The way Democrats are acting with statistics nowadays you’d think a major in English was worthless.  If it’s not Hickenlooper being unable to interpret job growth rates correctly, or the fact that those 120,000 Coloradans who just got health insurance coverage for the first time through Medicaid are more likely only around 12,000 (hat-tip Sean Trende), then, it’s certainly this excellent reporting from Ivan Moreno at The Associated Press:

Supporters of universal background checks for gun purchases in Colorado say 104 denials in the first six months of the law show that the [private sales] regulation is working.

But the number alone doesn’t present a clear picture of the law’s effect.

Private-seller transaction data don’t separate checks conducted at gun shows — which have long been required — from newly-mandated checks on private and online sales. [the Peak emphasis]

Good thing Democrats aren’t running around touting that specific fact.  Wait, they tweeted what?  Stand Strong Colorado, a gun control advocacy group tweeted this gem out:

In just 6 months, over 100 criminals &dangerous people have been prevented from buying guns because of CO’s new background check law. #coleg

— StandStrong Colorado (@StandStrongCo) February 3, 2014

Now retweets aren’t endorsements… Screw that.  Yeah they are!  Why else retweet this out the day of testimony on the repeal of the 2013 background check bill?  It was retweeted because they thought it’d improve the argument they were making.   Among the illustrious retweeters: the Colorado State Senate Democrat account, State Senator Jessie Ulibarri, Representative Mike Foote.  Senator Irene Aguilar brought it up as she was grilling fellow Senator George Rivera:

.@AguilarFor32 to @riverasenate3: “You’re not understanding. By repealing b/g law…hundreds of criminals would be able to buy guns.” #coleg

— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) February 3, 2014

Governor John Hickenlooper couldn’t resist bringing it up when he talked to Colorado Public Radio earlier this week when he made it seem the repeal of last year’s new background check would suddenly allow thousands of criminals access to guns.  To say this set of facts – criminals were prevented from getting guns due to last year’s new background checks – was the basis for Democrats opposing the repeal of would not be outlandish.

This makes Moreno’s reporting for the AP just that much more distressing.  He’s presented the facts as they stand – that it’s impossible to differentiate between the new regulation and the old – and Democrats carry on with their message.  Democrats’ willingness to fudge facts to get their way is becoming an alarmingly regular occurrence.