Mark Kelly, who proudly brags of (usually) buying guns at Wal-Mart, may find that going on tv to call for the renewal of a ban on so-called “assault weapons” gets him unwanted attention when he walks into a traditional gun store, buys a 1911–and an AR-15. He was recognized by witnesses, photographed by another customer filling out his 4473, and then questioned about why he would buy something he says he doesn’t want other people to have.
As his new Democratic PAC, Americans for Responsible Solutions, was questioned by media, Kelly suddenly issued a statement saying that he doesn’t plan to shoot or even keep the firearm. Instead, he claims to have bought it just so he could waste his money and turn it in to the police. Sssuuurrreee, he did.
I think that Kelly is going to find that his very public campaign to restrict our rights isn’t going to bode well if he plans on shopping anywhere other than big box stores where gun owners are unlikely to gather.
UPDATE: This morning I just remembered that I thought Arizona had some kind of law requiring guns taken by or given to police actually have to be sold back on the open market. Here’s a January article on that very issue, so Mark Kelly may have just bought a gun that will end up right back in the gun shop.
I wonder how many he has cached around his properties…
Now that I think of it, I wonder how many other anti-gun people have assault weapons and handguns despite their abject terror at the prospect of anyone else owning them…
There are plenty of politicians who bought machine guns knowing the 1986 ban was coming and profited immensely from that.
Where’d he find them?
Jim Treacher recently wrote of stopping in a gun store and finding just about every semi-auto or bolt-action rifle sold out, even SMLEs and Mosin-Nagants.
IIRC, it was much the same with pistols.
There are plenty of AR15 rifles on the market right now; the demand has simply been outstripping supply.
That seems to be coming to an end though, because Colt 6920s are back down to the 1375-1750 range vs their peak at 2500+, and still not back to pre-newtown 1150.
Still, I saw dozens of them at a gun show over the weekend, and there were still some left on Sunday afternoon. There was also a TON of AK food to be had.
I hit up his facebook and asked him if he’d sell the BCG to me.
:)
Didn’t he just essentially admit to straw purchasing? He bought a gun for the explicitly stated purpose of not being the end user.
Imagine his reaction if the gun dealer had refused to sell to him after recognizing him as a gun banner.
I don’t this guy from Adam, but is it possible, just possible, that he’s starting to actually think about this “gun thing” and is testing the water for himself? Maybe deep down inside he’s actually reconsidering? Yeah, yeah, I know. I saw a unicorn fly by my window this morning, too. [/dreaming]
Oh! Gabby Giffords’ husband. Just read that elsewhere. Well, I can still dream.
I think the best comment on this was the Instapundit’s headline about the story – LIKE A CONSERVATIVE PREACHER VISITING A HOOKER.
That about says it all.
Astronaut grade hypocrisy.
Questions:
1. What other guns has he purchased?
2. Is he turning in the 1911 as it is a deadly semi-automatic just like the pistol Jaren Lee Loughner used?
3. Can we inspect his home to ensure that it is gun-free?
4. Why was he buying the gun alone like a theif in the night? Why no PR announcement before hand?
5. Why is “turning in the AR” a cover story invented after he got caught?
6. Have the police confirmed that he turned in the AR?
Nice of Mark Kelly to make a laughingstock of himself. Thank you, Mr. Kelly!
“Turn it into the police?” It’s not contraband, for heaven’s sake! It would be like trying to turn a canned ham into the police.
Residents of NYC probably don’t see anything absurd about your comparison.
@Nathaniel: instead of a canned ham, I think that the polizei would be more appreciative of a couple of boxes of Crispy Cremes.
Perhaps his explains it all, the surge in gun sales while the anti’s claim there isn’t a flood of guns on the streets.
They are buying them all up to turn them into the police!
I don’t understand this man’s actions. He’s part of the ruling party elite. All he had to do was go to Eric Holder and ask for some leftover Fast and Furious party favors.
Next we’ll hear Feinstein carries.
What’s that?????
Why’d he buy an AR and a 1911? Gabby can’t use them, they’re too much for her!
Or was the Gun Store out of Double Barreled Shotguns and Bird Shot?
He will lead the people, by example, in the need to turn in dangerous weapons…what good “pro gun control” press that will make…
More proof that being shot (or knowing someone who was shot [*cough*JoanPeterson*cough*]) no more makes one an expert on gun control than catching an STD makes one an expert in adult sexual response.
Tam will have to rephrase her line: these people aren’t buying them to turn them in… Except for Mark Kelly, of course.
Here’s my theory: his heart was never in it. The PAC, the speeches, are all from immense political pressure generated from Obama. He is taking orders. This would explain why he wasn’t an activist immediately after his wife got shot. The Democrats are making their big push now, and they know they need Giffords and Kelly in the spot light.
Exactly, and Kelly expects to be rewarded for it by The Party when he runs for office later.
How can this guy buy guns in Arizona when he is a resident of Texas?
While pistols have to be transferred to individuals through a dealer in their home state, the same is not generally true of long guns.
It’s actually fairly common for people from NJ and MD to come to gun shows in PA to buy rifles and shotguns.
After the gun store refused his Texas drivers license Mr. Kelly showed proof that he is an Arizona resident. How does that work? An Arizona resident with a Texas drivers license. Mr. Kelly where are you a resident? It can’t be both. Where do you vote? Are you breaking license laws or gun laws? Are you a resident wherever it is convenient at the time?
He must have had a case to be made for being a citizen of AZ as he passed the check. But in terms of that pistol —
His 1911 is functionally the same as the weapon the crazy man used to shoot his wife (though of a more powerful caliber — Rep. Gifford may not have survived a similar hit from a .45), and there are extended capacity mags available for it. Just like for the gun the crazy man used.
So he testifies against assault rifles (which were not used to shoot the Rep) they buys one, which he after the fact claims he bought to destroy. But more hypocritically he buys a pistol more powerful than the one to shoot his wife with the same extended capacity options which he does NOT seem to be ashamed of (he was there to buy the pistol).
Sheez.
STIMULUS!
Arizona has that law proposed, not in effect. I believe it passed the House last Thursday and has moved on to the Senate.
We’ve had that law for a while, but the Tucson city council weaseled that the law only applied to seized firearms. HB2455 will close the “gun buyback loophole”. Firearms will be treated the same as any other property turned over to, found, or seized by any state, county, city or town agency.