Sen. Toomey: Common ground gun control can be found in commercial background checks

March 28, 2021 KT1 US 0

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., pauses for reporters as senators head to the chamber for a procedural vote on the nomination of Shalanda Young to be deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 23, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Pat Toomey paused for reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 23, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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UPDATED 1:15 PM PT – Sunday, March 28, 2021

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) said Democrats are making a “shameful attempt” to ruin the function of the Senate by seeking to eliminate the filibuster.

In an interview on Sunday, Toomey noted how “ridiculous” it is that two years ago Democrats universally supported the filibuster, but now it’s apparently racist.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 30: Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) leaves the Senate chamber during a recess in the Senate impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump continues at the U.S. Capitol on January 30, 2020 in Washington, DC. On Thursday, Senators continue asking questions for the House impeachment managers and the president's defense team. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – JANUARY 30: Sen. Pat Toomey at the U.S. Capitol on January 30, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

He noted the current gun control bills that passed the House wouldn’t have 50 votes in the Senate even if the filibuster was gone. The Pennsylvania lawmaker said common ground can be found in background checks on commercial sales.

“You’re not going to get to 60 votes with legislation that requires when a father wants to sell his gun to his son to have to get a background check, ” Toomey said. “So, I still think the best way to do this is focus on commercial sales.”

Toomey famously supported bipartisan background check legislation that failed to pass the filibuster twice in 2013 and 2015.