During a May 25 press conference following the Uvalde, TX massacre that left 19 children and 2 teachers dead, politician Beto O’Rourke publicly challenged Texas governor Greg Abbott.
“This is totally predictable,” O’Rourke can be heard saying in video footage. Onstage sat Gov. Abbott, Senator Ted Cruz, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and more attendees. O’Rourke was called “pathetic” by one of the men.
“You’re out of line and an embarrassment,” Lt. Gov. Patrick also said during the exchange.
O’Rourke was escorted out of the auditorium by law enforcement. He then shared his own remarks, starting with his disdain for Gov. Abbott’s methodology as a leader, saying, “He’s refused to expand Medicaid, which would bring $10 million a year, including mental health care access for people who need it.” He also said, “He’s refused to champion red flag laws…He’s refused to support safe-storage laws so young people cannot get their hands on their parents’ weapons.”
He also spoke specifically about the Uvalde gunman, Salvador Ramons, “who just turned 18, bought an AR-15 and took it into an elementary school and shot kids in the face and killed them.”
O’Rourke, who ran for president during the 2020 election, is currently running for governor of Texas. The election will take place on November 8, 2022.