Senate Democrats Rush to Capitalize on Mass Terror

In the wake of the worst mass-shooting in American history and the most deadly terrorist attack on American soil since 9-11, Senate Democrats rushed to politicize the tragedy and use it to revive gun control efforts.

Omar Mateen, who pledged allegiance to ISIS in a call to 911 during his rampage, murdered 49 people including himself at Pulse, a gay night club in Orlando, Florida on Sunday. By Monday afternoon 46 of 49 victim’s families had been notified, but three of the victims’ families had not yet received word, and reports indicated at least one victim remained unidentified.

The legislators admitted during the press conference they were unsure the bill would have stopped the attack in Orlando.

But that did not stop opportunistic legislators from holding a press conference Monday to resurrect the previously defeated Denying Firearms And Explosives To Dangerous Terrorists Act Of 2015.

“We believe we’ll do better than we did last time,” New York Sen. Chuck Schumer said during the conference, according to Politico. “Circumstances are going to force [Republicans] to see the light.”

The bill would allow the Attorney General the power to deny firearms to an individual if the Justice Department has any suspicion the individual may be connected to terrorist activities. Republicans blocked an effort to pass the bill in 2015 amid concerns over the sweeping power to revoke individuals’ rights along undefined lines it would give to the executive branch.

Senators were also concerned the bill would jeopardize the rights of citizens who had no terrorist affiliations.

In reference to terrorist watch-lists, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) spoke saying that the bill assumes, “that the federal government never makes a mistake…but we all know better.”

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Schumer was joined at the press conference Monday by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

The legislators admitted during the press conference they were unsure the bill would have stopped the attack in Orlando.

The White House indicated Monday it may also try to capitalize on the Orlando terrorist shooting to push further gun control measures.

“I’m not going to rule out additional steps he may take,” White House press spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday when asked whether President Obama will take further executive action on guns.