In 1994 Senate Race, Romney Backed Brady Bill And Assault Weapons Ban, Saying “I Don’t Line Up With The NRA”
In 1994, Romney Backed Brady Bill. “[Romney] said he will take stands that put him at odds with some traditional ultra-conservative groups, and cited his support for the assault rifle ban and the Brady gun control law.
‘That’s not going to make me the hero of the NRA,’ he said. ‘I don’t line up with a lot of special interest groups.’”
(Andrew Miga, “Mitt Rejects Right-Wing Aid,” Boston Herald, 9/23/94)
Romney, In 1994: “I Don’t Line Up With The NRA.” (Scott Helman, “Romney Retreats On Gun Control,” The Boston Globe, 1/14/07)
Romney Called Clinton Crime Bill “A Big Step Forward.” “Correction: Because of a reporting error, a story in yesterday’s Metro/Region section about the taping of a debate between Republican gubernatorial candidates incorrectly attributed to John Lakian a quote about the federal crime bill. It was Mitt Romney who said: ‘This legislation isn’t perfect. But if we think we’re going to go to Washington and only vote for things that are perfect, I think we’d be making a big mistake. This bill is a big step forward.’” (“Correction,” The Boston Globe, 8/28/94)
“Romney Said He Supports The Ban On 19 Assault Weapons Included In The Bill…” (Scot Lehigh,
“Kennedy’s Rivals Say Crime Bill Was Too Weak For Them,” The Boston Globe, 8/13/94)
Romney Criticized Republican Opponent, Defended Ted Kennedy’s Support For Crime Bill. “Lakian, who denounced the crime law as ineffective and costly to local communities, criticized Romney’s support for the measure. But Romney countered, ‘There is nothing dishonorable or un-Republican to vote for that just because Ted Kennedy supports it.’” (Scot Lehigh and Frank Phillips, “Romney, Lakian Debate Crime, Tax And Abortion,” The Boston Globe, 9/7/94)
Romney Later Blamed Kennedy For Watering Down A “Perfectly Good Bill.” “Mitt Romney charged that Kennedy had helped water down a tough [crime] bill to the point where it should not have been passed. ‘I think the House did the right thing in saying, “Let’s fix this bill,”‘ Romney said of the House’s 225-210 decision not to bring the $33 billion conference committee bill to the floor for a vote. … Romney blamed Kennedy for what he saw as flaws in the bill. ‘What was a perfectly good bill when it came out of the Senate was taken into the conference committee and, behind closed doors, Ted Kennedy made some big mistakes,’ Romney said.”
(Scot Lehigh, “Kennedy’s Rivals Say Crime Bill Was Too Weak For Them,” The Boston Globe, 8/13/94)
In 1994, Romney Backed Assault Weapons Ban And Brady Bill, Boasting “That’s Not Going To Make Me The Hero Of The NRA.” “[Romney] said he will take stands that put him at odds with some traditional ultra-conservative groups, and cited his support for the assault rifle ban and the Brady gun control law. ‘That’s not going to make me the hero of the NRA,’ he said. ‘I don’t line up with a lot of special interest groups.’” (Andrew Miga,
“Mitt Rejects Right-Wing Aid,” Boston Herald, 9/23/94)
Romney In 1994: 5-Day Waiting Period Won’t Have “Massive Effect On Crime But … Will Have A Positive Effect.” “The candidate reiterated his support for an assault weapons ban contained in Congress’
crime bill, and the Brady law which imposes a five-day waiting period on handgun purchases. ‘I don’t think (the waiting period) will have a massive effect on crime but I think it will have a positive effect,’ Romney said.”
(Joe Battenfeld, “Herald Panel Grills Romney On Crime,” Boston Herald, 8/1/94)
As Governor, Romney Quadrupled Gun Licensing Fees And Vowed Not To “Chip Away” At Tough Gun Laws
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Romney, In 2002: “We Do Have Tough Gun Laws In Massachusetts. I Support Them. I Won’t Chip Away At Them. I Believe They Help Protect Us And Provide For Our Safety.” (Gubernatorial Candidates Debate, Springfield, MA, 9/24/02)
Watch Video: Romney Voices Support For Massachusetts’ “Tough” Gun Control Laws.Romney Raised Gun Licensing Fee By 400 Percent. “Gun owners [are] upset that the cash-strapped Legislature and Romney administration raised the [firearms license] renewal fee from $25 to $100 in this year’s budget.” (Lane Lambert, “Gun Permit Renewal Delays Frequent,” The Patriot Ledger [Quincy, MA], 9/17/03)
Gun Owners Action League’s James Wallace Called Romney’s Action A Tax On All Gun Owners. “James Wallace, spokesman for the Gun Owners Action League, said his organization considers the state firearm registration fee – which Romney proposes raising … to be a tax on the 200,000 state residents who hold firearm identification cards.” (Joanna Weiss, “Romney Proposals On Fees Draw Fire,” The Boston Globe, 2/28/03)
Wallace: “It’s a tax on an individual’s right to bear arms in Massachusetts … Basically, we’re being robbed.”
