Scaffidi Joins Vice President's Gun Legislation Push

Just before he presided over a U.S. Senate vote in which expanded background checks were defeated, Vice President Joe Biden joined Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi and three other mayors on a virtual conference call to discuss that and other aspects of the nationwide gun debate.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak moderated the 30-minute Google Hangout discussion, which also featured Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Gary (Ind.) Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson.

Scaffidi, himself a gun owner and self-described Republican, said he knows his position supporting gun reforms isn't popular. But he pledged to get involved at the request of Sikh temple shooting victims.

"I come from a gun-owning state. Lots of law-abiding citizens. They worry their 2nd Amendment rights will be eroded by any action taken," Scaffidi said. "But for me, leadership is about taking action and getting results. I know that it's not popular to take stands on some of these issues. But that's not how I do business. That's not how I live my life."

Though reforms are in doubt, Scaffidi said families of those killed have not given up.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes, within the 2nd Amendment, to make sure these (shootings) don't happen," Scaffidi said. "And that's really what our role should be."

The mayors also told Biden that polls showing strong support for expanded background checks are in line with what they are hearing from constituents.

Biden said Americans are "way ahead of elected officials" on the issue and believes such a measure will pass eventually.

About an hour after the discussion ended, the Senate voted down a measure, referred to as the Manchin-Toomey amendment, that would have expanded background checks, according to CBS News.

"Those are simple things we should have already done, frankly," Scaffidi said of background checks.

Scaffidi and Oak Creek have been in the middle of the gun reform debate since January, just a few weeks after the mass shooting in Newtown, Ct.

The mayor met with Biden and President Barack Obama Jan. 16 in Washington and is also part of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns group. Police Chief John Edwards was part of a White House meeting on Jan. 28, and some family members of those killed Aug. 5 have joined the push for reforms.