Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke tore into Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s policies moments after derailing his Wednesday press conference.
O’Rourke derailed Abbott’s press conference in Uvalde, Texas, that responded to the Robbs Elementary School shooting that killed at least 19 children and two adults. After being escorted out of the auditorium, the former Texas representative claimed Abbott has done nothing to address mass shootings throughout the state in recent years.
“He talked about that this was evil. The only thing evil is what he continues to do to the people of this state,” O’Rourke told reporters. “He says this was unpredictable. It was totally predictable, and I predict this will continue to happen when you continue to have a governor who will not stand up for the people of Texas.”
O’Rourke claimed Abbott “bragged” about lifting gun restrictions in the aftermath of the 2019 El Paso mass shooting that left at least 20 people dead. (RELATED: Democrats, Liberals Jump At The Opportunity To Politicize Horrific Shooting)
“He said he was going to do something. He did nothing. In fact, the only thing he did was make it easier to buy a gun. The only he did was make it easier to carry a gun in public, and he bragged about the fact that there would be no background check, no training, no vetting whatsoever.”
The gubernatorial candidate criticized Abbott for his scheduled speech at the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) Annual Leadership Forum this coming Friday.
“He’s scheduled to speak at the NRA convention this Friday in Houston, Texas, just days after these kids were slaughtered right here in Uvalde,” O’Rourke said. “After they were slaughtered at Santa Fe High School, at Sutherland Springs, in Midland Odessa, in El Paso, Texas. Five of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history right here in this state in the last five years, he was governor for every single one of them.”
“And after every one of these he holds a press conference just like this, and I wish to hell when he came to El Paso someone would have stood up and held him to account and confronted him and shocked the conscience of the state to do something, because if we do nothing, we will continue to see this.” (RELATED: ‘Hard To Think’: Trump Responds To Texas Mass Shooting)
O’Rourke previously walked to the stage of the press conference telling Abbott he was “doing nothing” to stop mass shootings, and that he was responsible for Tuesday’s school shooting. Officials attending the conference, including Republican Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, retaliated, telling him he is “out of line” and to not “pull a stunt.”
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin called O’Rourke a “sick son of a bitch,” and accused him of politicizing the shooting.