The NRA warns that Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) echoed points similar to Michael Bloomberg’s gun control push following the Midland-Odessa shooting.

On September 4, 2019, Breitbart News reported Patrick’s suggestion that the ability for people to sell guns to strangers without a background check is a “loophole” that needs to be addressed. He told Fox News’ Jon Scott that fixing the “loophole” is an “issue” the NRA should take up and “get behind the president.”

On September 6, 2019, the NRA responded to Patrick’s claims:

With due respect, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s “proposals” would resurrect the same broken, Bloomberg-funded failures that were attempted under the Obama administration. Like most political gambits, Lt. Gov. Patrick’s “solution” precedes his possession of the facts, including this critical concession by the Obama administration: Criminalizing private firearm transfers would require a massive, governmental gun registration scheme. Instead of trampling the freedom of law-abiding Americans, the government should focus upon actual solutions: fixing our broken mental health system, prosecuting known criminals and enforcing the existing gun laws that require follow-up whenever a prohibited person tries to buy a firearm. In the meantime, the NRA remains at the forefront of legitimate efforts to combat crime in our country. We encourage Lt. Gov. Patrick to join us in support of the same.

In the days since Patrick made his comments, law enforcement authorities have come to suspect the gun used by the Midland-Odessa was illegally made and illegally sold. If true, universal background checks would have done nothing to prevent the attack from occurring.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.