“Speaker Kevin McCarthy will hold a March 29 fundraiser for Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), the co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus and a leading House GOP moderate,” Punchbowl News reported on Feb. 24. “Tickets are going for between $500 and $2,500.”
By way of reporting creds, the political news site claims it “is a membership-based news community founded by journalists and best-selling authors Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer, and co-founded by veteran Capitol Hill reporter John Bresnahan. Punchbowl is the Secret Service nickname for the Capitol. Our credo is Power, People, Politics.”
By way of a caveat and in the interests of full disclosure, while the report seems credible, AmmoLand News has unsuccessfully explored several different avenues trying to independently confirm the fundraiser. At this writing, two other outlets have reported on it, the American Firearms Association and the Washington Examiner, but aside from that, various inquiries and internet searches have come up empty.
That said, such an event would pose a serious disconnect between what the GOP leadership says and what it does, and that McCarthy has not responded to inquiries from multiple sources makes it a fair topic to bring to the attention of activist gun owners. Because as far as they are concerned, Fitzpatrick is a leader in the problem causers caucus, having been endorsed by the Giffords gun control group for his anti-Second Amendment extremism, including enthusiastically supporting the quest for their unholy grail, a so-called “assault weapons” ban. Among other infringements, Fitzpatrick is also leading the charge for registration and confiscation-enabling “background checks,” and a sponsor for the “Closing the Bump-Stock Loophole Act,” and for “closing the Boyfriend Loophole.”
Because “Believe Women,” right?
And per The New York Times via Buffalo News, “Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., received an F [from NRA].”
That makes it fair to ask why Kevin McCarthy, the beneficiary of an A+ rating and endorsement from the National Rifle Association’s Political Victory Fund, is reportedly going out of his way to raise major bucks for someone who is undermining everything about the Second Amendment we’re told he believes in.
“McCarthy is a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and will stand strong against Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi’s radical gun control agenda,” NRA gushes. Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick will stand strong for it.
“Supports Self-Defense … Opposes Government Confiscation … Opposes Biden’s Gun Control Agenda,” NRA continues in explaining why McCarthy is its members’ friend. So why is he reportedly supporting someone who is doing the exact opposite?
And ditto for “A-rated” Jason Smith of Missouri, who is also lending his influence to the Fitzpatrick fundraiser. “Jason is a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and he will stand strong against Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi’s radical gun control agenda,” NRA exhorts, repeating the same boilerplate rah-rah rhetoric they used for McCarthy. “YOUR VOTE DEFENDS FREEDOM! – VOTE JASON SMITH FOR U.S. HOUSE!”
Presumably, “VOTE GIFFORDS’ GUN-GRAB SUPPORTER!” wouldn’t have had the same inspiring effect on the members.
So why do they do it?
Because obtaining and increasing their own power takes precedence over everything.
Fitzpatrick was an “Only Kevin” foot soldier in McCarthy’s ascension to the speakership, so there’s political quid pro quo going on. We’re also reminded of the “narrow House Republican majority.” And he heads one of the “Five Families” (“a nod to New York’s major Mafia clans and popularized by the movie The Godfather”) that McCarthy needs “to keep peace among GOP rivals.”
The fact is, it’s the enemy inside the gates who is best equipped to do the most damage. Fitzpatrick’s votes actually make things narrower when it comes to the right to keep and bear arms, so what McCarthy and Smith would really be saying through these actions is that they’re OK with the Second Amendment taking a back seat to their ambitions and their other loyalties. It’s kind of like when Grover Norquist was an NRA director and chose to put on his tax activist hat to endorse a “Vichycon” who had been given a “leadership award” from the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence. (And surprise, the guy ended up reneging on his tax promises!)
They do it because they can get away with it and no one calls them on it. And like George Carlin said, “It’s a big club and you ain’t in it.”
In this case, and with the above caveats in mind, readers are encouraged to contact McCarthy and ask him about the Fitzpatrick fundraiser. The American Firearms Association has created a form for this, or you can call his office (202-225-4000), or make your views known to him via Twitter or Facebook.
Then contact NRA-PVF and ask if this will have any impact on future grades and superlatives like “staunch defender” in their endorsements.
Related Reading
- Gun Owners Voting for GOP Betrayers Only Encourage More of the Same
- ‘Bipartisan’ Gun Controller Fitzpatrick Shows Why Being “Republican’ is Not Enough
About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating/defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament. He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” is a regularly featured contributor to Firearms News, and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.
This will be my t-shirt at NRAAM. (first attempt posting a picture here … fingers crossed.)
Well done.
Musicman, I don’t know your platform but on Windows you can right click and “save image as” to download this .png file. This is an 80% version of what I used at the t-shirt shop where I had 2 printed up for my brother and me. Feel free to take a copy to your local t-shirt print shop and have one made. They may be able to scale back up without too much loss of resolution. There is no private messaging here so there is no way to do this for you. If you attend NRAAM keep an eye out… Read more »
Great article, David… thanks.
Always remind gun controllers that the policies they support blatantly prefer the inevitable totalitarian dictators killing tens of millions rather than a hand full of crazies killing 2 or 3 dozen people every year…
Especially remind the politicians, and do so publicly.
If McCarthy really was such a 2nd amendment supporter he wouldn’t endorse a Gifford candidate. Maybe the NRA is a little loose with their A+ rating.
Reminds me of John McCain (NRA B+rating at best) running against A+ candidate J. D. Hayworth. The NRA endorsed McCain in the primary, something they almost never did. However, the amount of money McCain was spreading around told the real story.
This can’t be! It must be lies! We were told McCarthy had made concessions and that he would have to behave as part of the deals that were cut to install him as speaker. Also, the guy who keeps telling us he will protect our 2A rights if we elect him again in 2024 endorsed McCarthy (along with other questionable people like Doc Oz). This just cannot be true.
ALL poIiticians are Iiars.
No $hit !
O-M-Goodness! Speaker McCarthy is A+ rated by the NRA (Negotiating Rights Away).
How can we EVER doubt McCarthy’s defense of the 2A?
(all of the above said with a heavy dose of sarcasm and tongue firmly planted in both cheeks)
Politics and politicians as usual. The people are just an inconvenient obstacle unless they want our money or our votes.
we can all make it really bad for him, put the heat on him and take no prisoners .make him wish he did what he said he would do. just keep badmouthing him until he does the right thing.disapproval of his actions must be shown and stay on him like ugly on ape
Remember that WE are looking at this endorsement from a 2A position while politicians look at it as HOW MUCH it contributes to THEIR POWER. Just because there is a (R) next to the name doesn’t mean that they (legislators and politicians) endorse or agree with our beloved Constitution. after all, they’re still lawyers and politicians.
McCarthy is probably backing Fitzpatric to use him as his puppet. Senior politicians need puppet junior members to do the things they can’t.
Do I trust the RINO ‘k. mccarthy’? Ummm, About as far as I can throw a full grown ELEPHANT! Here is an example of a “representative” FINANCIALLY supporting a GUN GRABBING CONFISCATIONIST!!!!!! Trust this known TRAITOR to Americans? NAWWWWWWWWW~!!!!!
It is well past time to flush the swamp of these lifer congress men and women. They aren’t there for the people but they are there to line their pockets. Sickening!