Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) was torched online for allowing the U.S. Senate to adjourn into Memorial Day recess after blocking the passage of a Republican bill on school safety.
Schumer tried to excoriate Republicans for resisting gun control regulation in the wake of the horrific school shooting in Texas, but many thought it was a toothless attack when Democrats went on a week-long break.
The Democratic leader claimed that he wanted to give negotiations a chance to work out before forcing a vote on gun control.
“If these negotiations do not bear any fruit, the Senate will vote on gun safety legislation when we return. But our hope, even amidst our deep skepticism, is that during this week Democrats and Republicans at long last will come to agree on something meaningful that will reduce gun violence in a real way in America,” Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor.
He’s also implied that there would be no gun control legislation and that people should vote in November for Democrats instead.
Schumer’s attacks on Republicans before rushing off on vacation were criticized heavily on social media.
“Democrats are already rejecting calls for more security and single entry points for schools (refusing to concede single points of entry with multiple exits is possible). They only want gun control, which won’t pass the Senate. That means they want the issue, not a solution,” tweeted talk show host Erick Erickson.
“Nobody is making Chuck Schumer do this,” responded Jim Geraghty of National Review. “Gun control activists often complain that lawmakers squander momentum and public attention in the aftermath of horrifying mass shootings. But it isn’t that the GOP has a secret mind control ray that influences Congressional Democratic leaders. Schumer, Pelosi, etc. choose this.”
“Chuck Schumer wants more school shootings to benefit his fundraising,” replied Andrew Pollack, the father of a victim in the Parkland school shooting.
“Republicans put up a school safety bill. Democrat Chuck Schumer blocked it from a vote. But please, continue to tell me this isn’t all political. They won’t even debate it and put it up for a vote. Don’t like the bill? Vote no,” tweeted talk show host Jason Rantz.
Even some on the left were outraged that Schumer didn’t press harder on Republicans.
“Pathetic. We grovel for Republican votes to pass legislative scraps rather than fight to force a few members of our own party to use their power to pass serious legislation to keep children from being slaughtered at school. Schumer has to go,” said progressive activist Kai Newkirk.
“When this country suffers a horrible tragedy one thing you can always count on is that @SenSchumer will immediately break for another vacation without getting anything done,” said progressive author Don Winslow.
While Schumer denied it in his last statement, some thought he was trying to protect some Democrats from having to defend a vote for gun control in challenging districts.
“Everything you need to know about how the Democrats privately see gun control: Schumer put the Senators on record about abortion, but won’t do the same on gun control,” Erick Erickson observed.
Here’s more about Congress going on vacation:
Gun safety bills will not immediately be taken up in Senate, Schumer indicates | New York Post www.youtube.com