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Teen who protected autistic brother during Fla. school shooting challenges Rubio to stop accepting donations from the NRA

The New York Daily News - 2/22/2018

Feb. 21--A 17-year-old who protected his autistic brother during the deadly Florida school shooting last week challenged Marco Rubio to stop accepting donations from the National Rifle Association on Wednesday night.

The audience at a CNN town hall event erupted in cheers when high school junior Cameron Kasky asked, "So Sen. Rubio, can you tell me right now that you will not accept a single donation from the NRA in the future?"

Rubio, along with Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Ted Deutch, met with students, faculty and family members one week after suspected gunman Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Kasky initially asked Rubio to assure one of his classmates who hopes to join the military that "he's going to live to make it to serve our country."

The Republican said, "Not only are you going to live to serve your country, you and you and all of you have a chance to change our country. Change not just our laws but the way we talk about our laws. So absolutely."

But when Kasky challenged Rubio to disavow NRA donations, the senator skirted around the question and suggested he was not swayed by the NRA's money.

"The influence of these groups comes not from money, the influence comes from the millions of people that agree with the agenda," he said.

Rubio,who has received more than $3 million in campaign spending from the NRA over the course of his legislative career, insisted that people "buy into my agenda" rather than the other way around.

And when he tried to pivot, Kasky didn't budge.

"Wait, hold on. So right now in the name of 17 people, you cannot ask the NRA to keep their money out of your campaign?" Kasky pressed.

Rubio responded by saying, "I think in the name of 17 people, I can pledge to you that I will support any law that will prevent a killer like this."

Kasky went on to clarify that he was asking about NRA money, but Rubio veered off track yet again.

Kasky was picking up his 15-year-old brother Holden Kasky when gunfire broke out at the high school last week.

The two hid in a classroom until they were evacuated by a SWAT team and Kasky shared his relief that both he and Holden survived.

"I didn't let go of that kid for an hour and a half," Kasky later told the Sun-Sentinel. "I am lucky as hell and I am very happy to be breathing right now air that is not coming from a tube. I am godd--n lucky."

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