Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) finished up a campaign tour by shooting off some assault rifle rounds Thursday, a few days before the Congresswoman is set to head off to Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally in Washington D.C.
While making an appearance at Federal Ammunition ATK in Anoka, Minnesota, Bachmann took to the shooting range with an M4 carbine after shedding her media tail -- CNN reports that journalists were taken aside and only provided information on the visit by the Bachmann campaign after some persistence.
According to CNN:
Two employees said Bachmann fired off several rounds on a semi-automatic (single shot per trigger pull) before switching over to an automatic (multi-shot per pull) for a few minutes. She was shooting at printed human profile targets that, according to the employees, she kept as a souvenir. The employees said they were a little too far away to see how good her aim was.
The Bachmann campaign later gave an account of the congresswoman's appearance by email:
"Congresswoman Bachmann today toured Federal Ammunition ATK, and met with dozens of employees that have worked at the factory for many years," Bachmann spokesman Sergio Gor wrote, according to CNN. "Federal Ammunition ATK is a significant employer in the district and Congresswoman Bachmann considers these jobs very important for the district. Congresswoman Bachmann is a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment and was able to fire several rounds of bullets produced in this factory. The Congresswoman has a great shot and did well!"
Rep. Bachmann is a well-known gun rights activist, and, according to her original election campaign website, has been shooting firearms since she was 12 years old.
As a United States congresswoman, she co-sponsored legislation to force the District of Columbia to loosen gun registration & trigger lock laws in 2007.
Bachmann's affinity for assault rifles is also not completely revelatory. In 2008, she was introduced at a Family Research Value Voters Conference with a 2nd Amendment anecdote that conveyed her proud ownership of a concealed carry permit. Bachmann, the presenter said, however, had told him that she really wanted an AR-15 assault rifle, but thought that it was too cumbersome.