Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R) on Friday said Constitutional Carry is now dead in the Lone Star State. His declaration comes after gun rights activists showed up at his Lake Jackson home, where his wife and children were at. According to Dallas News, Texas Gun Rights' Executive Director, Chris McNutt, appeared on Bonnen's home because the Constitutional Carry bill was losing steam. Other pro-gun activists also allegedly made a stop at Reps. Dustin Burrows and Four Price's homes.
“I could no longer watch as legislators and their families are incessantly harassed by fanatical gun-rights activists who think laws preventing criminals from carrying a gun should be repealed,” Bonnen said in a written statement, The Statesman reported.
“Their goal is to eradicate sensible gun policies by allowing anyone to carry a gun without a license and proper training — making it impossible for law enforcement to distinguish between law-abiding gun owners and criminals,” he said. “The fear and terror used to push this agenda has made it clear this is bad public policy.”
The Speaker said he was upset because legislators were in Austin while their families were back home.
"Anyone who has a strong position should advocate vigorously for it. And I respect it and I even enjoy it. But crossing the line of going to Rep. Burrows home, posting the street of Rep. Price’s home -- he posted a picture of his house with his street on social media," Bonnen said. "Then coming to my home or any other member's home is crossing the line. ... I can only guess the level of influence he was trying to create over Mr. Burrows and Mr. Price and myself by going to my home knowing I was not there but my family was."
McNutt told said the reaction was over the top.
"If politicians like Speaker Dennis Bonnen think they can show up at the doorsteps of Second Amendment supporters and make promises to earn votes in the election season, they shouldn't be surprised when we show up in their neighborhoods to insist they simply keep their promises in the legislative session," McNutt told Dallas News.
McNutt posted a video message on Texas Gun Rights' Facebook page, saying Bonnen's move is "a desperate attempt to take the heat off of himself for blocking Constitutional Carry legislation."
"He is trying to paint the simple act of leaving a flyer on the doors of hundreds of his constituents and donors – asking them to contact their legislators to support a bill – is somehow an act of intimidation," McNutt said in his video.