Texas Senator John Cornyn seems to have developed a selective memory when it comes to his involvement in a gun control law signed by President Joe Biden.
Breitbart reported that during a brief exchange on social media on August 13, Cornyn flatly denied working with Democrats on firearms legislation—even though he played a central role in crafting a bipartisan gun reform bill after the Uvalde school tragedy in 2022.
The controversy reignited when a conservative group, Texas Gun Rights, took a swing at Cornyn on X (formerly Twitter), challenging him directly: “Do you remember when you teamed up with Biden to spearhead gun control legislation?” Cornyn’s curt one-word response: “No.”
The senator’s attempt to rewrite history came in the midst of his attack on Ken Paxton, a political adversary gaining traction in Texas.
Cornyn jabbed that Paxton was “shooting with blanks,” a bold shot considering the firestorm his history was about to reignite.
What Cornyn appeared to forget—or hoped voters would forget—is that he was hand-picked by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to lead GOP negotiations on a gun reform package just days after the horrific school shooting in Uvalde.
At the time, Cornyn was widely praised across the aisle for traveling home, visiting with families, and committing to building consensus with Democrats.
McConnell himself was clear in his support, stating that he had "encouraged" Cornyn to collaborate with Senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona on a meaningful bipartisan response. This wasn't some behind-the-scenes technicality; it was an intentional, highly public move.
The motivation for the effort came from deep heartbreak: the massacre at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, where a legally purchased firearm was used to take innocent lives. That event pushed even long-time defenders of the Second Amendment to seek political solutions.
The eventual result was a rare bipartisan package that garnered just enough support to pass—and Cornyn’s fingerprints were all over it.
President Biden signed the legislation into law on June 25, 2022, and even recognized Cornyn by name during a celebratory event at the White House shortly afterward, an awkward badge of honor for any Republican who champions the rights of gun owners.
Texas Gun Rights hasn’t forgotten that chapter, and President Chris McNutt pulled no punches when asked to respond to Cornyn’s recent denial. Speaking to Breitbart News, McNutt remarked that Cornyn's memory lapses may be indicative of age—or maybe just selective honesty.
“Perhaps at 73, Cornyn is starting to share more than just policy blunders with Biden," McNutt said dryly, adding that Cornyn’s “creeping forgetfulness” could explain why he's also struggling in the polls against Paxton. That stings harder when you’re pretending a chunk of recent political history never happened.
He continued, “Texas Gun Rights is happy to remind Cornyn—and all pro-gun Texans—of his blunders.” The group appears committed to making sure Cornyn’s record doesn’t get lost in the shuffle, even if the senator wishes it would.
This isn’t the first time Cornyn has found himself walking a tightrope between Washington deal-making and Texas conservatism. But flat denials of proven facts carry a weight all their own—especially when the internet keeps receipts.
Cornyn’s challenge is a familiar one in today’s GOP: how to maintain influence in D.C. without losing credibility back home. But whitewashing your résumé might not be the smoothest way to handle it, particularly in a state where gun rights remain a cornerstone issue.
There’s no indication that Cornyn has clarified or walked back his one-word denial since the social media dust-up. Maybe he’s counting on voters to forget too—or maybe he thinks he can outflank criticism with more jabs at his opponents.
Either way, Texas isn’t known for letting politicians duck their record when it matters most. Cornyn may want to rethink whether “No” is a sufficient answer for his constituents.