Controversial North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn is facing a backlash after being featured in a gun range commercial over possible ethics violations and his apparent lack of using safety measures. According to Newsweek, Cawthorn was featured in an advertisement for Shooter’s World, an Arizona shooting range and firearms retailer. Shooter’s World tweeted out the ad on Christmas Eve. It’s not surprising that he doesn’t practice firearm safety since airport security found a gun in his carry-on bag in February.
‘The commercial first depicts footage of bullets, firearms, and people socializing with the 26-year-old congressman over a soft piano rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner,”‘ the outlet reports. “In the second half of the video, Cawthorn and others are firing guns inside the range.”
Democratic Rep. and Iraq war veteran Ruben Gallego of Arizona blasted the ad, saying Cawthorn handled the weapon horribly, then tore into the North Carolina Republican for appearing in a private company’s promotional video.
“Besides the horrible weapons handling,” Gallego tweeted. “This is on the verge of an ethics violation. Members of Congress aren’t allowed to promote private companies. Shooters World should have gotten permission from Cawthorn, and Cawthorn should have asked the ethics committee.”
Besides the horrible weapons handling. This is on the verge of an ethics violation. Members of Congress aren’t allowed to promote private companies. Shooters World should have gotten permission from Cawthorn and Cawthorn should have asked the ethics committee. https://t.co/vHhWRzLYsU
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) December 25, 2021
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The account PatriotTakes broke it down.
Let’s review 4 universal firearms safety rules:
1) Treat all firearms as if they are loaded.
2) Control the muzzle at all times.
3) Keep your finger off the trigger until you’ve made a conscious decision to shoot.
4) Be sure of your target and it’s surroundings.
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) December 24, 2021
No one should ever be past the line of shooting, that means past anyone else shooting.
In this clip, Madison Cawthorn, while, yikes, still moving, is firing while another person is ahead of him.
The man in black is also shooting behind the man in gray. All safety violations. pic.twitter.com/3niKwR6jL1
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) December 24, 2021
The muzzles (the ends of the gun) aren’t lined up together.
Madison Cawthorn and the black shirt guy are in movement while they are shooting.
A trip, a rifle drop, a moment of being off balance, or a wheelchair swivel all become deadly possibilities. pic.twitter.com/IAQZPMRKL7
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) December 24, 2021
The guy in the gray jacket filming has no business being there feet ahead of Madison Cawthorn as he shoots.
This may be the worse scene as Cawthorn muzzles the guy with a loaded handgun as he crossdraws and as he re-holsters.
This is absolutely unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/kl8sIxyMmc
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) December 24, 2021
And Cawthorn does appear to be violating Shooters’ World’s safety rules. Rule #11 says, “drawing from the holster is prohibited,” but that’s what Cawthorn did in part of the ad. He broke another rule that states, “No one is allowed in front of the firing line.” The camera operator appears to be far too close to the individuals firing weapons. Cawthorn should have been aware of the rules.
Featured image via Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia, under Creative Commons license
