Republican presidential hopeful Ohio Gov. John Kasich reportedly was on the receiving end of some praise from former President Bill Clinton when it came to his support of an assault weapons ban in 1994.
As a U.S. representative from Ohio, Kasich was one of 38 Republicans to vote in support of H.R. 4296, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which was "to make unlawful the transfer or possession of assault weapons." In addition to his support of the ban, Kasich received a letter of gratitude from the president, obtained by RedState.
President Bill Clinton signs into law two budget reconciliation measures in a White House ceremony on the South Lawn as, from left, Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), Vice President Al Gore, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), Rep. Bill Archer (R-Texas), and Rep. John Kasich (R-Ohio) look on. (Douglas Graham/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images)
The letter read:
Thank you very much for your support of H.R. 4296, the assault weapons ban. These weapons have contributed to violent crime and traumatized our nation's communities for too long. By your vote today you have taken the first step towards getting assault weapons off the streets and out of the hands of criminals.I applaud the bipartisan nature with which our victory was achieved and commend you for your courageous vote.
After the simple signature of "Bill," Clinton appeared to handwrite a more personal note which read, "I enjoyed our visit last night."
In 1996, Kasich also voted against the Gun Crime Enforcement and Second Amendment Restoration Act of 1996, which amended the previous legislation to repeal the ban on semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices — among other things.
Despite Kasich's "nay" vote, which came with 41 other Republicans, the 1996 legislation ultimately passed in the House.
On his campaign website, Kasich touts his record on guns as governor of Ohio as one of his major issues, particularly his endorsement by the National Rifle Association when he ran for re-election in 2014.
While campaigning in February for his wife, Hillary, a Democratic presidential contender, Bill Clinton told a crowd in New Hampshire that he "liked" Kaisch but asserted that he would not vote for him.
(H/T: RedState)
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