Gov. Abbott cancels NRA convention appearance to visit Uvalde

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott canceled his National Rifle Association convention appearance on Friday to hold a press conference in Uvalde.
• Abbott will still provide a pre-recorded video at the NRA event.
• Former President Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz will still attend the NRA convention.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott canceled his National Rifle Association convention appearance on Friday. He will instead go to Uvalde to further address this Tuesday’s school shooting massacre, according to his office.

The Republican governor will hold a press conference on “state resources available for those impacted by the Robb Elementary School shooting,” his spokesperson Mark Miner told the Houston Chronicle.

Miner added that Abbott will still deliver “pre-recorded video remarks” at the NRA event.

President Joe Biden called for tighter gun control laws after an 18-year-old opened fire at Robb Elementary School, killing 19 children and two adults.

Abbott was criticized for planning to attend and speak at the Houston NRA event days after the school shooting, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, the Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate, interrupted Abbott’s press conference on the Uvalde shooting, yelling at Texas officials for “doing nothing.”

On Wednesday, he tweeted: “Governor Abbott, if you have any decency, you will immediately withdraw from this weekend’s NRA convention and urge them to hold it anywhere but Texas.”

Former President Donald Trump has confirmed his attendance at the NRA convention. Sen. Ted Cruz is also expected to deliver a speech at the event.

Cruz also faced backlash for his response to the shooting after he called for more armed cops on school campuses and offered his prayers to victims.

Source: Axios