Senator sent personal letter to a shooting victim's parent claiming to support background checks just days before he voted against them. Douchebag level: Senator.

Courtesy of Think Progress:

Shortly before the a crucial Senate vote to expand background checks in gun transactions, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) sent a letter to the mother of a shooting victim claiming that he was “truly sorry” for her son’s death and that “strengthening background checks is something we agree on.” A few days later, he voted to kill the background checks bill. 

Caren Teves’ son Alex died during the Aurora theater mass shooting while shielding his girlfriend from the gun man’s bullets. She wrote a letter to Sen. Flake, in which she “invited him to our home to sit in our son’s chair, his empty chair” and “feel the emptiness and have dinner with us and discuss” guns. In response, Flake sent Teves a hand-written letter claiming that he supported one of the most important steps Congress could take to improve gun safety — expanding background checks.

It's true! Here is the actual letter:

Flake used the excuse that the bill “would expand background checks far beyond commercial sales to include almost all private transfers — including between friends and neighbors.”

This pissed Mark Kelly, Gabby Giffords husband, off and he responded thusly:

Kelly said Flake is mistaken and the bill would not do what the senator says. 

“It appears he hasn’t read the bill,” Kelly said.

You know here is what I think,

If your last name is "Flake" you would think that you would do EVERYTHING in your power to be anything but a flake.  Good thing his last name wasn't "Rapist."

I have heard murmuring that perhaps Kelly might challenge Flake during his next bid for reelection. My only question is, can I donate money now?