GOP lawmaker shows off AR-15 in office, challenges Biden to ‘come and take it’

Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) on Friday challenged former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to take his AR-15-style rifle from his congressional office in Washington, D.C.

“I have just one message for Joe Biden and [former Rep.] Beto O’Rourke [D-Texas), if you want to take everyone’s AR-15s, why don’t you swing by my office in Washington, D.C. and start with this one?” Buck tweeted.

“Come and take it,” he added. The tweet also had a video of Buck taking the gun off of his office wall and holding it.

I have just one message for Joe Biden and Beto O’Rourke, if you want to take everyone’s AR-15s, why don’t you swing by my office in Washington, D.C. and start with this one?

Come and take it. #2A pic.twitter.com/jG2SiXetov

— Congressman Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) March 6, 2020

The gibe came after O’Rourke made an appearance on stage with Biden at a campaign rally in Dallas.

“I want to make something clear: I’m going to guarantee you this is not the last you’ve seen of him,” Biden told the crowd Monday, referring to O’Rourke.

“You’re going to take care of the gun problem with me. You’re going to be the one who leads this effort,” Biden continued.

O’Rourke, who was a Democratic presidential candidate early in this election cycle before dropping out, promised in a September primary debate to take away legally obtained assault rifles if he was elected.

“Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47,” the former congressman said at the time.

Buck has had the AR-15 in his office since at least 2015, when a picture of him and former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) posing with the gun raised eyebrows. 

The District of Columbia has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, and AR-15s are banned. However, according to the Capitol Police, “members of Congress may maintain firearms within the confines of their office and they and any employee or agent of any member of Congress may transport within the Capitol Grounds firearms unloaded and securely wrapped.”