Minnesota gun control fight: Annunciation victim's parents fault Lisa Demuth
Demuth and Klobuchar clash in MN governor race
The Minnesota governor's race is heating up as the parents of a 10-year-old girl killed in the Annunciation shooting accuse candidate Lisa Demuth of blocking key gun control legislation. Jackie Flavin and Mike Moyski, campaigning alongside Amy Klobuchar, say Demuth broke her promise to allow a floor vote on an assault-style weapons ban. Demuth defended her record during a recent televised debate, pointing to alternative school safety measures her campaign supported.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Gun legislation has become a major point of tension in Minnesota's governor race as the parents of the girl killed in the Annunciation shooting campaign with Klobuchar.
Parents bring shooting fight to campaign trail
What we know:
At a campaign event for Klobuchar, Jackie Flavin and Mike Moyski said they had met with lawmakers after the Annunciation shooting to push for what they called meaningful gun control legislation after their 10-year-old daughter was killed.
Flavin and Moyski said Demuth told them she would not block a bill that would ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines from reaching a floor vote. They said that when a bill with those provisions passed the Senate and reached the House, Demuth declined to bring it up for a floor vote.
"And we did ask her if she could help support a vote or help let it go through, and she told that she wouldn't block it. But then as we know, she did," said Flavin.
"So I think she lied to us in our living room intentionally, I don't know, but then continued to lie as we called it out," said Moyski.
The backstory:
After the Annunciation shooting last year, the parents met with state lawmakers about passing gun legislation. The disagreement is now carrying into the closing stretch of the governor's race.
A day after Klobuchar and Demuth faced off in Wednesday night's first and only televised debate, the issue continued to heat up between the two campaigns.
READ MORE: Klobuchar, Demuth face off in final Minnesota governor debate
What did Klobuchar and Demuth leave unanswered?
Hamline University political science professor David Schultz breaks down the key arguments and unanswered questions from the Minnesota governor's debate between Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Republican Lisa Demuth, that was shown on FOX 9 on Wednesday.
Debate comments sharpen governor race
What they're saying:
Klobuchar brought up the issue during Wednesday night's debate with Demuth, pushing the disagreement about gun votes into one of the race's sharpest points.
The Demuth campaign shared the following statement regarding what was said at the campaign event:
"The heartbreaking loss of life at Annunciation is a horrendous tragedy in our state’s history. Speaker Demuth's own children were on the campus of Rocori High School when a shooter killed two classmates in 2003. She has fought for and will continue to fight for greater security upgrades and mental health resources for all kids. There were seven votes during the legislative session on these issues, and Speaker Demuth supported elements of the Annunciation parents' agenda, including mobile crisis grants and required anonymous threat reporting systems in all schools. Speaker Demuth has supported security funding for all kids in all schools, including in private schools, which Democrats over and over again have blocked."