[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 117 (Thursday, July 12, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4924-S4926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Annapolis Mass Shooting

  Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I rise today to discuss a topic far too 
many of my colleagues have also had to face--yet another fatal mass 
shooting in their State. This time it was in Annapolis, MD, in our 
State capital.
  Exactly 2 weeks ago, on June 28, at about 2:30 p.m., a 38-year-old 
man who had a longstanding spurious grudge against the Capital Gazette 
newspaper made good on his sworn threats. He entered the newspaper 
offices, headed to the newsroom, and by the time he was done, he had 
shot and killed five employees of this community newspaper.
  The Capital Gazette is the local paper of record in Annapolis. It is 
one of the oldest, continuously published newspapers in the United 
States. It traces its roots back to the Maryland Gazette, which began 
publishing in 1727, and to the Capital, which was founded in 1884.
  This loss of life is personal to so many in Annapolis and around our 
State. You need to understand that the Capital Gazette is as much a 
part of the fabric of Annapolis as the State government it covers. It 
is perhaps embodied in Thomas Jefferson's famous quote: ``Were it left 
to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers 
or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate a moment to 
prefer the latter.''
  Just 2 weeks ago, a man with a shotgun--a man who had made known his 
threats against this paper--purposefully entered the building which 
houses the Capital Gazette and killed people.
  Let me take a moment to mourn those lost and to thank the first 
responders who first appeared on the scene literally 60 seconds after 
the first 911 call. Location means everything in

[[Page S4925]]

so many areas. On this day, 2 weeks ago, the fact that there were Anne 
Arundel County police officers down the street from the Capital Gazette 
offices at the time the shooting started most definitely saved lives. 
According to the Annapolis police chief, Timothy Altomare, within 2 
minutes, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Annapolis 
Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office had 
rushed into the offices and into the newsroom to apprehend the gunman.
  State and Federal law enforcement--including the FBI, the ATF, and 
many others--arrived soon thereafter to support local officials in 
their efforts to clear the building and meticulously investigate the 
scene. I want to thank each and every one of those law enforcement 
officers, from the individuals who rushed into the newsroom not knowing 
what danger they might encounter to those helping get others to safety, 
to those gathering the evidence to ensure nothing was lost in the 
bustle and chaos of the moment, and to those diverting traffic so that 
people could be safely evacuated and the investigators could do their 
jobs safely. I thank each and every professional who did their job and 
contributed to this emergency response.
  We often say about our first responders that when we run from 
trouble, they run to it in order to save our lives. We owe our first 
responders our thanks and our admiration for the manner in which they 
handled this assignment under extreme circumstances.
  Unfortunately, when faced with an individual intent on killing, lives 
were lost despite the swift response by law enforcement. Among them was 
Gerald Fischman, 61, who was an editor with more than 25 years of 
service with the Capital Gazette and was known at the newspaper and 
throughout the community for his brilliant mind and writing. Most 
often, it was his voice and his insightfulness that came through on the 
editorial pages of the Capital Gazette.
  Fischman was described by Rick Hutzell, the Capital Gazette's editor, 
as ``someone whose life was committed to protecting our community by 
telling hard truths.''
  Rob Hiaasen, 59, was a columnist, editor, teacher, and storyteller 
who brought compassion and humor to his community-focused reporting. 
Rob was described as a coach and mentor to many. According to former 
Baltimore Sun columnist Susan Reimer, he was ``so happy working with 
young journalists. . . . He wanted to create a newsroom where everyone 
was growing.''
  John McNamara, 56, was a skilled writer and avid sports fan, who 
combined these passions in his 24-year career as a sports reporter at 
the Capital Gazette.
  Former Capital Gazette sports editor Gerry Jackson said of McNamara--
or ``Mac,'' as he went by:

       He could write. He could edit. He could design pages. He 
     was just a jack of all trades and a fantastic person.

  Rebecca Smith, 34, was a newly hired sales assistant known for her 
kindness, compassion, and love for her family. ``Becca,'' as she was 
known, was described by a friend of her fiance as ``the absolute most 
beautiful person'' with ``the biggest heart'' and called her death ``a 
great loss to this world.''
  Wendi Winters, 65, was a talented writer. She built her career as a 
public relations professional and journalist. She was well-known for 
her profound reporting on the lives and achievements of people within 
the community. She was a ``proud Navy Mom'' and Navy daughter.
  As we learn more about the details of the shooting from the 
survivors, it is clear that Wendi herself saved lives during the 
attack. According to the Capital Gazette editorial that ran this past 
Tuesday, Wendi confronted and distracted the gunman with whatever she 
could find around her. The paper noted:

       Wendi died protecting her friends, but also in defense of 
     her newsroom from a murderous assault. Wendi died protecting 
     freedom of the press.

