McCaskill says no to gun amendment on basis of states rights

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) used Twitter to reiterate the reasoning for her no vote on yesterday’s concealed carry amendment. McCaskill compared the amendment, which would have allowed people with a concealed-carry permit in one state to carry their weapon into another state with concealed-carry laws.

McCaskill defended her vote Wednesday in her weekly radio address and took to Twitter Thursday:

My argument was about states rights,re conceal & carry. Gay marriage is another example of states having rights to decide w/out Washington.

The Supreme Court will decide applicability of US Constitution. As it should be, in this wonderfully designed democracy.

Gun control advocated opposed the amendment proposed by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), citing the potential danger posed by increased gun violence across state lines.

The centrist McCaskill, however, couched her take on the amendment in the language of states rights, comparing it to the federal government recognizing gay marriage.

“This is a foot in the door that would require, for example, the laws in Vermont on gay marriage to be enforced in Missouri,” McCaskill said in her radio address.

The amendment fell two votes short of passage yesterday, 58-39.