Kagan Might Not Be As Anti-Gun As We Thought

[Midnight]

Kagan Sounds More And More Like Safe Vote For Gun Rights | TPMDC

The first questions about gun rights during Elena Kagan's confirmation hearings today came not from Republicans -- who always attempt to make the Second Amendment an issue -- but from Democrats. Kagan quickly ended the line of inquiry by declaring citizens' rights to own guns as "settled law."

Although a variety of groups tried in recent days to portray Kagan as hostile to gun rights, Kagan attempted to put those fears to rest during questioning by Chairman Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) this morning.

"Is there any doubt after the court's decision in Heller and McDonald that the Second Amendment to the Constitution secures a fundamental right for an individual to own a firearm, use it for self- defense in their home?" Leahy asked.

"There is no doubt, Senator Leahy, that is binding precedent entitled to all the respect of binding precedent in -- in -- in any case. So that is settled law," Kagan responded.

Gun rights were expected to be a major issue headed into the confirmation hearings, since conservative groups were pushing notes found in Kagan's Clinton White House documents that labeled the Ku Klux Klan and the National Rifle Association as "bad." Today, Kagan said under questioning by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) that the notes were of someone else's comments from a phone conversation and that any attempt to link the NRA with the KKK would be "ludicrous." (We wrote a bit about Kagan lauding the NRA recently, too.)

When those comments are coupled with the Chicago guns decision yesterday stating citizens have the right to gun ownership anywhere they live, it's looking like a good week for the gun rights community.

That might be one reason that the NRA isn't going all-out to block Kagan's nomination According to RedState, which unearthed some internal NRA emails, the NRA's management team "has explicitly and directly told the NRA's board they are prohibited from testifying about second amendment issues during the Elena Kagan confirmation hearings."

(more in the link above)

[HK4U]

I am more inclined to believe she like most liberals/socialists is just real good at telling others what they want to here.

[utimmer43]

Kirsten Gillibrand was supposed to be friendly to us, too...

[Ed Hamberger]

I am more inclined to believe she like most liberals/socialists is just real good at telling others what they want to here.

I have to agree with HK4U on his comment. She is interviewing for six digit per year Federal position for life, sure she will do what it takes now to secure her place as a member of the SCOTUS, just like Suiter, Kennedy, and Ginsburg did before her.

[Bohemian]

I am not buying it... especially considering the source "Christina Bellantoni" ...

A frequent op-ed writer for the Huffington Post...

Elena Kagan's record speaks for itself...

Clearly Anti-Constitution, Anti-Second Amendment AND ZERO JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE...

AND HER ONLY CASE BEFORE THE VERY COURT SHE HAS BEEN NOMINATED TO WAS REJECTED 9-0 ...

Which does not happen very often...

Notwithstanding that the NRA is turning yellow again (still)...

"That's right: the foremost (so-called) gun rights lobby in the nation is prohibiting its board from testifying in the Elena Kagan confirmation hearings about the second amendment," Erick Erickson wrote Sunday...
NRA Issues Gag Order to Its Board Members on Elena Kagan | RedState

This stinks to high-heaven ...

As the Scorpion said to the Frog ... I cannot CHANGE what I am...

[spweber]

Don't be so quick to take Kagan's words to mean she is not as anti-gun as some thought.

I went back and Googled 2nd Amendment comments by Judge Sotomayor during HER nomination hearings. You can read the link here Sotomayor Pressed On Gun Rights, Second Amendment - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

But this quote near the end of the article jumped out at me....Sotomayor said, "The judge(Sotomayor) also stressed that she understood "how important the right to bear arms is to many, many Americans" and said some of her friends are gun owners and hunters. ".

So.....she said that DURING her nomination hearing......and then yesterday she voted AGAINST the 2nd Amendment being a fundamental right to be extended to all 50 states.


So, while we can all applaud the majority ruling yesterday.....we can be assured that Kagan will follow her predecessor and remain a liberal voice on the court....not necessarily pro-gun or pro-2nd Amendment.

Sincerely,
Stan

[ricbak]

~~~As the Scorpion said to the Frog ... I cannot CHANGE what I am...

Mixed in with HR 5175, Spending in Elections, This "Gag order is very troubling. I believe that Lucy has some 'Plainen to do.

[fuhr52]

She will say what she has too to get in like any good progressive. Once she is in look out.

[JJFlash]

If her lips are moving...

Look at her record, not what she says. Talk is cheap.

[wooddoctor]

Hitler promised the German people he would not got to war with Russia. News flash, Politicians are liars!