Rubio finds himself under siege at town hall
SUNRISE, Fla. — Republican Sen. Marco Rubio was put on the defensive Wednesday by angry students, teachers and parents who are demanding stronger gun-control measures after the shooting rampage that claimed 17 lives at a Florida high school.
One of those confronting the Florida senator at a CNN’s “Stand Up” town hall Wednesday night was Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was killed Feb. 14 with 16 others. Rubio was the lone Republican at the nationally broadcast gathering after Florida’s GOP Gov. Rick Scott and President Donald Trump declined invitations to appear at the event.
Guttenberg told Rubio that his comments about the shooting “and those of your president this week have been pathetically weak.”
People stood up and cheered Guttenberg as he challenged Rubio to tell him the truth, to acknowledge that “guns were the factor in the hunting of our kids.”
Guttenberg added, “And tell me you will work with us to do something about guns.”
Rubio responded that the problems laid bare by the shooting rampage “cannot be solved by gun laws alone,” drawing jeers. Rubio responded that he would support laws barring those 18 or under from buying such weapons, support changing the background-check system and getting rid of so-called bump stocks.
He said that if he believed an assault weapons ban “would have prevented this from happening, I would have supported it.” That also drew jeers.
Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, both Democrats from Florida, also were on the dais.
Student Cameron Kasky did not mince words with Rubio, saying: “Can you tell me right now that you will not accept a single donation from the NRA?” The room erupted in cheers before Rubio replied that people buy into his agenda and that he supports laws to keep guns out of the hands of deranged people.
Deputies to carry rifles in schools
Broward County, Florida, Sheriff Scott Israel has ordered all of his deputies who qualify to begin carrying rifles on school grounds. The rifles will be locked in patrol cars when not in use until the agency secures gun lockers and lockers, he said.
“We need to be able to defeat any threat that comes into campus,” Israel said Wednesday.
The sheriff said the school superintendent fully supported his decision.
The school resource officer at Douglas High School was carrying a weapon when the massacre happened last week, but he did not discharge it. The sheriff said the officer’s actions are still being investigated.
Florida pension fund has stake in gunmakers
Florida’s main pension fund for state workers and teachers has a half-milliondollar stake in the company that makes the rifle used in the shooting at Douglas High School.
The Florida Retirement System had more than 41,000 shares in American Outdoor Brands Co. with a market value of $528,000, according to a Dec. 31 securities filing. American Outdoor Brands is the Massachusettsbased parent company of Smith & Wesson.
Federal law enforcement officials say Nikolas Cruz used a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle to kill 17 people at the school in Parkland on Feb. 14.
The pension fund also invested in gunmaker Sturm & Ruger and companies that make ammunition.
Joanne McCall, president of the Florida Education Association, said she was sickened to learn about the investment, adding that school employees have no say in it.