The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
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Posted: Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:33 PM
Florida Governor Rick Scott Calls On FBI Director Christopher Wray To Resign After Reports Surface FBI Failed To Investigated Tips Of Florida Shooter's Intent To Plot Attack
Scott on Friday sharply criticized the federal law enforcement agency, saying in a statement that the "FBI's failure to take action against this killer is unacceptable."
The FBI acknowledged it failed to act on a tip to its hotline that Nikolas Cruz had a "desire to kill."
In a statement, Scott said that "an apology will never bring these 17 Floridians back to life or comfort the families who are in pain." Gov. Scott's full statement is included with this article.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio also criticized the FBI separately, saying it was "inexcusable" the FBI did not follow protocols. He said that Congress should launch its own investigations into what happened.
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3 p.m.
Vice President Mike Pence has called the mass shooting at a Florida high school "every parent's nightmare" and says the nation is praying for the victims and their families.
Pence spoke Friday on a stop in San Antonio, Texas, about Wednesday's shooting in Broward County, Florida, that claimed 17 lives. The vice president says "the heartache in Broward County is unimaginable" but it's a heartache that many Texans know from the deadly shooting last year at a church" in that state.
The vice president says, "then as now, our hearts were broken. Then as now, heroes were forged."
Pence is on a fundraising trip to Texas and also plans to inspect the U.S.-Mexican border as lawmakers debate immigration proposals.