Patrick Murphy Not on Engel Letter

I posted about the letter from Congressman Eliot Engel Friday, the one where he asks the BATFE to really start enforcing the assault weapons ban under the sporting purposes provision of the Gun Control Act of 1968.  A few members of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation have signed onto the letter:

• Chaka Fattah (D-PA) (Philadelphia)
• Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) (Philadelphia, Montgomery Co.)

Only two Republicans have signed onto this letter, Mike Castle of Delaware, and Chris Smith of New Jersey.  Notably absent from the Pennsylvania delegation is Congressman Patrick Murphy, who signed onto HR1022 in the 110th Congress.  Why wouldn’t he get on board with this?  It’s hard to imagine he wasn’t asked when Schwartz is on it.  I am beginning to believe that Congressman Murphy might now understand that supporting gun control is not compatible with his political ambitions.

Never let it be said that smart political organizing can’t have an impact.  Our efforts at organizing gun owners were noted and appreciated by the GOP of Bucks County, so it’s hard to imagine they went unnoticed by the Democratic Party.  If Murphy is endeavoring to make my life more difficult by keeping a low profile on the gun issue, that’s fine with me.  But at some point, I’ll start wondering why instead of just not attacking us, he doesn’t help us out.  Murphy’s record in the 110th Congress was not good, and it’s going to take more than just neutrality to make up for that in the 111th.