  My heartfelt condolences and prayers continue to go out to the 
families of those who were killed in this attack. They did not send 
their loved ones off to work that day knowing it would be the last day 
they would see them alive. It isn't right, and it never should have 
happened.
  The surviving staff members also deserve our praise for their 
resilience and dedication to their mission as journalists and their 
respect for their fallen colleagues. During and after the attack, staff 
continued to report by tweets, sharing information to those outside, 
taking photos and documenting information as they would at other crime 
scenes. Despite their grief, shock, anger, and mourning, surviving 
staff--with the help from their sister publication, the Baltimore Sun, 
Capital Gazette alumni, and other reporters who wanted to lend a hand 
to fellow journalists--put out a paper the following day, Friday, and 
they have done so every day since. This is known as grace under 
pressure.

  Fittingly, the editorial page the day after the shooting was 
purposely left blank with just a few words. The few words were:

       Today, we are speechless. This page is intentionally left 
     blank to commemorate victims of Thursday's shootings at our 
     office.

  The staff promised that on Saturday the page would ``return to its 
steady purpose of offering our readers informed opinion about the world 
around them, that they might be better citizens.''
  It has been incredible to witness the unity, compassion, and 
resilience of the Capital Gazette staff, the city of Annapolis, and 
Anne Arundel County.
  I want to repeat one quote from the Capital Gazette editorial page 
that bears repeating:

       Wendi Winters died protecting her friends, but also in 
     defense of her newsroom from a murderous assault. Wendi died 
     protecting freedom of the press.

  Wendi Winters and her colleagues died protecting freedom of the 
press.
  As Americans, we have certain rights and responsibilities granted to 
us through the Constitution, which establishes the rule of law in this 
country. Freedom of the press is central to the very first amendment of 
the Constitution, and it has often been under attack, figuratively 
speaking, since our Nation's founding.
  Today, those attacks have become more frequent and more literal, 
spurred on by dangerous rhetoric that has nearly created an ``open 
season'' on denigrating the media and harassing reporters and editors 
from doing their job: answering questions that need to be asked, 
investigating the stories that need to be uncovered, and bringing 
needed transparency to the halls of power, whether they are in 
Annapolis, Washington, DC, or elsewhere around the world. This rhetoric 
has gone beyond the pale and it must stop.
  Journalists, like all Americans, should be free from the fear of 
being violently attacked while doing their job.
  On this day, 2 weeks ago, just as the public was learning about the 
shooting at the Capital Gazette, I stopped in for a meeting one of my 
staffers was having with a group of students to talk about gun violence 
and school safety. Since what happened in Parkland--and we recently had 
an episode in our own State--I have been meeting with students on a 
frequent basis just to hear their concerns. In all circumstances, the 
students have expressed to me their fear and frustration with regard to 
how safe they feel in their schools. Some are angry, and all of them 
want to know when the adults will finally start acting like adults and 
do something to keep them and their country safe. Without fail, 
students have told me that ``thoughts and prayers'' simply are not 
enough. Thoughts and prayers will not protect them from bullets, and 
they want Congress to act.
  Some of my colleagues have bought into the false rhetoric that there 
is nothing we can do about these acts of violence. But students in 
Maryland and around the country know that is not true, and so do the 
American people. A recent CNN poll found that 70 percent of Americans 
now back tougher gun safety laws. These responses get higher with each 
deadly incident.
  Congress must act now to address the epidemic of gun violence in this 
country. Let's reinstate the assault weapon ban now. We can ban bump 
stocks now. Let us assure that all gun purchases have completed 
background checks.
  I understand that the weapon used in the Annapolis shootings was a 
shotgun. It would not have been covered under these new laws. But the 
fact remains that if we pass sensible gun safety laws, we will save 
lives.

[[Page S4926]]

  I do want to say clearly that ``doing something'' does not mean 
arming educators or bringing more guns into our schools. Teachers are 
hired to teach, not to be security guards. Instead of putting guns in 
the hands of educators, we need to get them out of the hands of 
attackers in the first place.
  Let me conclude with these words of one of the survivors of the 
Capital Gazette shooting. Reporter Selene San Felice shared her 
thoughts in a July 1 opinion piece for the paper. She recounted the 
moments of the shooting and shared pretty succinctly what she thinks 
needs to happen next in this country. Selene wrote:

       I watched John McNamara die. I had to step over Wendi 
     Winters to escape . . .
       If your help ends at thoughts and prayers, I don't want 
     them. What I want is action.
       I'm not just talking to the president, or our governor, or 
     our elected officials. I'm talking to every single person in 
     this nation.
       We must do better. We must vote better. We must push for 
     legislation so that this doesn't feel normal.
       Rob Hiaasen, Gerald Fischman, Wendi Winters, John McNamara, 
     Rebecca Smith and thousands of people are dead because of 
     shootings like the one I lived through.
       The man who killed the people I love bought this gun 
     legally. His record of stalking and harassment had been 
     expunged. But even if it hadn't been, he still could have 
     bought the gun he used to shoot Rebecca, Wendi, Rob, Gerald 
     and John.
       This is not political. I'm not asking for change as a 
     liberal media puppet. I'm asking for something to be done for 
     the sake of our humanity.

