Matt Rinaldi Calls on Texas Senators to Stand Against Red Flag Laws at the Federal Level
Jose Nino
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Former State House Representative Matt Rinaldi has strong words for Texas leaders in the U.S. Senate and the Texas GOP.
Rinaldi made a name for himself during his time in office (2014-2018) as one of the most conservative legislators in the Texas State legislature. He was one of the most pro-gun elected officials in the Lone Star State and frequently teamed up with outgoing State Representative Jonathan Stickland to sponsor Constitutional Carry.
Unlike most Republicans in the nation, Rinaldi stood strongly behind his pro-gun principles after the El Paso and Dayton mass shootings.
BLP reached out to him to get his thoughts on his fellow Republicans who are considering red flag laws as a means to curb future mass shootings.
Rinaldi stated that “I’m dismayed at Republicans who are talking about implementing red flag laws.”
He emphasized that these laws “Remove a constitutional right without due process” and can be abused by political opportunists on the Left. The former state representative astutely observed how people on Facebook can already “Report you for an idea that you don’t like” and how this could apply to red flag laws. Rinaldi described these laws as a “New way to target conservatives.”
Additionally, Rinaldi believes that these kinds of laws can put police in danger and can lead to lethal encounters such as the one in Maryland last year.
On the topic of federal gun control, Rinaldi wants Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn to stand up for gun owners and resist any temptation to pass gun control. He stated, “I think that Ted Cruz and John Cornyn should take a stand against it [red flag legislation] at the federal level.”
Unlike other GOP officials, Rinaldi believes that the Texas GOP should be the party that “champions gun rights” because of its constitutionality and “how increased gun rights results in increased public safety.”
He notes how gun homicides have gone down substantially since the 1990s, a period which saw the relaxation of concealed carry laws and increased gun ownership across the nation.
Although he’s out of office, Rinaldi remains a strong voice for conservative values in the North Dallas area.
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