The House Democrats' fundraising arm is running radio ads against Rep. Scott Garrett.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is running radio advertisements this week criticizing Rep. Scott Garrett's stand on gun control.
The 15-second commercials, to run on New York City radio stations while New Jersey residents are commuting to and from work, accuse Garrett (R-5th Dist.) of voting to allow people on the terrorist watch list from buying firearms and explosives.
"Congressman Scott Garrett voted to keep allowing suspected terrorists to buy assault rifles," said the ad, which urges people to call his office "and demand he keep us safe."
Garrett is considered the most vulnerable member of the state's congressional delegation and has been targeted by the House Democrats' fundraising arm. His likely Democratic opponent, former White House speechwriter Josh Gottheimer, has raised more than $1 million for his campaign.
Congressional Republicans, backed by the National Rifle Association and other supporters of gun owners' rights, have opposed preventing individuals on the watch list from buying weapons.
"As many Americans know, the no-fly list has many deficiencies, and using this list as a test to strip constitutional due process rights won't make our country safer from the extremist terrorist threats like we saw in San Bernadino," Garrett said in a statement. "The American people need leadership and a plan from President Obama instead of relying on a flawed no-fly list that has no credibility because it has featured over 70 Department of Homeland Security employees, members of Congress, and even U.S. senators."
In actuality, Garrett never voted on the issue. What he did was join every other Republican, including bill sponsor Peter King of New York, in voting against a procedural motion to allow House Democrats to consider the gun provisions.
Such votes are tests of party discipline and even lawmakers who support the proposal do not defy their leaders lest they lose control of the agenda.
The DCCC launched the same criticism against freshman Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-3rd Dist.) earlier this year.
The Senate, voting primarily along party lines, rejected a proposal to prevent individuals on the government's terrorist watch list from buying guns. In the House, Democrats have offered a series of motions to pressure the majority Republicans into allowing a vote on the measure.
"Congressman Scott Garrett's refusal to act and ensure suspected terrorists can't legally buy guns is downright reckless, as it puts our national security at risk," DCCC spokesman Bryan Lesswing said. "New Jersey families deserve a member of Congress that will do everything in their power to keep us safe in the wake of horrific attacks here at home and around the globe, rather than protecting suspected terrorists' ability to buy guns."
