Texas Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw is once again attracting attention, this time after appearing to suggest he lends his handgun to friends who can’t pass a background check – or at least haven’t bothered to try.
Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, posted a news story about a woman who fought off five people who allegedly attempted to rob her – she was armed and shot at least one of the suspected thieves.
“Situations like this story are why we protect the 2nd Amendment,” the Republican lawmaker tweeted.
“Side note,” he added. “With universal background checks, I wouldn’t be able to let my friends borrow my handgun when they travel alone like this. We would make felons out of people just for defending themselves.”
That last statement raised some eyebrows and drew the attention of many, including journalist Soledad O’Brien.
Conservative wrier David Frum noted how Crenshaw “could face civil liability or even criminal liability”:
Pointing to one of the recent Texas mass shootings, this Twitter user seemed to sum up the situation perfectly:
Here’s how others are responding to Crenshaw’s disturbing comments:
Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license