Republicans thwarted a Democratic plot to force them into voting on gun control in the state Senate Wednesday — refusing to take a stand on the issue as the Dems’ own scheme blew up in their faces.
The Democrats’ big plan was to take four bills that had been blocked by committees in the GOP-controlled chamber — including a ban on bump stocks and allowing courts to take disturbed people’s weapons away — and attach them as a “hostile amendment” to every measure up for a vote that day.
They’d bragged the plan would strong-arm GOP members into finally voting on the record after the Florida school shooting.
But the Republicans never had to record a yea or nay on the proposals.
When the first bill came up — a measure to allow hunters to put “organ donor” on their licenses — the presiding Republican, Sen. Tom Croci, simply declared that the amendments weren’t “germane” and that Dems lacked the 32 votes needed to overrule him.
“The Republicans in the Senate unanimously turned their backs on the victims of these massacres because they’re unwilling to confront the gun lobby and their supporters in the NRA,” fumed Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens) afterward.
Democrats managed to corral 29 votes in the 63-member chamber — but not Simcha Felder, who frequently votes with the GOP.
The whole thing was over before lunch as the Democrats didn’t push the amendment on any other bills — an agreement sources say was cut with the GOP.
Meanwhile, the Republican senators stuck to the party line, putting out a vague proposal to “harden” schools with armed guards, stronger doors and panic buttons — but not to arm teachers, as President Trump has suggested.
Republicans refused to say if they are also considering any gun-related measures like the ones proposed Wednesday, which also included beefed-up background checks and the creation of an “institute” to study the causes of gun violence.
“It’s all under consideration,” said a testy Bonacic shortly before slamming the door to the Senate members’ lounge.
Asked about the Senate Democrats’ four bills, Gov. Cuomo hedged, saying that he supported the concepts behind them, but stopped short of a full-throated endorsement.
“To the extent we can strength the SAFE Act, I would support those provisions,” he said during an unrelated conference call with reporters, referring to the state’s 2013 assault weapons ban.
“If there are way to improve that, strengthen that, that’s fine.’’