More Chatter About Reviving Criminalization of Private Sales

The Washington Post reports that the gun ban crowd is trying to resurrect the gun control debate in the Senate.

Capitol Hill aides Monday declined to identify the two Republicans who have approached Democrats about restarting the debate. But Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) signaled through their spokesmen that they would be open to debating the background-check proposal again if Democrats make significant changes.

Meanwhile, aides to Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), who voted against the background check plan, disputed a new barrage of TV ads critical of her vote and said she remains opposed to the current bipartisan background check proposal.

Ayotte has been targeted by Bloomberg, families from Newtown, and the PAC created by former congressman Gabby Giffords and her husband Mark Kelley. For her part, Ayotte has not been bullied.

Ayotte spokesman Jeff Grappone called the new ads “completely false” and said that the senator voted for an alternative GOP plan to fix the background check system and strengthen mental health programs. As for Reid’s comments, Grappone said the Senate leader “doesn’t speak for Senator Ayotte.”

It's interesting that Ayotte is showing more testicular fortitude that a couple of her male counterparts.  Isakson  and Flake say they may be open to reopening the debate if significant changes are made to the proposal but the fact that thye don't completely dismiss it as a non-starter shows just why gun owners cannot rest on our victory of a couple weeks ago and why we have to remain engaged in the fight for the long haul.

Wayne LaPierre addressed this very point this past weekend in Houston.