WASHINGTON — Martin O'Malley launched a major push for gun control tied to the Charleston shooting Friday, his campaign's latest attempt to use his record as Maryland governor to drive up support for his presidential campaign.
In what has become a trademark for O'Malley, he announced his new gun control focus in a brusque manner. "I'm pissed," reads the subject line from a gun-control focused email O'Malley's campaign sent to supporters Friday. (O'Malley sent a similar list-building email after he called Republican economic plans "bullshit" on NPR in April.)
"I'm pissed" comes with a series of policy prescriptions O'Malley promises to make a centerpiece of his campaign moving forward. The plan is modeled on policies O'Malley signed into law as Maryland governor that drew the ire of the NRA and its allies and praise from gun control supporters. O'Malley is proposing a national assault-weapons ban, tightening background checks, and efforts to end so-called "straw purchasing," where firearms will be purchased legally on behalf of someone unable to legally purchase them.
O'Malley's gun policy agenda is similar to ones Democrats and President Obama hoped to pass after the 2012 elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. In the presidential field, it puts him in a more unique position: Bernie Sanders, the senator from Vermont and according to polling second place candidate in the Democratic nomination race, voted for an assault-weapons ban and expanded background checks in 2013, but has not expressly called for a ban since announcing his presidential candidacy.
Gun-rights advocates ultimately defeated the 2013 effort, leaving Obama, he said Thursday in his remarks after Charleston, with little recourse policy-wise.
The former Maryland governor appeared to take issue with Obama's read on the situation in D.C. — namely, that nothing can be done about new gun laws while Congress is divided the way it is — on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Friday.
"I think you have to advocate for it in Congress," O'Malley said. "I think when incidents like this happen, we shouldn't say, 'well, it's just America. That's just the way it is.'"
Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and Democratic frontrunner, spoke about Charleston Thursday but did not issue support for an assault-weapons ban or other specific policy proposals.
O'Malley's running towards his gun-control record in his new presidential campaign push. His email to supporters boasts about his "F rating from the NRA." A senior O'Malley aide told BuzzFeed News the supporter email was "the beginning of what will be a major push" and said voters "will be hearing a lot more from him on this."
The former mayor of Baltimore will find a friendly audience for a gun-control message when O'Malley addresses the U.S. Conference of Mayors Sunday, his next scheduled public appearance. Mayors have often been among the most vocal proponents of gun-control legislation, and have stepped up their calls for it after mass shootings in the past.