Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Dan Crenshaw got into a social-media spat this week about universal background checks ruining the ability to loan guns to friends.
The confrontation began on Twitter when Mr. Crenshaw, a Texas Republican, tweeted support for the Second Amendment on Tuesday in response to a Houston news story about a woman using her gun to prevent a robbery.
“Situations like this story are why we protect the 2nd Amendment. Side note: With universal background checks, I wouldn’t be able to let my friends borrow my handgun when they travel alone like this. We would make felons out of people just for defending themselves,” he said.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez followed up Mr. Crenshaw’s comment Wednesday, asking why he would loan guns to someone who can’t pass a background check.
“You are a member of Congress. Why are you ’lending’ guns to people unsupervised who can’t pass a basic background check? The people you’re giving a gun to have likely abused their spouse or have a violent criminal record, & you may not know it. Why on earth would you do that?” the New York Democrat said.
Mr. Crenshaw hit back hours later, asking whether the basis of her argument is that his friends might use the gun for nefarious purposes.
“Just so I’m clear: you think my friends are domestic abusers/criminals? Seriously that’s your argument? That they can’t pass a background check? Wrong. People lend guns to friends, esp if they don’t own a gun, for self-defense and hunting purposes. This is America outside NYC,” he said.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez responded: “You said w/ universal background checks, you wouldn’t be able to ’lend’ guns to friends. If a background check would be a problem, then you shouldn’t ’lend’ a gun. And btw, NY is one of the safest states in the country when it comes to guns, incl rural areas. Try to keep up.”
“Herein lies an important point abt domestic abuse: most of it is hidden. You could know an abuser & have no clue. I’ve had friends come out to me as victims. It’s not obvious. Unsafe relationships are COMMON. That’s why House Dems passed closing the boyfriend loophole in VAWA,” she continued, referencing the Violence Against Women Act, which passed the House in April and has yet to be picked up in the Senate.
The “boyfriend loophole” is a domestic abuse provision which would prevent those dating partners convicted of abuse from obtaining a gun, which is already extended to married and recently divorced couples.
As of this publication, Mr. Crenshaw has yet to respond to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s latest tweet.
Democratic lawmakers and presidential candidates have heightened their calls for something to be done about gun violence after mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, Dayton, Ohio, and Odessa, Texas, left more than 30 people dead.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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