‘Outraged.’ Vicky Hartzler’s pro-gun flyer lands in mailboxes right after two mass shootings

Michael Richards, a retired elementary school teacher who lives in Boonville, went to his mailbox yesterday and came back outraged.

For the past week, ever since 19 children and two teachers were murdered at an elementary school in Texas, Richards has not been able to look at their pictures without choking up. Yet, there in his mailbox, was a photo of his representative in Congress, Republican Vicky Hartzler, proudly holding an AR-15.

“I know it was sent before this happened, but to see her on the front of the card with a military style assault weapon and just pushing herself as the defender of the Second Amendment was a little bit much,” Richards said. “This card just seems so callous and out of place.”

While Hartzler is currently campaigning for U.S. Senate, the card was a piece of official congressional mail that members send to their constituents to keep them informed of their activity in Washington, D.C. The line between official mailing and campaign mailing is often blurred because of lax rules with the House Communications Standards Commission.

One side contained two photographs of Hartzler — one of her holding an AR-15 and one of her shooting a handgun at a target above the words “Missouri’s 2nd amendment defender.” The other side touted her record on preserving gun rights, including support from gun advocacy groups and her opposition to red flag laws and a federal gun registry.

Kevin Knoth, Hartzler’s communication director, said the mail piece was initially reviewed on May 2 by Democratic and Republican staffers to see whether it would meet the standards to be sent as official congressional mail. It was approved on May 12 and sent on May 13.

The next day, a racist shooter murdered 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.

“Congresswoman Hartzler is praying for all those lost and their loved ones,” Knoth said. “She is also urging Speaker Pelosi to bring her legislation, the Police Officers Protecting Children Act, to the House floor for passage. This bill would allow off-duty and qualified retired law enforcement officers to carry a concealed firearm onto school grounds if the local school board passes a policy to allow it.”

In the aftermath of the two shootings this month, Congress has done little to address gun violence. After the Buffalo shooting, U.S. House passed a bill that would allow the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation more power to investigate hate crimes.

Hartzler voted against the legislation and it was eventually blocked in the U.S. Senate.

The Senate did not act on a House-backed bill that would have enhanced background checks this week, citing a lack of support from Republicans. There are currently talks about a bill that would expand background checks and provide money for states to enact red flag laws, which allow authorities to seize weapons from people determined to be a risk to themselves or others.

Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican from Missouri, has said he is open to considering a red flag law. Missouri’s other GOP senator, Josh Hawley, has said he is skeptical of red flag laws. In the mailer, Hartzler touts the fact that she blocked a red flag provision from a military bill.

Instead, like many Republicans, Hartzler supports measures to enhance security in schools, rather than a reform to gun laws. She voted in favor of a 2018 bill that provided more resources to schools to strengthen their security and hire school resource offices.

Hartzler isn’t the only candidate in the Republican Primary for U.S. Senate in Missouri who has touted their gun credentials. Last month former Gov. Eric Greitens went to a shooting range with Donald Trump Jr. and posted a video of the two shooting at the range.

“Striking fear in the hearts of liberals everywhere,” Trump Jr. said

“Liberals beware,” Greitens added.