Moran Says NRA Members Support His New Gun Bill -- In Principle

Virginia Democratic Rep. Jim Moran claims there’s “a disconnect between the NRA members and the gun manufacturers who basically pay the salaries of the NRA leadership.”

Moran said his legislation to be introduced at the beginning of the 113th Congress includes measures supported by two-thirds to nearly 80 percent of NRA members.

It would require background checks for gun shop employees as well as gun buyers, ban those on the terrorist watch list from buying firearms or explosives, establish age and training requirements for concealed carry permits, and require gun owners to report stolen weapons within 48 hours.

“This is basically the lowest hanging fruit. It is really ripe for legislative passage and I would hope it might get some traction,” Moran said today on CNN.

“It is not going to solve the problem,” the congressman conceded. “It is not going to put an end to the mayhem and massacres, but it will be progress. And we’re going to do what we can up here on the Hill, who believe that, you know, young innocent children shouldn’t be slaughtered because we have failed to do our job.”

“It really does seem we’re at the point if the Congress fails to do anything, particularly in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre that we are complicit in further massacres of innocent people because we haven’t made sufficient effort to even do what the majority of NRA members would be willing to do.”

Moran blamed “the political intimidation that they really will go after you if you cross the NRA leadership” for the lack of gun control efforts thus far.

“Also the majority of the people that — who are in the majority and the Congress, 51 percent of them, get money from the NRA, but I think the main leverage that they have is this political intimidation,” the Democrat said. “But somehow we have to stand up to it. What’s the point of saving your political career if it means the loss of such innocent lives as were — as were massacred at Sandy Hook and will continue to be if we don’t take action.”

Two weeks ago, Moran’s son Patrick pleaded guilty to simple assault for, according to witnesses, Patrick Moran slamming his girlfriend’s head into a metal trash cage outside a DC bar.

“I hope their privacy will be respected … They look forward to putting this embarrassing situation behind them,” the congressman told Washington City Paper.