Dem senator says impostor asking Arkansas families about their guns

A Democratic senator claims impostors pretending to work for his office are calling people in his state to ask how many guns they own.

Sen. Mark Pryor, of Arkansas, took to Twitter Friday to clarify that he is not the one behind those calls.

"Imposters r calling homes saying they're w my office & asking ab # of guns fams own. Dirty political trick. Im strong 2 amdt guy & gun owner," Pryor tweeted.

He followed up, saying the impostors are "committing criminal fraud" and urging anyone who receives the calls to report them to the Federal Trade Commission.

The alleged phone calls would appear to play into concerns that Congress is trying to take away Americans' firearms with its latest gun-control push.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the lead advocate for gun control legislation on the Hill, has repeatedly said that's not the intent -- her proposed assault weapons ban, which was dropped from a package of proposals the Senate is expected to consider soon, would exempt firearms that are already legally owned.

But even the whiff that a member of Congress is thinking about clawing back such firearms could prompt a backlash. Pryor is up for re-election in 2014 in a state that can be difficult for Democrats.