Coburn Votes Get Mixed Bag From Constituents
Washington Notes: Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn’s gun votes draw mixed reaction
U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, who was vilified for voting to allow debate on gun legislation, got more of a mixed response last week when he voted against proposals to expand background checks and to ban certain types of semi-automatic weapons.
By Chris Casteel | Published: April 21, 2013
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, who was vilified for voting to allow debate on gun legislation, got more of a mixed response last week when he voted against proposals to expand background checks and to ban certain types of semi-automatic weapons.
Some praised him, while some accused him of being a coward.
Coburn, R-Muskogee, never planned to vote for a bipartisan proposal on background checks — he considered it unworkable — or for any outright prohibitions on sales of guns or magazines. But he wanted to debate the bill in part to offer his own proposal to improve the national instant background check system and make it more effective in blocking sales to criminals and those with mental illness.