Thursday’s announcement by the father of the 14-year-old victim of the Florida school shooting massacre killed at her Florida high school was made by him. He’ll be joining the top ranks a progressive anti gun group in order to support like-minded candidates across the country before next year’s midterm elections.
Brady PAC will have Fred Guttenberg as a senior advisor. Jamie Guttenberg, his daughter, was an aspiring gymnast and dancer.
Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty Wednesday, to 17 counts first-degree murder in that shooting. He could be sentenced in January with the death penalty. Guttenberg, who has been a nationally recognized activist since the shooting, stated that he visited his daughter’s grave this week to “asked her for guidance.” “Cause Jamie’s strength is my strength.”
Guttenberg stated that while Jamie may have only been 14 years old, she was the most tough and wisest person she knew. Guttenberg spoke in an interview. “If you’re curious about my motivation, why I’m doing this now with Brady PAC, here’s the answer.”
Brady PAC was formed in the lead up to 2018’s midterm election. It supports candidates who support gun violence prevention. It has pledged to invest millions more in next year’s races.
Guttenberg, 55-year-old ex-small business owner, stated that “I believe we’re one election cycle away either from getting this done or losing the chance.”
He said, “Or we don’t do it.”
Guttenberg pointed out that Democrats, which are largely in agreement with him and Brady PAC on top guns issues, control Congress and could continue to hold both chambers until 2022. However, the party that wins in 2020’s White House election, like Democrats did through Joe Biden, historically loses seats in the next election.
Guttenberg stated, “I believe people should stop pretending that everyone knows what’s coming in 2022 and start working for what they want.” I want more gun safety candidates to be elected to the Senate and the House. Absolute. End of story. “I think the voters are in agreement with me.”
Cruz shot and killed 14 students and three teachers during a seven minute rampage through Stoneman Douglas. He used an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle with which he was able to fire in classrooms and hallways. Cruz was expelled from school one year prior due to a history of violent, unusual, and frightening behavior dating back to preschool.
Stoneman Douglas students were among those who started the March for Our Lives movement to push for tighter gun control in their country. Guttenberg is not the only activist. Many other parents of students who were killed in the shootings have become activists as well.
Guttenberg, who was at President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address in February 2017, began shouting after the Republican president stated, “I will always defend your Second Amendment right of keep and bear arms.” Guttenberg was later escorted away and later apologized via twitter.
In September 2018, Guttenberg was also noticed in Congress when he tried to shake hands during a break in the Senate confirmation hearing with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh turned his head and walked away. Kavanaugh later stated that he assumed Guttenberg was a protester. He would have shown sympathy and shaken Guttenberg’s hand if he recognized him, before he was taken away by his security guards. Kavanaugh was admitted to the court.
Brady PAC is the political arm a non-profit named after James Brady, former White House press secretary. Brady was shot in the head during the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan at the Washington Hilton Hotel in 1981.
Brady, along with his wife, became a prominent gun control activist just before his death in 2014. Brady is remembered in a federal law that requires background checks on handgun buyers.