Gun rights activist demands Bonnen apology

Chris McNutt, a gun rights activist who angered Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen last month when he tried to visit the Republican official's home, demanded an apology Tuesday, saying Bonnen misrepresented his actions so pro-gun legislation could be killed.

McNutt said he was unarmed when he stopped at homes in Bonnen's Lake Jackson neighborhood on March 27 to leave flyers supporting a bill that would allow for "constitutional carry," the right to legally carry a handgun without a state license.

He said he planned to do the same at Bonnen's home but, seeing state troopers stationed in the street, approached the officers instead for a calm, respectful conversation about his intentions.

"I was just exercising my First Amendment rights to promote a bill and hold politicians accountable," McNutt said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference at a downtown Austin hotel.

Bonnen, who was at the Capitol when McNutt approached his home, reacted angrily to the visit, calling it a "gutless intimidation tactic" that exposed constitutional carry as a bad idea that would make it impossible for police to distinguish legal gun owners from criminals.

“I could no longer watch as legislators and their families are incessantly harassed by fanatical gun rights activists who think laws preventing criminals from carrying a gun should be repealed," Bonnen said April 5. "The fear and terror used to push this agenda has made it clear this is bad public policy."

That same day, Rep. Poncho Nevarez, D-Eagle Pass and chairman of the committee considering the constitutional carry bill, withdrew plans to hold a hearing on House Bill 357, blaming McNutt's actions.

At Tuesday's news conference, McNutt was joined by Dudley Brown, president of the National Association for Gun Rights, who said video from a trooper's body camera showed that Bonnen was lying about McNutt's visit.

The video, posted on YouTube, shows McNutt approaching the troopers in the street, handing them several copies of a pro-constitutional carry flyer and explaining his hopes for the bill's passage. The conversation was not confrontational and ended with a trooper offering to drop off the flyer at Bonnen's door.

McNutt, executive director of Texas Gun Rights, also said he made similar visits to the neighborhoods of two other Republican House leaders, Reps. Four Price of Amarillo and Dustin Burrows of Lubbock.

Brown said the video shows that McNutt did nothing to intimidate or threaten Bonnen's family.

"Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen didn't want to pass a (constitutional carry) bill. He was receiving pressure from his constituents and activists around the state. So, instead of granting the hearing or explaining himself, he went out and made up lies," he said.

Demanding an apology and action on HB 357, Brown said he had a message for Bonnen: "We're not going away. We're not stopping. In fact, we're looking at canvassing more districts, and we're going to hold you accountable for what you've done here."

A Bonnen spokeswoman said there was no need to apologize for the death of a bill that was doomed by an overly aggressive activist, not the speaker.

“It appears someone has forgotten the law of holes. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging,” spokeswoman Cait Meisenheimer said.