MSNBC's Joe Scarborough delivered Republicans a warning during a substantial rant on "Morning Joe" Friday, telling Republicans they would be foolish to oppose stronger background check laws.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Thursday that he will introduce gun control legislation that includes a universal background check proposal, something that continues to earn wide swaths of support among the American public. A new poll from Quinnipiac University released Friday found that 88 percent of Americans — and 85 percent of gun owners — favor the proposal.
The math in the Senate, though, is trickier. Some Republicans have signaled an openness to stricter background checks, but none have publicly signed on to a measure proposed by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
"I really do believe that even if Republicans are dragging their feet now, if you have a vote on criminal and mental background checks, Republicans are not going to want to have to go around — especially the Senate candidates — are not going to want to have to go around saying, 'You know what? I opposed making it tougher for felons, for criminals to get guns,'" Scarborough said.
"'I want felons. I want convicts. I want rapists that have already been convicted to have a free pass when they go online. ... I want convicted rapists to have the freedom to go to a gun show and please, give them the freedom, give them the liberty to buy another gun they can use in a violent against against a woman,'" he continued.
Scarborough then delivered a blunt warning to his party.
"Republicans can't be against criminal and mental background checks — unless they want to lose," he said.
He added: "Good luck, Republicans, being against background checks for criminals and people with mental health."
Watch the clip below:
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