(Ken Maguire, “Governor Says Proposed New, Higher Fees Are Not Taxes,” The Associated Press, 2/27/03)
In 2004, Romney Signed Permanent State-Level Ban On Assault Weapons
Romney Signed State-Level Assault Weapons Ban That Was Mirrored After Federal Assault Weapons Ban. “[P]erhaps the most significant gun legislation Romney signed as governor was a 2004 measure instituting a permanent ban on assault weapons. The Legislature mirrored the law after the federal assault weapons ban, which was set to expire. According to activists at the time, the bill made Massachusetts the first state to enact its own such ban, and Romney hailed the move. … [T]he NRA and many local affiliates do not support assault weapons bans, arguing that the arms are rarely used in crimes and have a legitimate purpose in hunting, target shooting, and self-protection.” (Scott Helman, “Romney Retreats On Gun Control,” The Boston Globe, 1/14/07)
Romney: “These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense … They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people.” (Scott Helman, “Romney Retreats On Gun Control,” The Boston Globe, 1/14/07)
Gun Owners Of America’s Erich Pratt: Romney’s Assault Weapons Ban Was “Draconian.” “[Romney]
signed a draconian ban on common, household firearms that are owned by millions of americans across the nation.” (Erich Pratt, “Will The Real Romney Please Stand Up?” Human Events Online, www.humanevents.com, 1/22/07)
In April 2007, Romney Said He Would “Consider” Supporting Renewal Of Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
TOWNHALL.COM’s MARY KATHERINE HAM: “[Y]ou supported an assault weapons ban in Massachusetts. This [Virginia Tech] tragedy is being used to push the renewal of the federal assault weapons ban. What would your stance be if that comes up again?” ROMNEY: “Well, you know, the weapon used here was not an assault weapon, so I’m not sure what the relevance is. … You know, if there’s a weapon that puts our police at risk, like machine guns, of course, then that’s something I would, of course, consider.” (Mary Katherine Ham, “Townhall.com Sits Down With Gov. Romney,” TownHall.com Blog, 4/20/07)
Romney’s 2003 Proposal To Divert Hunting Fees To General Fund Angered Hunters, Jeopardized Federal Aid
Hunters Banded Together To Oppose Romney Proposal To Divert Fees From Wildlife To General Fund.
Men and women who hunt and fish in the region are banding together to oppose a proposal by Governor Mitt Romney to use money raised by hunting and fishing licenses for the state’s general fund. Historically, the money raised by sporting fees - what amounts to more than $8 million each year statewide - is deposited into a fund dedicated to preserving wildlife. … Romney, however, has proposed a budget for 2004 that calls for the environmental money to be consolidated into the general fund to reduce the deficit.” (Trudy Tynan, “Proposal To Divert Hunting And Fishing License Fees Could Prove Costly,” The Associated Press, 2/4/03)
League Of Essex County Sportsmen’s Club’s Tom Walsh: “This money is being raised by us, not the general taxpayers. It’s a lot of money, money we raise. It should be going right back into wildlife.” (Trudy Tynan,
“Proposal To Divert Hunting And Fishing License Fees Could Prove Costly,” The Associated Press, 2/4/03)
Romney Proposal Jeopardized Federal Aid For Wildlife. “A proposal by Gov. Mitt Romney to divert more than
$1.3 million in hunting and fishing license fees and federal wildlife funds into the cash-strapped state’s general
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fund could cost Massachusetts millions of dollars in federal aid, U.S. wildlife officials said.” (Trudy Tynan, “Proposal To Divert Hunting And Fishing License Fees Could Prove Costly,” The Associated Press, 2/4/03)
