Politics & Government

Reid calls the NRA a GOP 'quasi-militant wing'

By Niels Lesniewski CQ-Roll Call
In this Dec. 1, 2015, photo, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., left, joined by Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin of Ill., right, speaks with reporters following a weekly policy meeting on Capitol hill in Washington. Senate Republican leaders seem to have accomplished a balancing act in their drive to dismantle President Barack Obamaís health care law and block Planned Parenthoodís funding. Theyíre poised to push a measure through the Senate stuffed with victories for conservatives and concessions for more moderate GOP senators facing competitive 2016 re-election races. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
In this Dec. 1, 2015, photo, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., left, joined by Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin of Ill., right, speaks with reporters following a weekly policy meeting on Capitol hill in Washington. Senate Republican leaders seem to have accomplished a balancing act in their drive to dismantle President Barack Obamaís health care law and block Planned Parenthoodís funding. Theyíre poised to push a measure through the Senate stuffed with victories for conservatives and concessions for more moderate GOP senators facing competitive 2016 re-election races. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) J. Scott Applewhite AP

WASHINGTON -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid lashed out on the National Rifle Association on Thursday as he served notice Democrats would push gun violence amendments during the Senate vote-a-rama on a budget bill.

"Now, there was a time in my legislative career that I tried to work with the National Rifle Association, but the NRA today is a far cry from (the) sportsmen's organization that I once supported," the Nevada Democrat said. "The NRA once called mandatory background checks 'reasonable.' That's what they said. I'm not making this up."

Reid used to have warm relations with the NRA, and during his 2010 re-election campaign he championed a new shooting range, which he told reporters in attendance was "the greatest gun park in the world."

The NRA's executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre, even said at the time he was "proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Senator Reid in our fight to protect the Second Amendment."

But life has changed.

Reid said on the Senate floor that the NRA and its leadership has "transformed into a quasi-militant wing of the Republican Party. They're being pushed more and more into the camp of guns for everybody any time they want 'em," also mentioning the emergence of a conservative firearms group known as the Gun Owners of America.

The move to get the votes on gun policy amendments comes the day after the mass shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., that left 14 dead.

Reid steered clear of many specifics about the amendment proposals, though he did highlight a measure he filed Wednesday on which CQ Roll Call has reported.

"People on this side of the aisle are focused on doing something to stop this gun violence, and we're going to force amendments to that end today. Not many, but a few. A few that try to do something, anything. Are we going to vote on expanded background checks? Shouldn't we do that, at least," said Reid. "We're going to vote to prevent criminals convicted of harassing women at health clinics from buying a gun, owning a gun. Senators will have to decide where they stand on these amendments."

This story was originally published December 3, 2015 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Reid calls the NRA a GOP 'quasi-militant wing' ."

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