Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz says Marco Rubio voted to “ban guns from parks” while he was a city commissioner in West Miami in 1999. The Rubio campaign responded by claiming Cruz’s allegation is a “desperate” act and a lie.
Breitbart News has minutes from the March 3, 1999, “Regular Commission Meeting” where Rubio’s vote was recorded as part of a unanimous decision for a gun ban in “county and municipal parks” and other recreational areas and facilities.
According to the minutes from that meeting:
The Mayor called Item 10, request for resolution on prohibiting the use of firearms in parks. The City Attorney read the resolution into the record as follows: “Resolution of the Mayor and City Commission of West Miami, Florida, strongly urging the members of the Florida Legislature to revise Section 790.06(12), Florida Statutes, and close the loophole by adding language to prohibit firearms in county or municipal parks, recreational facilities, or playgrounds, which are locations where children frequently congregate.”
Commissioner Diaz-Padron made a motion to approve the resolution as read. The Mayor seconded the motion and the motion was approved by unanimous vote.
These minutes notwithstanding, the Rubio campaign contends that Cruz’s assertion that Rubio voted for the ban is not true. Texas Tribune reporter Patrick Sviteck tweeted that the Rubio campaign responded to Cruz’s allegations by saying, “Senator Cruz is getting increasingly desperate and giving up on trying to telling voters the truth. Marco is proud of his strong support for and record of standing up for the Second Amendment and no amount of Cruz lies can change that.”
It should be noted that this is not the first time Rubio has been called out publicly for taking a less-than-pro-gun position. On November 7, 2009, the Tampa Bay Times reported that former NRA president Marion Hammer was not impressed with Rubio’s energy for pro-gun issues while he was Florida House Speaker (2007-2008). Hammer said, “He was a big disappointment to us when he was the speaker. He talked the talk, but he didn’t walk the walk.”
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
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