By Mark Walters
Editors Note: AmmoLand News welcomes Mark Walters to our growing list of the best and brightest gun rights commentators, who are watching out for your RKBA.
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- Republican? Yeah, Sure.
What Republican anywhere in any position, anyplace, would allow themselves to be photographed with Moms Demand Action and be proud of it?
Can you think of anyone whose career might not be permanently jeopardized as a result? Mind you, I’m not talking about someone who got “punked” by some clown taking a fake photo pretending to be someone else. I’m talking about a supposed Republican who willingly allowed themselves to become a champion of the hated Bloomberg anti-gun, crowd.
I’m serious. What Republican, in a Republican district or Republican controlled state, would do such a thing?
Florida State Senator, Anitere Flores, the second most powerful Republican senator in the state, that’s who. But why? How?
We need to start with the fact that there are (were) a number of pro-gun bills proposed in Florida this year protecting and advancing a broad range of our right to bear arms in that state. Unfortunately, it appears for the second year in a row, all but one pro-rights bill was killed before even getting to committee by a “Republican,” Senator Aintere Flores from, you guessed it, Miami. Here’s a piece from from WFTV Channel 9:
Not even a full week into the legislative session, Florida lawmakers appear to have killed nearly all new bills submitted to expand gun rights in the state.
Initially, bills that were aimed at allowing guns to be carried on school campuses and airports appeared to have widespread support in the Florida House.
“It’s a Second Amendment right and we’re very protective of that right, Rep. Jason Brodeur said. But in the Florida Senate, the bills didn’t even make it out of committee, thanks to Sen. Anitere Flores.
“I do not support having guns on campus,” she said. “I do not support having guns in airports. I do not support having guns in school zones.”
The move marks the second time in two years that gun bills died in the opening days of the legislative session.
The National Rifle Association was quick to react to the bills being blocked, and vowed in a statement that “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”
The NRA, through legendary stalwart Marion Hammer, had this to say:
SB-646 Open Carry and SB-616 Courthouse Carry by Sen. Greg Steube were both scheduled to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, between 4:00-6:00pm.
However, when SB-616, the first of the two bills came up, committee member Sen. Anitere Flores conducted questioning of the Chairman and bill sponsor, Greg Steube, and then made her anti-gun statement declaring her intentions regarding pro-gun bills.
That bill subsequently passed 5-4 and the other 3 other progun bills on the committee agenda were temporarily passed over and not brought to a vote.
Some in the media are now suggesting that all pro-gun bills are now dead for the year. We hope the following helps you understand where we are at this point in time.
Below is a video to Sen. Flores’ antigun statement as well as her “victory” photo (above) of her with the Florida leader of Bloomberg’s “Moms Demand Action.”
Here’s the link to what many are calling the Flores “State of the Senate” speech in Judiciary Committee yesterday.
A reporter questioned me about what happen and these are my responses:
“I cannot tell you why Sen. Flores suddenly turned on law-abiding gun owners because I do not know. (Until yesterday she had a 100% rating with NRA and USF)
I cannot tell you if Sen. Flores was acting on her own behalf or on behalf of the Senate President or Senate Leadership because I do not know.
I cannot tell you whether or not she has the power to kill all pro-gun bills and not allow the Senate to vote on them because I do not know. But — as the old saying goes — “it ain’t over ’till it’s over,” and this is only Day 2 of the 2017 Legislative session.
And finally, am I giving up for this session? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I represent law-abiding gun owners statewide and they depend on me to fight for them and I will.”
In the case of de la Portilla, the Bloomberg-funded groups of civil rights deniers and freedom haters, Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action (what a silly name, by the way) were quick to applaud his actions as “common sense.” Of course, it didn’t take long for the groups to do the same this year tweeting a picture of one of their spokes moms with Florez championing her unilateral refusal to allow the people of Florida to be heard by their representatives.
Both of these “Republicans” come from a historically Democrat region in southeast Florida. It’s no secret that the area is overrun by snowbirds from the northeast who bring their liberal politics with them to their adopted new home. In Diaz de la Portilla’s case, it cost him the election and his family “dynasty” was leveled. To be honest, Florida saw a ton of redistricting, and I’m not so sure the gun issue did him in down in Coral Gables in and of itself but nonetheless, he’s gone.
No matter, he’s gone, and another phony “Republican” jumps in to give the enemies of freedom a voice and some bragging rights by single-handedly ignoring the will of the people by refusing even to allow several bills to be heard because she doesn’t like them. I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to find a money trail that leads back to Bloomberg. As Hammer says, “until yesterday she had a 100% rating from NRA.” Looks like she failed the test and hopefully she gets the same grade my probability and statistics professor gave me when I failed a test.
A big fat “F.”
About Mark Walters
Mark Walters is the host of two nationally syndicated radio broadcasts, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense with Mark Walters. He is the Second Amendment Foundations 2015 Gun Rights Defender of the Year award recipient and co-author of two books, Lessons from Armed America with Kathy Jackson (Whitefeather Press) and Lessons from UnArmed America with Rob Pincus (Whitefeather Press)
It was Senate President Joe Negron who appointed his friend and ally Sen. Anitere Flores to her post as his second-in-command. Looks like it was a setup from the beginning. She gets to gather Democrat voter support for her future run for Miami Mayor, and RINOs won’t have to do anything other than give us lip service. Sen. Negron has the authority to overrule Flores, but I fear he won’t. I believe he wants to give cover to several RINO Senators that are too timid to cast an up or down vote on open carry, campus carry, and airport carry.… Read more »
And she is in no way infringing on our rights to keep “a well regulated militia”, is dhe?
