Responding to pressure from critics, including Hillary Clinton, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders announced Thursday that he will co-sponsor a bill to repeal protections for gun manufacturers and dealers that he voted for in 2005.

The Guardian reports:

In 2005 Sanders voted for a bill that shields manufacturers and dealers from legal liability in cases “resulting from criminal or unlawful misuse” of their guns by a third party. Sanders was a member of the House of Representatives at the time, and 12 years earlier had voted against the Brady Bill, which imposed federal background checks and a waiting period on gun purchase. 

The bill, named after Ronald Reagan’s press secretary Jim Brady, paralyzed by an assassin’s gunshot meant for the president, eventually passed with Reagan’s endorsement. […]

On Wednesday staff for Sanders campaign met with Hector Adames, a gun control advocates who has joined with the Brady Campaign. Adames’ 13-year-old nephew was shot dead in a gun accident, and in 2009 the US supreme court rejected their challenge of protections for the gun industry.

In a call with reporters on Thursday, Adames said: “I can’t stop smiling, I’m almost in shock.” 

Adames said he and other advocates hoped for Sanders “to make a wrong a right. That he responded so quickly is almost amazing.”

Continue reading here.

— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

Wait, before you go…

If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.

Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.

Support Truthdig