Shooting survivor shames governor for skipping town hall: 'He's scared'
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is afraid to face students calling him out on guns.

Survivors of the Parkland, Florida, mass shooting are putting relentless pressure on Republicans, including their governor, Rick Scott, to do something about gun violence, and they’re not taking no for an answer.
Many of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students who have been leading a movement to end gun violence will be participating in a town hall event Wednesday night, rather than giving Trump a photo op. CNN has invited Trump, Scott, and and several Florida politicians to the event.
That invitation was echoed by David Hogg, one of the student leaders, who implored Trump and Scott to attend.
“We dont need to listen it’s the politicians that MUST listen to the SCREAMS of the children and the nation,” he wrote.
Rep. Ted Deutch and Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio have committed to attending the session, but Trump and Scott have other plans for Wednesday night.
Sarah Chadwick, another Parkland student who has been active in their powerful movement, called Scott out over his refusal to attend.
“Upset to hear our governor Rick Scott wont be attending the town hall meeting on Wednesday,” Chadwick wrote on Twitter. “To be fair, he does have an A+ rating from the NRA, and i think he’s scared of my peers and i.”
Scott does, indeed, enjoy an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association, which he has earned by weakening Florida’s already-lax gun laws.
The NRA showered him with praise in 2014, when he “signed more pro-gun bills into law — in one term — than any other governor in Florida history.”
It specifically noted his support of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which allows civilians to use deadly force when they perceive a threat, real or not.
He is not alone. Republicans have long been in thrall to the NRA, but the Parkland kids are shining a light on the GOP’s cowardice in the face of this destructive lobbying group. NRA puppets like Scott can run, but they can’t hide.
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