Jeff Flake’s political posturing, trying to have it both ways

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

You may have read about this in the Arizona Republic last week. Caren Teves’ son Alex died during the Aurora theater mass shooting while
shielding his girlfriend from the gunman’s bullets. She wrote a letter
to Sen. Flake, in which she “invited him to our home to sit in our
son’s chair, his empty chair” and “feel the emptiness and have dinner
with us and discuss” guns. Senator Told Shooting Victim’s Mother He Supported Background Checks, Then Voted Against Them:

In response, Flake sent Teves a hand-written letter claiming that he
supported one of the most important steps Congress could take to improve
gun safety — expanding background checks:

Just days after raising Teves’ hopes that the Senate would act to prevent
future mothers from experiencing the same pain inflicted upon her
family, Flake voted against background checks.
Flake claimed to oppose the bill because it “would expand background
checks far beyond commercial sales to include almost all private
transfers — including between friends and neighbors,” but this claim is false.

Teves told the New York Daily News that her home-state senator had promised to do the right thing — then let her down.

“The whole thing was just shameful,” she said before heading to a protest at Flake’s Phoenix office Friday. “What he did was to go against his own words and vote no against comprehensive background checks … I believe he’s a coward. I believe he’s not listening to the people he represents.”

Teves told the Arizona Republic, “To me, it’s words, not actions,” she said. “He’s using political speech to avoid doing what’s right.” Flake urges victims to continue gun control fight. The always disingenuous Flake said after the Friday protests at his office:

“I hope this debate isn’t over. I hope we can continue,” Flake said in a
phone interview Friday. “We do need to take measures to make this
situation better and we can do so in a way that is consistent with the
Second Amendment.”

Dude, you voted not to debate the Manchin-Toomey amendment on background checks. If you wanted to continue the debate, you would have voted for cloture to end the filibuster and to move on to debate the merits of the amendment.

As the Arizona Republic correctly noted, "Gun violence victims said they were not impressed with Flake’s political
posturing, and accused him of trying to appease voters from both sides
of the gun control debate without risking retribution from the National
Rifle Association."

Flake stopped short of offering gun violence victims an apology on Friday.

“I was very glad to see the victims of a number of the tragedies
we’ve seen — Tucson, Aurora, Newtown — I visited with many of them. It
was helpful to have them there. I am glad they were because they help
bring a sense of urgency,” he said.

“I don’t take offense. I admire them and I respect them for their strong
views on these issues,” Flake said. “I am glad they have been in
Washington.”

Flake doesn't take offense? How mighty white of you.