. With very little fanfare or recognition, other than his recent newsletter, Rep. Michael Cloud voted for HR 44. In the newsletter, he misquotes the Second Amendment stating that it guarantees “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” But, like most GOP congressmen, Cloud leaves out the most important part: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State.”

Until 2008, the Supreme Court interpreted that statement to mean that state National Guards could be armed, not individuals. Even then, Justice Scalia, who wrote the 5-4 decision, indicated that reasonable restraints could be placed on ownership and use of firearms.

Cloud brags about his vote. But, if you respect police officers and law enforcement, his stand is not a good thing. And if you have family members who are retired from the police, corrections, and FBI as I do, you will not appreciate his vote or stance.

However, this vote simply continues Rep. Cloud's anti-law enforcement stands. For example, there were 21 hypocritical GOP House members who say they are for law enforcement ... but voted against giving deserving Capitol police officers Congressional Gold Medals for defending our nation’s Capitol against a violent, armed mob of insurgents intent on stopping the fair and honest election of our president by any means.

Of the 21, three were from Texas, including representatives Cloud, Gohmert and Roy. The facts are clear, as are the politics behind the votes of these right-wingers. On Jan. 6, 2021, there were 151 Capitol and Metropolitan police officers injured defending our Capitol, the cradle of liberty. And protecting the House and Senate members who were inside. Some officers later died as an indirect result of the riot and attacks on police by lawless right-wing radicals.

The amazing thing is that the GOP and every one of these 21 House members claim to be “law and order” advocates. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, the Republican National Committee, Sen. Mitch McConnell, Speaker Kevin McCarthy and GOP members of Congress rail about high crime in Democratic cities because they say the Democrats are defunding the police. It’s an idiotic claim to begin with in that there are no Democrats running a major city who want to eliminate local law enforcement.

And they never specifically single out anyone by name because they know that they are just lying to get a rise out of the MAGA base. If anything, the opposite is true. As a matter of fact, a former captain of the NYPD was elected recently as the Democratic mayor of our largest US city ... on a get tough on crime platform.

Another example is Rep. Andrew Clyde, who introduced HR 44 that Cloud supported. He’s the guy who is shown in pictures barricading the House doors to prevent the rioters from entering the chambers. But he’s also the person who has the nerve to state that it was a “normal tourist visit.” Right, it was just a peaceful bunch of sightseers on a calm midday stroll. I guess all of the videos we have seen must just be propaganda by the radical, leftist, socialist-communist Democrats.

And then we have Ms. QAnon, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. She stated to Politico that "I wouldn't call it an insurrection," and that she objected to the Capitol being referred to as a "temple." I guess that makes sense for someone who publicly worries about Jewish space lasers.

Do Cloud and the rest really believe what they are spouting? Probably they don’t; they are just saying it to gain NRA and MAGA support, feeding the brainwashed base who believe the “big lie.”

I love our nation and democracy. But I am very concerned about a large percentage of our citizens who continue to vote for con artists like these in Texas and elsewhere.

Jack Bernard is a retired corporate executive who worked extensively with hospital systems throughout Texas.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Opinion: Cloud, other GOP reps again fail to support law enforcement