NRA Set to Endorse Democrat Markey (CO-4) (What are they thinking?!)

National Review ^ | September 16, 2010 | Michael Sandoval

[BulletBobCo]

The National Rifle Association-Political Victory Fund has just endorsed Democrat Rep. John Salazar (CO-3), citing “proven commitment to Second Amendment rights.”

Now another Democrat, Rep. Betsy Markey (CO-4), apparently has garnered the NRA endorsement. Her opponent Cory Gardner’s campaign manager Chris Hansen flatly told Battle ‘10, “The NRA told us they were endorsing Betsy Markey.”

Calls to NRA-PVF regarding an imminent endorsement in CO-4 were not immediately returned. There is some consensus that the NRA’s political arm has developed an “incumbent endorsement policy” in contested, non-open seats. A source for Battle ‘10 said that the rule likely is not a hard-and-fast guideline, but given two choices and an incumbent with an adequate rating, the NRA will most likely endorse that person, regardless of party.

Markey failed to submit her 2008 NRA candidate survey. She defeated then-incumbent Republican Marilyn Musgrave, who had held the seat since 2002 and was an NRA stalwart and founder of the Second Amendment Caucus.

Markey voted for the NRA-friendly DISCLOSE Act, which exempts large non-profits like the NRA from disclosing their donors, pending the organization’s completion of certain criteria that, in this version, favored large national groups like the NRA. Garnering only 219 votes to pass, Markey’s vote was consequential to the success of the DISCLOSE Act.

Gardner has supported measures like “Make My Day Better”–an extension of “Make My Day” coverage to business owners and employees that currently enables a homeowner to use deadly force without fear of prosecution. The measure failed twice, however, due to opposition in a Democrat-controlled state legislature.

Gardner was endorsed by the National Association for Gun Rights last week:

[WarEagle]

IMHO the problem I see with the NRA is the same with the inside-the-Beltway conservatives like Krauthammer and Bill Kristol. They are so focused on the game as it is that they fail to see game-changers, even when they are right under their noses. The case-in-point for the NRA is really typified by that DISCLOSE abortion and their not endorsing Sharron Angle. They don't care if something is wrong, or even endemic to gun rights, they want their seat at the table. So they are willing to sell out the rest of the Constitution, or effectively endorse somebody like Harry Reid (by not endorsing his opponent) to protect their access.

Unfortunately for those of us who pay dues, they are a K Street lobbying outfit, nothing more and nothing less. The TV shows, the magazines, the museum are all relics of their past as an organization with integrity.

Now they are politicians, and in the business of buying and selling politicians.