Mark Pryor tosses staff under bus/makes up story on gun flip-flop

The K. Ryan James Blog ^ | 28 July 2009 | Kenneth Ryan James

[KRyanJames]

John Anderson at the Arkansas Concealed Carry blog has an interesting explanation as to Mark Pryor's opposition-turned-support of the concealed carry amendment to the defense appropriations bill. He blames the staff:

Call returned from Senator Pryor's office. Micheal Teague, his Comunications Director tells me the "no" vote was because they initially saw this as a "states rights" issue and blamed a lot of the confusion over his changed vote on a lapse in initial understanding of the amendment and his staffs recent developments in their understanding of the bill. According to him Pryor was not getting some important updates, after his staff talked to the NRA and the Arkansas State Police.

If you believe Mr. Teague, you will accept the contention that the vote, the phone calls and the staff epiphany all happened in what Dana Milbank described as "several minutes."

After a morning of angry speeches, a vote was called at high noon. Toward the end of the vote, Pryor entered the chamber through the back door, took a few steps inside, flashed a thumbs-down to the clerk, and retreated as fast and furtively as somebody dodging gunfire.

Several minutes later, the Democrats had racked up more than enough votes to block the proposal. "Are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or wishing to change their vote?" the presiding officer inquired.

Pryor burst back in, this time through a side door. "Mr. President!" he called out. "Mr. President!" He stopped in the well to consult with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a gun-control advocate who was keeping the whip sheet. Schumer gave Pryor a nod, and the Arkansan -- reassured that his vote was not needed to defeat the proposal -- changed his vote to an "aye."

Teague was also able to explain that consult with Schumer right before the flip-flop:

He also said that Pryor was busy chairing a committee at the time and had to talk to Schumer because he had the whip sheet on the Hate Crimes bill and was informing him of his intention to change his vote.

One problem with Mr. Teague's take on reality, however: The concealed carry vote was on July 22. The vote on cloture for the hate crimes amendment was on July 16 and there was no vote that Sen. Pryor had to change on the hate crimes amendment because it was adopted by unanimous consent.

I think Sen. Pryor and his spokesman need to explain this.

[Oldpuppymax]

Phony voting for scamming the folks back home is as old as the hills. Pryor is a liar and leftist hack. Period.

[TheBattman]

Pryor is a liberal, who campaigns at home as a semi-conservative. He is a hack at best.