Parents of Lexi Rubio, one of the 19 children and two teachers killed in the Uvalde School Massacre, met with Sen. Ted Cruz Wednesday for his support of a federal assault weapons ban.
Kimberly and Felix Rubio met with several senators, including Cruz, after their daughter Lexi was killed by a gunman in a school shooting in May, Kimberly said in a tweet.
The Rubio's showed Ted Cruz their last picture of Lexi, which is her lying in her child-size casket. When asked about his support of a ban, the Rubio's said he declined but instead offered support for increasing law enforcement presence on school campuses.
Felix shared our last photo of Lexi - in her child-size casket - as we asked @tedcruz to protect his constituents by supporting a federal ban on assault weapons. He declined. Instead, he said he supports increasing law enforcement presence on school campuses. pic.twitter.com/c1Tk0qO3y6
— Kimberly Mata-Rubio (@kimrubio21) September 14, 2022
"We, Kimberly and Felix Rubio, have met with several senators today. Some offered full support for a federal ban on assault weapons, others had questions regarding the legislation. However, our representative, Ted Cruz showed no sympathy for the loss of 21 of his constituents. He opposed a ban on assault weapons and suggested an increase in law enforcement presence on campuses to combat the rise in mass shootings. Before we left, I told him, 'I’ll make damn sure you aren’t re-elected',” said the Rubio family.
The Press Office of Cruz responded with an initial statement after speaking with the family.
"Today, Sen. Cruz met with the Mata-Rubios and he saw firsthand the pain and grief that the unspeakable violence at Robb Elementary school caused. After meeting with them, Sen. Cruz went to the Senate floor to fight for his school safety legislation. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats blocked it with no explanation of why they don’t support doubling the number of police officers in schools, hiring 15,000 school-based mental health professionals, and increasing the physical security for children in schools.”
Cruz further elaborated in an additional statement explaining how his efforts to "protect children and safeguard schools" were blocked by Senate Democrats, including blocking his Securing Our Schools Act and another act that would allow unspent COVID-19 federal funds sent to schools to be used in improving school safety.
"There have been too damn many mass shootings...we need to again revisit what we can do to keep them safe from mass shooters," Cruz said in a statement. “Their parents are scared and they've expressed concerns that the security measures at schools and Uvalde haven't improved enough to make them feel safe."
“What we just saw reveals that the Democrats have one objective when a mass murder happens, and that is to take away the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens... If another lunatic attacks a school and there’s not a police officer at the front door to stop it, remember right now..." Cruz said after he faced objection from a Democrat on the Senate floor.
Family members affected by the massacre at Robb Elementary have previously said they have not heard from Gov. Abbott and other state lawmakers.
Kimberly referred to a ban on assault weapons as a "black and white" issue, saying too many Americans have died to consider any gray areas.
Regarding a federal ban on assault weapons: you either support saving lives or you care more about aiding the individuals who commit mass shootings. It’s a black and white issue. Too many Americans have died to consider any gray areas.
— Kimberly Mata-Rubio (@kimrubio21) September 14, 2022
