Some straight shooting on guns

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 19, 2010

n a political season full of distortions, exaggerations and outrightlies,Republican gubernatorial candidateRick Scott drawsdistinction for the most ludicrous claim.A recent mailer pictures a handgun with the words "BillMcCollum: Aiming for You Rights." Inside it warns that McCollum"is targeting gun owners."It points out Scott received a higher ranking from the NationalRife Association than McCollum, which is true, if curious.Marion Hammer, the state NRA lobbyist, bestowed an A rating onScott for being anNRA member and owning a couple of booksabout Second Amendment rights.McCollum was given only a B, but this ignored a lifetime of defending gun owners' rights. He was penalized for engaging inthe gun-rights battle, while Scott was rewarded for having stayedout of the fray.When McCollum served in Congress, the NRA gave his votingrecord an A. He won the Gun Rights Defender of the Year Awardfrom the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.Contrary to Hammer's claim at the time she announced theratings, McCollum opposed theBrady Billon handgun control. Hedid manage to eliminate a national seven-day waiting periodfor handgun purchasesfrom the bill and pushed a NRA-backedmeasure that would have preempted all statewaitingperiodswhen instantcriminal records checkswere online. In 1996, he led an unsuccessful effort to repeal the ban onassault rifles.