CNN New Day host Chris Cuomo called out Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday, saying that they were afraid to answer questions about gun violence unless they were on Fox News.
“What are they afraid of? The mistake we’ve been making is, we don’t say by name the lawmakers of that particular state and what they have done or refused to do. So this morning, let’s undo the mistake,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo was backed up by fellow CNN colleague Brian Stelter.
"What are they afraid of?" CNN calling out @FLGovScott, @TedCruz, @MarcoRubio for avoiding interviews pic.twitter.com/cizvTyU5XP
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 15, 2018
“Rubio calls it an inexplicable tragedy,” Cuomo said. “It is the most easily explained tragedy you can have. He knows why this happens. Then you have Ted Cruz. None would come on this morning. They’re all on Fox, the mothership, because they don’t want to be asked about this.”
Cruz then tweeted on Friday morning that he had been interviewed by CNN on Thursday and asked when the interview would air.
That's funny, I spoke to CNN for 15 mins yesterday about proactive solutions to prevent gun violence (like passing the Grassley-Cruz bill—which Dems filibustered—that would add $300 million for school safety) yet CNN has aired NONE of it. Why not air the (entire) interview? https://t.co/c4GZcqTbs7
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 16, 2018
Cruz, like most Republican politicians, feels that Democrats and mainstream media outlets are trying to politicize the Florida school shooting tragedy to enact stricter gun control legislation nationwide rather than try to find a solution to end this type of violence.
Cuomo responded with his own tweet Friday that Cruz had declined to come on his show, but that the offer still stands.
Be clear: Cruz and others were invited to come on @NewDay and be tested about how to stop these shootings. They declined. If Cruz or others did an intv with Cnn thereafter fine, but they didn’t when we asked. Period. Offer stands. Anytime. Anywhere. https://t.co/Wxy1KsutIo
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) February 16, 2018
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