Following Parkland school shooting, Adam Putnam postpones his insane idea to relax Florida gun background checks

Less than 24 hours after a 19-year-old gunman killed 17 classmates and teachers at a South Florida high school, agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam decided maybe it's not a good idea to vote on a provision that would've relaxed background checks for gun owners.

Putnam, a Republican candidate for Florida governor and a "proud NRA sellout," filed the provision earlier this month, burying it at the very end of a 114-page bill that mostly dealt with routine business like oyster farming and liquified gas.

The provision, which was first discovered by Tampa Bay Times reporter Steve Bousquet, is designed to dilute the state's background-check laws to the point where anyone who files an incomplete background-check form can still obtain concealed-carry permit.

Essentially, Putnam's provision would give the Department of Agriculture 90 days after receiving a concealed weapons application to issue a permit, even "if the department has not acquired final disposition or proof of restoration of civil and firearm rights, or confirmation that clarifying records are not available."



This would be great news for say, a domestic abuser, looking to get a concealed carry permit. However, Bousquet tweeted this afternoon that Putnam has postponed action on the provision, but hasn't withdrawn it.

Putnam’s statement on this issue says he’s postponing action on the licensing change, not withdrawing it https://t.co/y26QyVdxYP

— Steve Bousquet (@stevebousquet) February 15, 2018

Like literally every other Florida Republican, Adam Putnam took to Twitter yesterday to express his hollow sympathies to the victims of the shooting at Majory Stoneman Douglas High School, which is now considered the eighth worst in modern U.S. history.

Prayers for all the students, teachers and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High. And to our first responders, be safe and godspeed.

— Adam Putnam (@adamputnam) February 14, 2018

Clearly Putnam is waiting for the outrage to die down before he reintroduces this awful gun provision, which will likely pass and only further his claim to his very white, gun-loving, Trump-supporting backers that he is indeed an "NRA sellout."