Republican Congressman Ken Buck Taunts Joe Biden & Beto O’Rourke To ‘Come And Take’ His AR-15

Amid Beto O’Rourke‘s somewhat controversial endorsement of Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden and the party’s current push for tighter gun control, Republican Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado posted a video in which he taunts the pair to confiscate his AR-15.

“I have just one message for Joe Biden and Beto O’Rourke, if you want to take everyone’s AR-15s, why don’t you swing by my office in Washington, D.C. and start with this one?” Buck asks in the video, which was posted to Twitter on Friday morning.

Although Biden has yet to respond to Buck, O’Rourke hit back just hours later.

“This guy makes the case for both an assault weapons ban and a mandatory buyback program better than I ever could. These are weapons of war that have no place in our communities, in our politics or in our public discourse.”

As reported by CNN, following O’Rourke’s endorsement, Biden said at a Monday rally that the former Texas Representative is going to lead his campaign’s gun control effort. The decision is unsurprising given O’Rourke’s presidential run, during which he was vocal about his support for a mandatory gun buyback program of assault-style weapons. His vocal support of such measures sparked controversy, especially from Republicans.

“Hell, yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47,” O’Rourke said during his campaign.

Beto O'Rourke makes it clear: His gun "buyback" proposal means Americans' guns would be forcibly confiscated.

"This is not voluntary. … It is mandatory. It will be the law. You will required to comply." pic.twitter.com/w9Xzjve5bh

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) September 13, 2019

A 2015 Washington Post report claimed that Buck’s gun is locked and has been emptied of all the parts required to operate it. According to a spokesperson for Buck, who spoke with CNN, he described his weapon as a “beautiful, patriotic paperweight,” and suggested the only danger it posed was if used as a weapon of physical assault.

Per Business Insider, it is illegal for the general public to bring a functioning AR-15 onto U.S. Capitol grounds. However, lawmakers like Buck are allowed to “maintain firearms” in their office. Buck’s spokesperson claims he received permission from Capitol Police before bringing the inoperable weapon into his office.

Regardless of whether his weapon is operational or not, Democratic Rep. Judy Chu of California was critical of Buck’s video and labeled it a “threat” leveled over a political disagreement.

“These kinds of threats are dangerous and unacceptable,” Chu tweeted, adding that politicians like Buck “should know better.”

Buck’s recent call echoes Donald Trump Jr., who recently spoke to the National Rifle Association (NRA) at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and called for Americans to protect their Second Amendment rights by any means possible.

As the election quickly approaches, @DonaldJTrumpJr has an important message for NRA Members and all gun owners:

“They will do whatever it takes to try to take away your rights, your ability to protect yourself. We must preserve our 2nd Amendment rights at all costs.” #CPAC2020 pic.twitter.com/IDchxdGyWY

— NRA (@NRA) February 29, 2020