After Beto's AR-15 Pledge, He Sees a 'Death Threat'

Texas lawmaker tweets that 'my AR is ready for you,' and Twitter removes it
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 13, 2019 8:51 AM CDT
After Beto's AR-15 Pledge, He Sees a 'Death Threat'
Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke responds to a question Thursday during the debate in Houston.   (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Beto O'Rourke delivered one of the most talked-about lines of Thursday night's debate when he declared, "Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47." Now a Texas lawmaker is in the spotlight for his response, reports CBS News. "My AR is ready for you Robert Francis," wrote state Rep. Briscoe Cain in a tweet that has since been removed by Twitter. O'Rourke called it a "death threat" in a tweet of his own, and CNN reported that his campaign would be reporting it to the FBI. Cain then called O'Rourke a "child" on Twitter, and later wrote, "Come and take it!" per the Dallas Morning News.

Twitter agreed with O'Rourke that the original message was out of bounds, with a spokesperson saying it was removed because "you may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people." O'Rourke's comment during the debate was in reference to his proposal to institute a mandatory buyback program for assault weapons if he becomes president. The Morning News adds a bit of background on Cain, noting that he revealed last year on the state House floor that he has Asperger's. (More Beto O'Rourke stories.)

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