Cass County Precinct Chairs vote to censure Senator Cornyn
On June 24 the Senate passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, 65-33 late with 15 Republicans including Texas Senator John Cornyn voting for the measure. Republican Senators Tom Cotton and Kevin Cramer did not vote. Everyone one of the Democratic senators voted for the bill. In response to Cornyn, the Cass County Chairs voted unanimously to censure Senator Corny in response and vote for the bill. The bill came on the heels of the Uvalde, Texas mass shooting.
In a press release from Cornyn’s office, he highlighted his reasons for the support of the bill, and what the legislation would provide.
According to the release, “The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is targeted legislation addressing the specific problems that have led to recent mass shootings and the need for additional mental health and school safety resources. It includes:
“Support for State Crisis Intervention Orders
“Provides resources to states to implement crisis intervention court programs, which could include mental health courts, drug courts, Veterans’ Courts, and Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) programs.“Every state would receive funding based on an existing formula and have the flexibility to choose whichever crisis intervention programs would work best for them. There are no mandates, incentives, penalties, or set-asides.”
“If a state chooses to use any of this funding to implement an extreme risk protection order program, it would be required to meet strict and expansive due process, evidentiary, and standard of proof requirements.
“Investments in Children and Family Mental Health Services
“Expands the community behavioral health center model nationwide and makes major investments to increase access to mental health and suicide prevention pro grams and other support services available in the community, including crisis and trauma intervention.
“Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence
“Updates the definition of misdemeanor crime of domestic violence to include those who have or have had a current or recent continuing serious relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with their victim.
“Individuals convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against a person with whom they have or have had a current or recent continuing serious relationship of a romantic or intimate nature would have their right to purchase and possess firearms automatically restored after five years elapsed from the end of their criminal sentence if they had committed no further crimes of violence.
“Funding for School-Based Mental Health and Supportive Services
“Invests in programs to expand mental health and supportive services in schools, including early identification and intervention.
“Funding for School Safety Resources
“Invests in programs to help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools supports school violence prevention efforts and provides training to school personnel and students.
“Clarification of the Definition of Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer
“Cracks down on criminals who illegally evade licensing requirements.
“Telehealth Investments
“Invests in programs that increase access to mental and behavioral health services for youth and families in crisis via telehealth.
“Under-21 Enhanced Review Process
“For buyers under 21 years of age whose background checks are flagged for cause, the bill allows up to seven additional days for the FBI to conduct an enhanced review into the possibly disqualifying juvenile and mental health adjudication records.
“Penalties for Straw Purchasing
“Cracks down on criminals, cartel members, and terrorists who illegally straw purchase and traffic guns.
“The Senators’ Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is fully offset. Text of the Senators’ legislation is available here.
“The legislation is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the National District Attorneys Association, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the National Association of Police Organizations, the National Association of School Psychologists, the American Psychological Association, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Rural Health Association, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Electronic Security Association, and the Security Industry Association, along with other national and state domestic violence, mental health, and education organizations,” notes in the release.
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statements after President Biden signed his Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, targeted legislation that addresses the specific problems that have led to recent mass shootings and help ensure schools are safe without placing new restrictions on law-abiding gun owners, into law:
“So often around here, people do things and say things not with the intention of actually passing legislation, but with the intention of making a political statement or messaging. That’s not what we did here.”
“This bill includes important targeted reforms, complete with robust due process protections that I believe will keep our children and our communities safe while respecting Second Amendment rights.”
“Will it save lives? I believe the answer to that is yes, and that makes this worth doing.”
“Law-abiding gun owners are not the problem. Unless a person is adjudicated mentally ill or is a violent criminal, no one’s Second Amendment rights will be impacted by this legislation. Period.”
In response the other U.S. Senator for Texas Ted Cruz issued this response, “There are two different approaches to try to stop criminals and mass murders. One is to target and prosecute felons and criminals trying to illegally buy guns and who use guns in the commission of a crime, while simultaneously securing our schools and hiring more police officers who are trained to prevent school violence. My legislation with Senators John Barrasso, Chuck Grassley, Tim Scott, Cynthia Lummis, and Mike Crapo would have done that. Like Grassley-Cruz in 2013, this proposal is a comprehensive effort to dedicate serious resources to make schools and communities safer and to do so in a way that respects our Constitution. Unfortunately, Washington Democrats opposed our legislation and took a second, altogether different approach tonight: Once again, their response was to try to disarm law-abiding citizens rather than take serious measures to protect our children. That doesn’t work. It doesn’t prevent crime and it won’t allow people to defend themselves and their loved ones. And frankly, the Supreme Court might find significant portions of it to be unconstitutional. But because of their political agenda, Democrats have sought to disarm law-abiding citizens. This is a mistake, which is why I voted against this misguided attempt and fought for an alternative that would actually save lives.”
Cruz put forth a different proposition to tackle school violence while trying to protect second amendment rights, “The Safe Kids, Safe Schools, Safe Communities Act would dedicate nearly $38 billion to tackle violent crime and to make our schools and communities safer, including funding enhanced school security and doubling the number of school resource officers in America’s schools, investing in school mental health professionals and reducing gun violence.”
Here in Cass County, at the Cass County Republican Party of Texas Organizational Meeting, County Precinct Chairs voted unanimously to censure Cornyn. Among the concerns was that giving the Federal government power to come into a person’s home and confiscate, can lead to a slippery slope. Also that the legislation is a violation of the platform priorities of the Texas GOP delegates in the Houston GOP convention.
Paul Hale who spoke at the meeting, issued this statement: “Our meeting was on July 21, 2022. The Cass County Precinct Chairs voted unanimously to censure our US Senator John Cornyn. The Cass County GOP is currently waiting to hear from Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi for state approval of this censure. There is a possible technicality regarding rule 44 that could cause the Cass County GOP to have to meet and officially vote again.”