Calif. Democrats endorse moment-of-silence protest for Orlando

California Democratic lawmakers, saying they are fed up with observing moments of silence for victims of gun violence, railed Tuesday against what they called inaction by their Republican counterparts in the wake of mass shootings.

At a news briefing, Rep. Xavier Becerra, a Los Angeles Democrat who chairs his party’s caucus in the House of Representatives, and Rep. Mike Thompson, a St. Helena Democrat who chairs the House gun violence prevention task force, singled out Monday’s moment of silence for the Orlando shooting victims to blast House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, for Congress’ inaction on gun control.

“We have to do a better job of responding to the red flags waved by people who are on the edge and showing signs of fanatic extremism or severe psychological strain, but what we shouldn’t do is simply bow our heads for a moment of silence. Unfortunately, that’s all Ryan would allow us to do yesterday,” Thompson said.

“Terrorists should not be able to buy guns, but right now a suspected terrorist might enter a store, a gun shop, and walk out with a weapon of his or her choice. Our Republican colleagues refused to act,” he added.

The allegations of political negligence came less than 24 hours after Democratic lawmakers caused a dramatic scene on the House floor when they tried to use a moment of silence for the Orlando victims as a platform to discuss gun legislation.

One of them, Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., walked off the floor while the silence was being observed.

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., also left. He described his reasons on Twitter.

“.@HouseGOP routinely holds ‘Moments of Silence’ after each mass-shooting – underscoring their cowardly silence on even VOTING on gun reform,” he said.

“So I’m joining @jahimes in not attending any more House ‘Moments of Silence’ for mass shooting victims,” he said. “Walked out of my first one today.”

Lawmakers have been advocating for stricter gun laws in the aftermath of Sunday’s rampage at a gay nightclub where Omar Mateen, 29, a self-proclaimed Islamic State loyalist, used an assault rifle and pistol to kill 49 people and wound at least 53. The Orlando rampage took place seven months after husband and wife Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people and wounded 22 in San Bernardino, California.

Rep. Jackie Speier, a Democrat from Hillsborough, boycotted a moment of silence for the San Bernardino shooting victims.

“We have had moments of silence ad nauseam,” Thompson said. “But what we haven’t had, we haven’t had one single vote on any legislation to address the issue of gun violence prevention.”

Following the Monday moment of silence, Ryan was heckled by Democrats as they tried to call for consideration of legislation that would prevent people on the Justice Department’s terrorist watch list from buying guns. Ryan banged his gavel on the podium and ignored their request.

“It's shameful that anyone would try to use a moment of silence honoring victims of a brutal terrorist attack to advance their own political agenda,” said AshLee Strong, Ryan’s spokeswoman.

This story was originally published June 14, 2016 at 3:53 PM with the headline "Calif. Democrats endorse moment-of-silence protest for Orlando."