Alfred, or most likely AlfredO, in the 18th Century, “well-regulated” meant well-trained, not well-controlled, and the Militia consisted of male civilians of military age, armed with their muskets.
Alfred, You may need to read the article above once again. She is bypassing votes on bills that restore rights that should never have been removed. She has stated (and I quote from above): “I do not support having guns on campus,” she said. “I do not support having guns in airports. I do not support having guns in school zones.” She is in office to uphold the constitutional rights of her constituents – not to bend the law to her personal desires. And lest there be any doubt, the SC has already ruled on how the Second Amendment should… Read more »
It is not just about the 2nd amendment of the Constitution, but is about our God given rights to self-defense, and protection of family and others! NO ONE has a right to regulate God’s law!
Senator Flores is not a “little girl”. She is an amazing woman who has withstood the slings and arrows of democrats throughout her many years in both the FL House and the FL Senate. She was a Republican leader throughout her college and post graduate years. It really does our conservative cause great harm when you malign her. Take a few minutes to find out who this great woman is. Make an appointment to meet her and talk to her. Take a few minutes to read up on who her challengers have been and who we would have in that… Read more »
Alfred, perhaps you should go back and read the Constituion. You can stop at” shall no be infringed.” Or maybe afilliate yourself with the liberal Democrats. You’re well on your way.
You can always tell when someone is a pseudo-conservative (demoncrap) like Alfred – they try to make a case for violating the Constitution as being a small price to pay or just reinterpret it. They also don’t understand that it is not just about the Constitution, but is about our God given rights to self-defense, and protection of family and others!
Its easy to figure out why this little girl became a republican ::: The democRATS have a rule that all women in their party have to be at least as ugly as Nancy Pelosi before they can join the democRATS !! The reason she would team up with idiot moms demanding action, just follow the money !! It makes me sick to see people that don’t have the brains GOD gave a goose being elected to represent WE the people and they turn out to be just another douchebag with no morals and no common since !! Recall her before… Read more »
She is a STING-ker!!!!
Rita said: ” she honestly believes guns should not be in schools or college campuses.”
This isn’t about her personal beliefs no matter how right or wrong they are. She is thoughtfully and intentionally denying her constituents their Second Amendment rights and there is no excuse or interpretation that makes that acceptable.
How sad! I posted a positive and very true comment about Senator Flores and you deleted it.
Having proved her disloyalty to our fundamental rights, there ARE no positive comments to be made about her.
Senator Anitere Flores is a true conservative. She has fought for life and has been targeted by liberals, progressives and all democrats. Her honesty and wisdom and values have never faltered. She is as Republican as they come. In this issue, she voted her conscience. She supports the 2nd Ammendment with every fiber of her being, but she honestly believes guns should not be in schools or college campuses. To speak trash about her shows how ignorant people are. Go back and research her background and her legislative history. Go back and research the Dems she beat. Go back to… Read more »
And you’re just plain stupid! Support of the second amendment or any other part of the Constitution means ALL of it, with out selectivity! By preventing guns on “public” property, schools, etc. you are preventing law abiding citizens from being able to defend themselves, their children, and others. IF you had a lick of intelligence you’d know that prohibition DOES NOT WORK! What does work is harsh punishments for those who commit crimes. If we executed those who commit violent crimes (murder, rape, armed robbery, etc.), violent crime would become nearly nonexistent. Instead they have no fear of committing crimes… Read more »
Peaceable exercise of the right to bear arms is to be unencumbered anywhere a person has a right to be, period. The only exceptions are in venues where violent criminals or dangerous psychotics could get their hands on them, such as jails, prisons, mental wards and criminal courtrooms. The only other exception that has a legitimate argument would be inside the passenger cabins of commercial aircraft. There simply is no logical reason to prohibit peaceable carry anywhere else, and without a compelling, logical reason, such bans are blashemous. Therefore, Anitere Flores is a blasphemer, no matter what else she supports… Read more »
Grassroots, expect to see it in FL the next time she is up. I am putting it on my calendar now. I like removing senators. Bye, bye.
Big joke…
Saying Flores is a republican is like saying Dian Feinstein has a heart.
Feinstein has 2 ATF agent’s blood on her hands at a minimum.
As a Florida resident, I can confidently say Flores is serving her last term in office. She’s a blatant liar and deserves to be booted as soon as possible.
Why not RECALL her before she can inflict more damage to the RKBA?
Absolutely! Why is it that people are willing to allow these scumbags to sit in office and finish their terms? Buttcrack remained for 8 painful years! She needs a pinkslip NOW!
This could be the result of a couple of possibilities; a Trojan Horse finally unveiled and/or a political prostitute whose only aim was to “follow the money”. No matter which, if either, the path is clear for RKBA groups and law abiding citizens, voter her out or, if allowed, possibly mount a recall.
Can we have a recall vote like they did in Co.?
Wonder how much money she sold out for from Bloomberg and his idiots that have no clue.
You fix it with votes
FL Sen. Flores is as Repugnican as McCain (aka “Juan McRino” and “Songbird”) , Graham, Collins, Rubio, Christie, etc. They are all Dhimmicrats in sheep’s clothing. The Elephant (the Pitiful Pachyderm) is dead and rotting, having been gored to death by that other pachyderm, the RINO. It’s past time for patriots from both wings of the Socialist party (Republican and Democrat) to jump ship and form a truly conservative party, as Democrats and today’s Republicans are the two wings of the same loathsome Socialist carrion-feeder.
SPOT ON
Zackley ! I would venture to say that Flores is DONE at the end of her term…
“Loyalty to political party is treason to country”
-Thomas Jefferson
You can’t fix stupid