I'm a member of Congress and I enabled Rep. Scalise's shooting' - Rep. Chris Collins

No, Rep. Collins didn't quite say that but it's true nonetheless. What he actually titled his disgraceful op ed about the Congressional Republican baseball practice shooting was 'I'm a member of Congress and I'm going to carry a gun.' Collins' boast, in response to his colleague Steve Scalia getting a hole blown in his hip by a deranged man with a high powered rifle, is ludicrous and laughable. Can you imagine Collins perched on second base with a six shooter on his hip. Had he been the target of hidden, heavily armed James Hodgkinson, the rifle bullet might have discharged Collins weapon, further injuring him or an innocent bystander.

Collins was simply parroting the NRA mantra that every mass shooting must be met solely with more 'good guys' like Collins ​wearing firearms. He's worked feverishly since his election in 2012 in New York's 27th District to oppose every sensible gun control policy proposed by President Obama claiming, “Western New Yorkers’ Second Amendment Rights have been under constant assault by President Obama and Governor Cuomo. I have fought everyday to stand up to their unconstitutional assault on our freedoms, and I am humbled to receive the endorsement of the NRA​,” That bit of sophistry garnered Collins an A+ rating from the NRA, while the gun carnage from millions of high powered weaponry Collins allows to flow into unstable hands reaches his fellow A+ rated congressman Steve Scalise.

Simply put, Rep. Chris Collins is not representing the people of New York's 27th, or any of the sensible people throughout this gun induced blood-soaked nation. He's earning his pay and endorsement from the NRA and the gun and ammo lobby. And by carrying a gun around, he's doing more harm to himself and innocent bystanders than he can imagine.