Toomey’s proposal would also require federal officials to show probable cause that the person attempting to purchase a firearm would engage in terrorism. | Getty Toomey-Bloomberg group gun talks collapse

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) had been quietly engaged in talks with a prominent pro-gun control group to craft a compromise that would bar suspected terrorists from being able to purchase firearms — but those discussions have collapsed, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

The deal-breaker in the talks between Toomey and the group led by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Everytown for Gun Safety, appears to be a new provision from Toomey that would require the Justice Department to create a new federal list of people who should be barred from purchasing firearms because of suspected terror activities, according to the source.


After that, the FISA courts would have to sign off on each individual getting on the list — a process that was problematic for gun-control advocates because it would create a significant backlog in the system.

A Toomey spokeswoman, confirming the talks with Bloomberg's group, said Everytown officials had told the senator they would support his proposal if he secured bipartisan backing.

"Sen. Toomey has been working with Everytown, and really appreciates their efforts. In fact this afternoon we had agreed upon language," spokeswoman E.R. Anderson said. "Everytown told us that they would publicly back [his plan] so as long as we found bipartisan support. That's why Sen. Toomey took to the floor this afternoon and why he is talking to his colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the hopes they will join him in this middle ground."

Toomey added in a brief interview: "I don't think you can assume all Democrats have" rejected the proposal.

Still, Democrats signaled that Toomey's proposal was a non-starter, meaning that the gun control group would likely not sign on, either.

Everytown spokeswoman Erika Soto Lamb said the group's support always depended on backing from key Democrats including Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California and members of leadership.

"While we are encouraged that there have been some discussions, we are not there yet, and our support for any compromise legislation is contingent on support from both Republicans and Democrats," Soto Lamb said. "Senators from both parties have an obligation to the American people to keep working until they get this right."

Toomey will formally roll out his new proposal on Thursday.

“We must do everything we can to stop terrorists from obtaining guns," Toomey said in a statement. "At the same time, we must not infringe on the rights of law-abiding Americans. In my view, neither of the proposals the Senate considered last year got that balance quite right.

As she headed to a classified briefing Wednesday afternoon, Feinstein, who has taken the lead on the Senate Democratic gun proposal, alluded to potential problems with Toomey’s plan.

“Toomey is a six-month process,” Feinstein said. “We’re looking for something that can be quick and effective and if somebody is adjudged to be a danger, that they can be denied” from purchasing a weapon.

Toomey disagreed with Feinstein’s assertion that his proposal would take six months, but declined to elaborate on his legislation.

Toomey’s proposal would also require federal officials to show probable cause that the person attempting to purchase a firearm would engage in terrorism, according to the source. That’s too high of a standard, Democrats and gun-control advocates say, because if they met that standard, the person would likely be arrested anyway.

Burgess Everett contributed to this report.