Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) on Friday said that FBI Director Chris Wray should resign over the bureau’s failure to act on a tip it received in January about the alleged gunman who attacked a Florida high school on Wednesday, leaving 17 people dead.
“The FBI’s failure to take action against this killer is unacceptable,” Scott said in a statement. “We constantly promote ‘see something, say something,’ and a courageous person did just that to the FBI. And the FBI failed to act. ‘See something, say something’ is an incredibly important tool and people must have confidence in the follow through from law enforcement. The FBI director needs to resign.”
BREAKING: Florida Gov. Rick Scott calls for FBI director to resign in wake of Florida school shooting: "The FBI’s failure to take action against this killer is unacceptable…The FBI Director needs to resign.” https://t.co/5DYo8MbWOK pic.twitter.com/wxausCMb41
— ABC News (@ABC) February 16, 2018
The FBI on Friday said that it failed to follow up on a tip from a person close to Nikolas Cruz, the alleged shooter. According to a statement from the agency, the person informed the FBI of Cruz’s “gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting.”
Scott is considering running to represent Florida in the Senate and is reportedly close with President Donald Trump, who has recently launched an all-out attack on the FBI because he believes some officials are biased against his presidency.
Look over there, Don’t look at me…
My state’s gun laws are among the most lax in the nation, and many of them were weakened at my initiative while I’ve been governor. So let me blame someone else for the horrific crime that happened on my watch, a crime that my personal actions not only made possible but even likely.
Gee, could there be something else at work here? Like Florida’s let’s-make-everyone-carry-a-gun culture? Or Trump’s desire to get rid of Wray?
(More seriously, what is needed is a bigger budget for the FBI. Get the money from some DoD public relations boondoggle.)
Thank you, governor, for speaking so candidly.
So, since Trump reversed a rule banning gun purchases by the mentally ill, one year ago this month, maybe he should resign as well?!?!.