Federal Aid Requires State License Fees To Be Used Solely For Fish And Wildlife Agency. “The federal money comes from the state’s share of federal excise taxes on guns, fishing tackle and motorboat fuels … Under the programs, which date back to the 1930s, states must agree to use hunting and fishing license revenue solely for their fish and wildlife agency … States are also prohibited from using the lands acquired for wildlife protection for other purposes…” (Trudy Tynan, “Proposal To Divert Hunting And Fishing License Fees Could Prove Costly,” The Associated Press, 2/4/03)
In January 2006, Romney Said He Owned A Gun, Then Two Days Later Admitted He Did Not
Romney Told Conservative “Glenn And Helen” Show That He Owned A Gun. “I have a gun of my own, I go hunting myself...” (Glenn And Helen Show, www.glennandhelenshow.com, 1/10/07)
Romney Appealed To Gun Owners For Support, Claiming To Be One Of Them. “[Romney said] he hopes states would continue to ease regulations on gun owners, and he expressed enthusiasm for guns and hunting. ‘I have a gun of my own. I go hunting myself. I’m a member of the NRA and believe firmly in the right to bear arms,’ Romney said. … He now touts his work as governor to ease restrictions on gun owners. He proudly describes himself as a member of the NRA – though his campaign won’t say when he joined.” (Scott Helman, “Romney Retreats On Gun Control,” The Boston Globe, 1/14/07)
Two Days Later, Romney Admitted That He Did Not Own A Gun. “On Wednesday, Romney said on an Internet podcast, ‘The Glenn and Helen Show,’ that he hopes states would continue to ease regulations on gun owners, and he expressed enthusiasm for guns and hunting. ‘I have a gun of my own. I go hunting myself. I’m a member of the NRA and believe firmly in the right to bear arms,’ Romney said. Asked by reporters at the gun show Friday whether he personally owned the gun, Romney said he did not. He said one of his sons, Josh, keeps two guns at the family vacation home in Utah, and he uses them ‘from time to time.’” (Scott Helman, “Romney Retreats On Gun Control,” The Boston Globe, 1/14/07)
Romney Brags About NRA Membership But Didn’t Join Until August 2006
Romney Bragged About Being Member Of The NRA. “I’m a member of the NRA and believe firmly in the right to bear arms.” (Glenn And Helen Radio Show, www.glennandhelenshow.com, 1/10/07)
Romney Later Revealed He Didn’t Join NRA Until Last August, Just Before Presidential Campaign Began.
“Mitt Romney, who has touted his support of gun owners since launching his presidential campaign, yesterday acknowledged he did not become a member of the National Rifle Association until last August, campaign officials said.” (David Abel, “Romney Joined NRA In August,” The Boston Globe, 2/19/07)
Romney Declined Comment On Whether Or Not He Still Supports “Tough” Gun Laws
In January 2007, Romney Refused To Say If He Still Supports Gun Control Laws. “Romney says he still backs the ban on assault weapons, but he won’t say whether he stands by the Brady Bill. And after the gun show tour, his campaign declined to say whether he would still describe himself as a supporter of tough gun laws.” (Scott Helman, “Romney Retreats On Gun Control,” The Boston Globe, 1/14/07)
Today, Romney Maintains Support For Assault Weapons Ban. “I know the NRA does not support an assault weapon ban, so I don’t line up on that particular issue with the NRA, neither does President Bush. He likewise says he supported an assault weapon ban.” (ABC’s “This Week,” 2/18/07)
Romney Says Because Of Instant Background Checks, Brady Bill Not Needed. “Today we don’t have the Brady Bill because we have instantaneous background checks, that’s no longer an operative or needed measure.” (ABC’s “This Week,” 2/18/07)ROMNEY’S HUNTING BACKGROUND
In April 2007, Romney Told New Hampshire Audience He’s “Been A Hunter Pretty Much All My Life” And Previously Said He Owned A Gun
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Romney: “I Purchased A Gun When I Was A Young Man. I’ve Been A Hunter Pretty Much All My Life.”(Glen Johnson, “Romney Calls Himself A Longtime Hunter,” The Associated Press, 4/5/07)
