Dem rival knocks GOP senator over ‘terror gun loophole’

by Jordain Carney - 06/14/16 4:36 PM ET

A partisan dispute over barring suspected terrorists from buying guns is spilling over into a Senate race.

Pennsylvania Democrat Katie McGinty criticized Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) Tuesday, saying he’s “failed the test of leadership” on gun safety.

{mosads}”When we send people to the Senate to represent us, we need tough leadership to go after Islamic terror, and we need principled leadership right here at home to keep us safe,” McGinty, who is hoping to unseat Toomey, said during a press conference.

McGinty’s comments follow the mass shooting in Orlando, where a gunman killed 49 people and left another 53 injured.

McGinty added Tuesday that Toomey should support a proposal from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) that would allow the attorney general to block individuals on the terror watchlist from being able to buy a gun or explosives.

“He should show some leadership and actually do something to stop the shootings and mass murders,” she added. “Put simply, he should do his job and serve his constituents as he was elected to do.”

Toomey, like most Senate Republicans, voted against Feinstein’s proposal late last year. Republicans say the Democrat’s measure is too broad and would negatively impact Americans not tied to terrorism.

Instead, Toomey voted for an alternative proposal from Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) that would have allowed the attorney general to delay suspected terrorists from getting a gun for up to 72 hours as they try to get a court to approve blocking the sale of the firearm.

Toomey’s campaign fired back that the GOP senator has led the Senate on gun safety legislation.

“What would Katie McGinty do to fight terrorism?: 1) give billions to Iran; 2) bring terrorists from Guantanamo prison to America; and 3) allow dangerous sanctuary cities. Plain and simple: the McGinty plan would encourage more terrorism,” Ted Kwong, a spokesman for Toomey’s campaign said Tuesday.

Republicans are defending 24 Senate seats in November, including a handful — such as Toomey’s seat — that are from states previously carried by President Obama. Democrats need to net four seats to win back the Senate if they also retain the White House, and five seats to pick up the majority outright.

The verbal battle in one of the cycle’s top Senate races comes as Senate Democrats pledge to force a vote on Feinstein’s amendment.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused Republicans of capitulating to the National Rifle Association (NRA) Tuesday, telling reporters that “the NRA is the tail that wags the Republican dog when it comes to Congress and guns.”

But Republicans have accused Senate Democrats of trying to score political points. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters that they were “open” to getting a deal on the issue, but “our suspicion is this is basically a politically motivated effort that we’re likely to see on Commerce, Justice, State.”

Tags Chuck Schumer Dianne Feinstein John Cornyn Mitch McConnell