Release: Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Marco Rubio Fundraises in Atlanta Days After Politicizing and Fearmongering the Nation on Terrorism
Atlanta, GA – Proving that it’s not just the GOP’s frontrunners that pander with appeals of a darker nature, Marco Rubio—in Atlanta today for a fundraiser—has spent the last several days sowing fear and division on the campaign trail.
A little over a week ago, Rubio claimed the tragic acts of terror in Paris were a “positive development” for the presidential campaign. Rubio even paired the Paris tragedy with a fundraising pitch. Keep in mind this is the same guy who skipped several critical national security hearings to raise money for his campaign.
While his response to the horrific tragedy in Paris was swift (albeit distasteful), his silence after the Planned Parenthood shooting in Colorado was deafening. Marco Rubio, like most of his Republican colleagues running for President, failed to respond for days. Rubio’s response to the act of domestic terrorism paled to the actual tragedy that took place, saying “the vast majority of shootings happen when a criminal is shooting another criminal.” Three Americans were murdered that day—including a police officer and Iraq war veteran—and nine were wounded. These brave women and men were not criminals.
“I’m fed-up listening to the fabricated tales spun by Republicans like Marco Rubio about reproductive healthcare. That kind of propaganda not only leads to destructive legislation barring access to affordable and quality healthcare, it incites violence against our friends and neighbors,” said Rebecca DeHart, the Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
“We have real problems in this nation. Mass shootings are becoming a rule, not an exception. And pulling a Rubio, that is burying your head in the sand while spewing talking points, is not the kind of leader our nation needs. We need someone willing to stand up for victims of terrorism and violence—and address the culture and environment that allows the perpetrators of these heinous acts to carry them out.”
“Women, men, and children are dying in the streets, in the classroom, in places of worship, and in health clinics. We cannot become numb to this crisis. President Obama and our 2016 democratic candidates have laid out clear plans to make our communities safer. I’ve yet to see anyone on the Republican side have the guts to try and see these plans through.”