Romney Has Spoken Of His Hunting Prowess “On Several Occasions.” “The Republican presidential contender has told audiences on several occasions, most recently this week in gun-savvy – and early voting – New Hampshire, that he has been a longtime hunter.” (Glen Johnson, “Romney Calls Himself A Longtime Hunter,” The Associated Press, 4/5/07)
Romney Repeatedly Claimed He Owned A Gun And Went Hunting Himself. “[Romney] expressed enthusiasm for guns and hunting. ‘I have a gun of my own. I go hunting myself. I’m a member of the NRA and believe firmly in the right to bear arms,’ Romney said.” (Scott Helman, “Romney Retreats On Gun Control,” The Boston Globe, 1/14/07)
“I Have A Gun Of My Own, I Go Hunting Myself...” (Glenn And Helen Radio Show, www.glennandhelenshow.com, 1/10/07)
Romney’s Pro-Gun Campaign Rhetoric Noted By Media. “To hear Mitt Romney talk on the campaign trail, you might think the Republican presidential candidate had a gun rack in the back of his pickup truck.”(Glen Johnson,
“Romney Calls Himself A Longtime Hunter,” The Associated Press, 4/5/07)
Romney Forced To Admit He Hunted Only Two Times In His Life And Does Not Own A Gun
Romney Later Admitted He Has Been Hunting Only Twice In His Life – Once Nearly Fifty Years Ago, Once At “Fenced Game Preserve” On 2006 Retreat For Political Donors. “[T]he former Massachusetts governor’s hunting experience is limited to two trips at the bookends of his 60 years: as a 15-year-old, when he hunted rabbits with his cousins on a ranch in Idaho, and last year, when he shot quail on a fenced game preserve in Georgia. Last year’s trip was an outing with major donors to the Republican Governors Association, which Romney headed at the time.” (Glen Johnson, “Romney Calls Himself A Longtime Hunter,” The Associated Press, 4/5/07)
Romney’s Recent Hunting Experience: RGA Quail Hunt In Sea Island, Georgia. “According to his campaign, Romney spent a summer as a 15-year-old hunting rabbits in Idaho and didn’t hunt again until last year, when he attended a quail hunt in Sea Island, Ga., sponsored by the Republican Governors Association.”
(Scott Helman, “Romney’s Record On Guns Questioned,” The Boston Globe, 4/5/07)
After Professing He Owned A Gun, Romney Admitted The Gun Was Not His But Maintained He Went Hunting “From Time To Time.” “Asked by reporters at the gun show Friday whether he personally owned the gun, Romney said he did not. He said one of his sons, Josh, keeps two guns at the family vacation home in Utah, and he uses them ‘from time to time.’” (Scott Helman, “Romney Retreats On Gun Control,” The Boston Globe, 1/14/07)
“Even Romney Acknowledges That The Single Gun In One Of His Homes Isn’t His; It Belongs To His Son.” (Editorial, “Modified Mitt,” Lowell Sun, 2/22/07)
“[Romney] Does Not Own A Firearm, Despite Claiming To Earlier This Year.” (Glen Johnson, “Romney Defends Lack Of Hunting License,” The Associated Press, 4/7/07)
Voter Who Asked Initial Question Said Of Romney: “I See Another John Kerry Coming Down The Road”
Joe Feuer, Who Asked Romney Initial Question: “I See Another John Kerry Coming Down The Road.”FOX 25 BOSTON’S JOE BATTENFELD: “Do you view this as sort of one more, kind of…” JOE FEUER: “Flip flop? Yeah, I see another John Kerry coming down the road.” (Fox 25 News, www.youtube.com, 4/11/07)
Watch Feuer Comment On Romney’s Hunting Remarks.A Day Later, Romney Revised His Remarks, Saying He’d Hunted “Small Varmints” And “Rodents” More Than Twice
Romney Revised His Remarks The Next Day, Saying He Has “Always” Hunted “Rodents” And“Varmints.” “Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is taking a second shot at describing his hunting experience. … Campaigning in Indianapolis on Thursday, Romney said he has hunted small game since his youth. ‘I’m not a big-game hunter. I’ve made that very clear,’ he said. ‘I’ve always been a rodent and rabbit hunter.
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Small varmints, if you will. I began when I was 15 or so and I have hunted those kinds of varmints since then.
