Manchin Blames NRA For Background Checks Bill Failure

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), left, meets in his office with families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., including Nelba Marquez-Greene, mother of victim Ana Marquez-Greene and Mark... Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), left, meets in his office with families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., including Nelba Marquez-Greene, mother of victim Ana Marquez-Greene and Mark Barden, father of victim Daniel Barden, on the day he announced that he reached a bipartisan deal on expanding background checks to more gun buyers, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, April 10, 2013. MORE LESS
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic sponsor of the defeated gun-control plan says it would have passed easily, if not for the National Rifle Association.

Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia says there would have been 70 votes for the plan to expand background checks for gun buyers. But the NRA said it would include the gun vote on report cards that show whether candidates support gun rights.

The Senate on Wednesday rejected the background check bill Manchin wrote with Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Patrick Toomey.

Manchin says he also lost votes because some senators who may vote for gay rights or an immigration bill wanted to show they are still conservative.

Manchin spoke Thursday at a breakfast sponsored by The Wall Street Journal.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

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