Tennessee lawmaker tries to sell gun at downtown lemonade stand

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – House Democratic Caucus Leader Mike Stewart set up a lemonade stand on a corner of Tennessee’s Capitol Hill early Wednesday that featured a newly purchased assault rifle to show how easy it is to buy a gun.

But a few hours later, his bill to try and change that did not sway Republican colleagues.

The lawmaker said he brought the knock-off AK-47 assault rifle in a parking lot after finding a seller on the Internet. There were no takers for the gun, the lemonade, or some cookies that were also for sale at the stand.

Under the sign for the weapon were the words, in parentheses, “No background check.”

Early Wednesday afternoon before a House subcommittee, Rep. Stewart presented his bill HB1319, which restricts the sale or transfer of weapons to a federally licensed gun dealer where a background check is required.

House Republican colleagues listened for several minutes to Stewart but did not debate the issue before defeating the bill with a voice vote.

Stewart said his bill “will pass one day.”

He cited various polls that have indicated a majority of Tennesseans support background checks.