After giving Democrats enough votes for gun control, Cornyn reportedly said immigration was next

Senator John Cornyn, after successfully convincing enough Republicans to give Democrats the votes they needed on gun control, suggested that a bipartisan deal was afoot on immigration reform.

He quickly backtracked after Tories, already dismayed by his support for gun control, expressed outrage over concerns over an amnesty deal.

Cornyn (R-TX) – the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, insists it was just a joke, and his office says there’s no deal afoot.

His comments were reported by Huffington Post reporter Igor Bobic as he observed lawmakers in the Senate on Tuesday.

Bobic noted the “good vibes” between Democrats and Republicans who had come together to push the gun control bill forward and noticed a smiling Cornyn speaking with Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA).

“First guns, now it’s immigration,” he reportedly told his Democratic counterpart.

“It’s true, we will do it,” added Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ).

More ~~ positive vibes ~~ on the floor of the Senate.

A smiling Cornyn tells Padilla: ‘First the guns, now it’s immigration’

“It’s true, we will do it,” added Sinema

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) June 21, 2022

RELATED: 14 ​​Senate Republicans Help Democrats Push Gun Control Bill Just Two Hours After It Was Released

Cornyn says he was ‘joking’ about immigration

Cornyn’s comments on a pending bipartisan immigration bill have drawn criticism from those on the right who feel he has already betrayed them and their constitutional rights.

As the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, he was asked by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to “negotiate” with Democrats on gun control, propose a bill containing improved background checks for any anyone under 21, establishes a federal grant program to encourage states to create “red flag” laws, and increases funding for school safety and mental health care.

The “red flag” laws are a major point of contention for conservatives, as they allow authorities to confiscate firearms from individuals considered a risk to themselves or others, without having been convicted of a crime – weakening the Second and Fifth Amendments.

The 14 Republicans who voted to advance the Democrats’ gun control wish list just betrayed their base https://t.co/WJfVeDTAOh

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 22, 2022

The bill advanced with the help of 14 Senate Republicans by a vote of 64 to 34 and is expected to pass by the end of the week, then head to the Democratic-controlled House and onto the desk. of President Biden.

Cornyn’s comments forced House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to issue a statement via TSTIME saying he has no intention of pursuing immigration legislation.

“Amnesty is a non-starter with me and will not be picked up by a Republican majority in the House,” he said, clearly expecting big medium-term gains.

Amid right-wing backlash to Cornyn’s comments, Kevin McCarthy @GOPLader told TSTIME, “Amnesty is a non-starter with me and will not be picked up by a House Republican majority. Our border crisis is the worst in history and the only immigration plan should be to secure the border… 1/2 https://t.co/DthyC6XgKu

— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) June 22, 2022

Damage control manager Cornyn told Breitbart News the immigration comment was nothing more than a lighthearted joke.

“The Democrats and their allies in the media really can’t take a joke,” he said. “There is no secret amnesty bill.”

It’s unclear why Cornyn would joke with a Democrat about this or what the “joke” is supposed to be.

Update to previous article on Cornyn’s comment on immigration to Padilla last night:

Cornyn now claims he was joking, despite working with Padilla as recently as April on a deal.

So we asked: Why would Cornyn joke about such a dire crisis for his state and the country? pic.twitter.com/iHwwplwIF8

— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) June 22, 2022

RELATED: Congress Sends More Guns to Ukraine, While Trying to Disarm the American People

Cornyn’s past views on amnesty

Sen. John Cornyn’s decision to joke about amnesty when he can’t afford to lose any more political capital after being booed at the Texas Republican Party convention last Friday is odd.

BREAKING: Senator John Cornyn gets booed at the Texas Republican Party convention.

pic.twitter.com/QDes0s1hAw

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 17, 2022

Maybe he’s onto something, though. After all, Bobic’s report indicates that Cornyn’s mood after siding with the Democrats on gun control was quite jovial.

At one point Cornyn was seen shake hands with the Democratic leader, Senator Chuck Schumer.

He mocked fellow Republicans for taking their time deciding on a bill that could affect the rights of law-abiding citizens.

“It’s only 80 pages, how long does it take to read it?” it was heard say.

Cornyn joked about being booed at the convention, telling Senator Ted Cruz, “Ted, I think you had more fun at the convention than I did.”

Bobic reports that the Texas Republican and Sinema kept “rubbing shoulders” with Republicans taking their time, and “the Democratic base was shaking Cornyn’s hand.”

Inside the room, there was a jovial vibe. Cornyn and Sinema kept chopping down the trailing Rs, asking why it took so long to read the 80pg bill. Schumer thanked Rs who voted yes one by one, even Collins. Dem grade and file shook hands with Cornyn. Tillis took a photo of the GOP yes list

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) June 22, 2022

Just a good time all round.

Cornyn’s “joke” is about a subject in which he has expressed his willingness to compromise with Democrats in the past.

After the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an Obama-era amnesty program in 2020, Cornyn said it was time to find a “permanent solution” to allow so-called DREAMers access to amnesty.

DREAMers are people who were brought to the United States illegally as children.

“DACA beneficiaries deserve a permanent legislative solution. We must act and pass legislation that will unequivocally allow these young men and women to remain in the only home they have ever known,” he said. “They deserve nothing less.”

DACA recipients deserve a permanent legislative solution. We must act and pass legislation that will unequivocally allow these young men and women to remain in the only home they have ever known. They deserve nothing less. https://t.co/ldCtQx8KZe

— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) June 18, 2020

In a July 2021 letter, Cornyn joined Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) in seeking amnesty for DACA recipients.

Republican senators have called for a bill to “provide permanent legal status to only currently enrolled and activate participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.”

So maybe Cornyn’s comments were a “joke,” but maybe they were an accidental window into upcoming legislation that he’d like to help Democrats cross the finish line.

Either way, whatever he decides to do, the gun control bill is already a joke of the worst kind. And it is always the law-abiding American people who are the target.