Beto O’Rourke and Greg Abbott. Images: O’Rourke campaign and Wiki Commons, Gage Skidmore
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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke accused Texas' GOP leaders of "doing nothing and offering us nothing" in the wake of the massacre at Robb Elementary School.
Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke on Wednesday interrupted a press conference led by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz, and other top officials, walking up to the stage and accusing the state leaders of “doing nothing and offering us nothing” in the wake of the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
“This is on you, until you choose to do something,” O’Rourke said as security attempted to escort him away from the stage.
As Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin called O’Rourke a “sick son of a bitch” who “needs to get his ass out of here” and several others—including law enforcement—pointedly told him to leave, at least one person in the crowd could be heard yelling, “Let him speak! Let him speak!”
Watch:
Progressive firebrand Nina Turner praised O’Rourke for disrupting the press conference, saying he’s “bringing the correct energy here” as political leaders in Texas and across the country refuse to act in the face of persistent deadly gun violence.
Just before O’Rourke approached the stage in the Uvalde auditorium, Abbott claimed that “more mental health support” is needed to stop mass shootings like the one on Tuesday, which left 19 children and two adults dead.
But moments earlier, Abbott said the gunman—identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos—had “no known mental health history.” Ramos legally purchased two AR-15-style rifles in the days after his 18th birthday.
Abbott and Cruz are both slated to speak at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting on Friday.
I had a boss that once said “if your hair is on fire, ACT like your hair is on fire.”@BetoORourke is bringing the correct energy here. pic.twitter.com/FwetSigD9Z
Shannon Watts, founder of the advocacy group Moms Demand Action, said O’Rourke is a “hero” and—pointing to the state officials’ furious response to the interruption—added, “If only they’d get this angry about gun violence.”
Speaking to the press before crashing Abbott’s press conference, O’Rourke said that “it is insane that we allow an 18-year-old to go in and buy an AR-15.”
“What the hell did we think he was going to do with that?” O’Rourke asked.
Listen to O’Rourke’s comments:
“It is insane that we allow an 18-year-old to go in and buy an AR-15. What the hell did we think he was going to do with that?”
Beto O’Rourke speaks to reporters after confronting Gov. Greg Abbott.
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