Sen. Pat Toomey’s (R-PA) participation in Wednesday morning’s press conference to unveil a deal on background checks was contingent with a certain New York liberal not being there, according to a report in Roll Call.
Toomey appeared alongside Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who thanked the other lawmakers involved in the negotiations: Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Mark Kirk (R-IL). But according to the report, Toomey made it clear that he wouldn’t attend the presser with Schumer. The senior New York senator accommodated Toomey, and Kirk opted not to make an appearance to provide Schumer with cover.
According to Roll Call, there was concern among both Democrats and Republicans that Schumer would emerge as the face of the proposal and give fodder to conservative and pro-gun groups.
“Manchin and Toomey are the best people to sell this agreement to the pro-gun community, and Schumer doesn’t want to get in the way of that. His job is to persuade the gun safety groups that it’s an acceptable deal,” a Democratic aide told Roll Call.
Read the entire report here.
