Republican U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake says he wants to pass legislation expanding background checks for firearm buyers despite his recent vote against the Senate’s bipartisan gun control plan, AP reports.
Flake said Friday that he supports background checks at guns show but the so-called Manchin-Toomey measure was too broad.
Flake helped the Senate reject the measure on Wednesday despite strong public support for the change. The legislation sought to extend background checks to sales at commercial venues.
Flake says gun violence victims have brought a much needed sense of urgency to the gun control debate.
Gun violence victims are demanding an apology from Flake Friday during a rally at his Phoenix office. The victims include Caren Teves, whose son was killed last summer in a shooting at a Colorado movie theater.