  I think, quite frankly, Selene is speaking for many, many people in 
our community. We need to act. Now. For Rebecca, Wendi, Rob, Gerald, 
John, and the thousands of other innocent people who have been lost to 
needless gun violence, Congress must act. We must show that we can 
protect the American people, which is perhaps the most important task 
we have as lawmakers.
  We cannot stand by and pretend we are helpless and powerless to 
prevent another tragedy. We can do something powerful today.
  With that, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sullivan). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I rise to honor the victims and the 
survivors of the terrible shooting at the Capital Gazette newspaper 
which occurred on June 28. I thank my friend and colleague Senator 
Cardin for his remarks earlier today on this floor and thank the Senate 
for taking up a resolution in memory of the victims.
  Our State of Maryland and the country were horrified by the tragic 
attacks on one of our great Maryland institutions--the Capital Gazette 
newspaper, the local newspaper of our State capital in Annapolis, which 
has been operating since 1727. It was, and is, your quintessential 
smalltown newspaper, which serves Annapolis and Anne Arundel County but 
is also a newspaper read throughout the State of Maryland.
  In that awful shooting, we lost five members of the Capital Gazette: 
Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith, and Wendi 
Winters.
  Gerald Fischman was an editorial page editor whose thoughtful columns 
and sly wit shed light on critical community issues. He was well known 
for his insatiable curiosity and his love of family, and his talent for 
writing extended to poems he composed for his wife Erica.
  Rob Hiaasen was a big man with a big presence who applied his 
considerable skills as a journalist to mentor others, both fellow 
reporters and students at the University of Maryland College of 
Journalism. He gave of his time, and he gave of his talent.
  John McNamara was a sports writer and sports fan--a big fan of the 
University of Maryland Terps. He covered everything from the Orioles to 
the local Little League. He was always generous with his time and known 
to many who follow sports around the country.
  Sales Assistant Rebecca Smith was strong and smart and a fixture at 
her fiance Dewayne's softball tournaments. She was also known to be 
unfailingly kind and always took the time to make people feel at home 
at the Gazette.
  Wendi Winters had a great sense of humor and an incredible ability to 
pull stories out of just about anyone. Her colleagues say she charged 
at the shooter, displaying the bravery and determination she had so 
many times before in her life and saving the lives of others at the 
newspaper in the process.
  Community newspapers like the Capital Gazette are more than just 
sources of news; they represent the lifeblood of our communities around 
the country and our Nation. They report on everything, big issues and 
small issues, because no issue is too small if it affects people in a 
particular community. I think all of us know these are the reporters 
who stay out late at local council meetings, they are the folks at the 
PTA meetings, they are the folks busy collecting news important to 
people in a local community. This newspaper has been at this for 
hundreds of years.
  Even after that awful shooting, the next day the Capital Gazette put 
out a newspaper, as they have every day since then, with the help of 
fellow journalists at the Baltimore Sun and elsewhere. They put out a 
newspaper that talked about the terrible shooting they experienced at 
the Capital Gazette and remembered the victims and thanked the first 
responders.
  I also salute the first responders, an incredible and brave response 
from local, State, and Federal agencies. At the local level, they were 
on the scene within 60 to 90 seconds. Had that not happened, we would 
have had even more than the terrible loss we saw that awful day.
  It also should cause all of us to think again about measures we can 
take in our communities, in our States, and at the Federal level to 
stop the violence. One of the victims, Gerald Fischman, who had been an 
editorial writer there, had written earlier in the aftermath of the 
terrible shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, and here is what 
Gerald Fischman wrote at that time:

       Of all the words this week, hopelessness may be the most 
     dangerous. We must believe there is a solution, a way to 
     prevent another mass shooting. We must believe that we can 
     find it if only we try a little harder.

  I ask every Member of the Senate, every Member of this Congress, 
every elected official, and every citizen, let's work harder to find a 
way to end the violence. There are things we can do to reduce the 
chances and the awful losses we are seeing around our country, both in 
mass shootings and daily violence.
  As we remember these victims, I ask that we dedicate ourselves to the 
mission of ending the violence.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.