Democratic lawmakers and the father of a 14-year-old killed in a previous school shooting were among those who unleashed on Republicans.
Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, was among those who refused to hide his fury at the right-wing lawmakers whose allegiance to the powerful gun lobby has allowed mass killings like the one in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday to continue.
On Twitter Wednesday, Guttenberg railed against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who took $300,000 in donations from the gun lobby during his last Senate race, after the senator said he was “fervently lifting up in prayer” the victims of the shooting.
“Ted Cruz, FUCK YOU,” said the gun control advocate. “This is on your hands. Don’t put out messages like this.”
I sat with you 3 years ago. I begged you to have a different response to gun violence. You went forward from there & continued to mock people like me. @tedcruz, FUCK YOU. This is on your hands. Don’t put out messages like this. Walk to @ChrisMurphyCT and do something now. https://t.co/ZvKcRg3TTd
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 25, 2022
Guttenberg’s comments came a day after he appeared on MSNBC to offer support to the 21 families who lost loved ones in the southwest Texas town before saying pro-gun politicians “fucking failed our kids again” and calling on Cruz to work with Democrats to pass gun control legislation.
“You be the Republican who says, ‘I’ve had enough,’ because if you don’t, get your ass out of office, you don’t belong there,” he said.
Cruz is scheduled to speak at the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) conference taking place in Houston this weekend.
The senator has told activists in recent years that “it’s not that easy” to pass gun control legislation such as universal background check requirements—which are supported by the vast majority of Americans, including 72% of NRA members.
“I guess cashing his check from the NRA this weekend will be pretty easy, though,” writer and gun control advocate Ben Jackson said.
In addition to Murphy, who angrily asked Republican lawmakers, “Why are you here?” in his Senate floor speech, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) unleashed on his right-wing colleagues including Cruz and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.). Along with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Sinema has objected to filibuster reform, making it impossible for her own party to pass gun control legislation as well as other Democratic agenda items.
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