More than two times.’” (Emily Udell, “Romney Aims Again To Explain Hunting,” The Associated Press, 4/6/07)
Boston Herald’s Brett Arends: “Varmints? Rabbits? Hello, Elmer Fudd.” “‘I’ve always been a rodent and rabbit hunter. Small varmints if you will,’ the hapless ex-governor said last week following his claim that he had been ‘a hunter all my life.’ Varmints? Rabbits? Hello, Elmer Fudd.” (Brett Arends, Op-Ed, “Mitt Shoots Holes In His Credibility,” Boston Herald, 4/11/07)
Romney “Was Not Trying To Mislead Anyone,” Claimed His Aides. “An aide said Wednesday that Romney was not trying to mislead anyone, although he confirmed Romney had been hunting only on those occasions in his life.” (Glen Johnson, “Romney Calls Himself A Longtime Hunter,” The Associated Press, 4/5/07)
Romney Spokesman Kevin Madden: “I Think This Is Probably A Lot Of Quibbling Over The Term
‘Lifelong.’” (MSNBC’s “Live News,” 4/5/07)
Lowell Sun Called Romney’s Claim To Have Longtime Passion For Hunting “More Than A Little Weak.”
“Romney and his spokesman are working overtime to convince gun enthusiasts the former governor didn’t switch his position just to appeal to gun owners, but it is a tough sell. His argument that he has been a hunter ‘all his life,’
because as a boy working on a ranch in Idaho he shot rabbits that were eating the barley and that he has recently been quail hunting, is more than a little weak.” (Editorial, “Modified Mitt,” Lowell Sun, 2/22/07)
Washington Post: Romney’s Hunting Gaffe Serves As Lesson That Money Can’t Buy Authenticity. “There are things in politics that money can’t buy, and chief among them is the quality of authenticity: the ability to convince voters that a candidate is more than the sum of positioning by his or her handlers. Last week, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was the latest to discover that truth.” (Editorial, “Killer Rabbits,” The Washington Post, 4/10/07)
“Mitt Romney Tried To Look Like A Hunter – And Ended Up Shooting Himself In The Foot.” (Editorial,
“Killer Rabbits,” The Washington Post, 4/10/07)
TheHill.com’s Brent Budowsky: “Now Mitt Romney Lies About Hunting.” “Now Mitt Romney lies about hunting. The former Massachusetts governor said he had been a hunter for just about all his life. Almost immediately his staff reminded him he had only been hunting twice. Presumably Mr. Romney forgot about all the times he never hunted.” (Brent Budowsky, “The Republicans’ Pinocchio Problem,” The Hill’s Pundits Blog, 4/5/07)
Newsweek: Romney’s “Varmints” Explanation “Sounded Stiff And Lame.” “Romney tried to explain that he had not been a ‘big game’ hunter but rather shot at varmints and smaller game … But the explanations sounded stiff and lame – one more example of Romney’s trying to pander to true-blue conservatives and getting called out for it.” (Evan Thomas et al, “Is Mitt Romney Ready For Prime-Time Politics?” Newsweek, 4/16/07)
Flashback: Romney Admitted Only One Prior Hunting Experience In 2003 Remarks
In Late 2003, Romney Admitted He Had Only Been Hunting Once In His Life. “His only hunting experience was shooting rabbits at a ranch in Idaho with a .22-caliber rifle and he acknowledged he has struggled when he tried fly fishing in the past.” (John J. Monaghan, “Romney OKs Funds For Wildlife Programs,” [Massachusetts] Telegram & Gazette, 11/1/03)
No Evidence Exists Romney Has Ever Taken Out A Hunting License
Romney Has Never Procured A Hunting License, According To Officials In Four States Where He Has Lived. “Officials in the four states where Mitt Romney has lived say the Republican presidential contender, who calls himself a lifelong hunter, never took out a license. Romney says that’s because he has seldom hunted where he needed one. … Hunting certain small game there doesn’t require a license. … [T]he Associated Press asked wildlife officials in Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Utah for any documentation verifying Romney had been a registered hunter.” (Glen Johnson, “Romney Defends Lack Of Hunting License,” The Associated Press, 4/7/07)
No Record Of Romney License In Michigan, Massachusetts Or New Hampshire – Utah Does Not Allow Access To License Records. “Officials from Michigan, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where a license is necessary to hunt such small game, said they could not immediately locate any license for Romney. An official in Utah said a change in state law last year blocked public access to license records.” (Glen Johnson, “Romney Defends Lack Of Hunting License,” The Associated Press, 4/7/07)
No Record Of Romney License In Michigan, Massachusetts Or New Hampshire – Utah Does Not Allow Access To License Records. “Officials from Michigan, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where a license is necessary to hunt such small game, said they could not immediately locate any license for Romney. An official in Utah said a change in state law last year blocked public access to license records.” (Glen Johnson, “Romney Defends Lack Of Hunting License,” The Associated Press, 4/7/07)