Singer, songwriter and longtime Democratic activist Carole King is lobbying Senator Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, to support expanded background checks for gun purchases. Crapo voted against the Toomey-Manchin background checks legislation in April, but King continues to push her home-state senator to change his mind.
"He voted for reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act," said King in an interview. "If you could vote for that act because of your conscience, your conscience should tell you to vote for gun safety, for background checks."
King acknowledged that Crapo, one of the most conservative members of the Senate, rarely shares her political positions. In April, Nate Silver put Crapo’s probability of supporting background checks at zero percent. King, a gun owner, has known Crapo for years and is "trying to have a dialogue with him" about the issue.
King’s political activism has spanned five decades and ranged from grassroots organizer to presidential campaign surrogate. She recalls canvassing for John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign in 1960 before she could vote. King is currently dedicated to protecting the Northern Rockies ecosystem, which includes her rural home in Idaho. She has joined fellow star Robert Redford in pushing to stop the federal government from slaughtering wild horses to stabilize their population.
Last week the Grammy organization announced King has been selected as the MusiCares Person of the Year for her creative accomplishments, charitable work and political activism.