Murthy is one of four nominees who has run into trouble this month after some Democrats have balked.
WASHINGTON: America's powerful gun lobby may have succeeded in shooting
down the Obama administration's nomination of Vivek Murthy as the
nation's surgeon-general, the first time the post would have gone to
someone of Indian-origin.
The White House is said to be considering delaying a vote in the full senate on the confirmation — or advising Dr Murthy to withdraw altogether — after at least 10 Democratic Senators are believed to have backed out from a yes vote under pressure from the gun lobby. Murthy has been vocal in his support for various gun control measures like an assault weapons ban, mandatory safety training and ammunition sales limits.
Although he toned down his strong views during the early stage of the confirmation process, saying he won't make gun control a priority if he gets the job, the National Rifle Association (NRA) rallied it troops to torpedo his confirmation after it passed the Senate committee stage.
"Mr Murthy is not just a gun control supporter, he's a gun control activist and it is clear his agenda is to treat a constitutional freedom as a disease. That's not something the National Rifle Association is going to sit idly by and watch happen," an NRA spokesman said this week, even as the organization sent out a grass-roots alert to millions of its members and subscribers across the country, urging them to "contact your senators and ask them to oppose confirmation of President Obama's radically antigun nominee."
One such Senator who felt pressure from his constituents was Alaska's Mark Begich of Alaska, according to media reports. Begich who is up for re-election, reportedly received angry letters from his constituents, and told them he shared their concerns and would vote against Murthy's confirmation. There are said to be at least ten such Democratic senators from states such as Arkansas, Montana, and Louisiana, which have a strong pro-gun constituency.
Democrats currently hold a 53-45 majority in the Senate with two independents voting with Democrats to make it 55-45. They can pull it off losing five senators (no support can be expected from Republicans), but ten is too wide a chasm to bridge. So from all accounts, the administration would rather withdraw its nominee from the fray and live to fight another day.
The White House is said to be considering delaying a vote in the full senate on the confirmation — or advising Dr Murthy to withdraw altogether — after at least 10 Democratic Senators are believed to have backed out from a yes vote under pressure from the gun lobby. Murthy has been vocal in his support for various gun control measures like an assault weapons ban, mandatory safety training and ammunition sales limits.
Although he toned down his strong views during the early stage of the confirmation process, saying he won't make gun control a priority if he gets the job, the National Rifle Association (NRA) rallied it troops to torpedo his confirmation after it passed the Senate committee stage.
"Mr Murthy is not just a gun control supporter, he's a gun control activist and it is clear his agenda is to treat a constitutional freedom as a disease. That's not something the National Rifle Association is going to sit idly by and watch happen," an NRA spokesman said this week, even as the organization sent out a grass-roots alert to millions of its members and subscribers across the country, urging them to "contact your senators and ask them to oppose confirmation of President Obama's radically antigun nominee."
One such Senator who felt pressure from his constituents was Alaska's Mark Begich of Alaska, according to media reports. Begich who is up for re-election, reportedly received angry letters from his constituents, and told them he shared their concerns and would vote against Murthy's confirmation. There are said to be at least ten such Democratic senators from states such as Arkansas, Montana, and Louisiana, which have a strong pro-gun constituency.
Democrats currently hold a 53-45 majority in the Senate with two independents voting with Democrats to make it 55-45. They can pull it off losing five senators (no support can be expected from Republicans), but ten is too wide a chasm to bridge. So from all accounts, the administration would rather withdraw its nominee from the fray and live to fight another day.
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