(UnitedVoice.com) – On February 14, 2018, Joaquin Oliver brought flowers to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, for his girlfriend. The 17-year-old was planning a Valentine’s Day date with her later that day. Sadly, he never made it to that date because he was gunned down in the hallway outside of his creative writing class — one of 17 to die that day. His parents have has now made activism their life’s work, and that landed his dad in cuffs recently.
On March 23, a House committee debated a new federal rule about pistol stabilizing braces. During the hearing, Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) pointed to Mexico’s rampant gun violence despite its firearm laws. Patricia and Manuel Oliver disrupted the hearing at that point. Buzzfeed News reported, Fallon then asked Capitol police to remove the grieving parents from the hearing, which led to Manuel telling the Texas Republican that he was “full of [expletive].”
The police arrested Manuel for disrupting the hearing and then allegedly refusing to “stop shouting.” The Capitol Police Department reported the dad tried to go back into the hearing room after being removed. Officers didn’t take him to jail. A video showed police pinning Manuel to the ground during the incident.
Manuel and Patricia Oliver were removed from the hearing room
I heard a loud thud outside the room, ran out, and saw officers pinning Manuel to the ground
Rep Frost ran out shortly after: https://t.co/ZebugeU98Z pic.twitter.com/9TGc8M6Bc2
— Will Steakin (@wsteaks) March 23, 2023
Manuel continued to attack the congressman on Twitter. Fallon responded to someone on Twitter and explained he asked the police to remove the parents after they screamed at the hearing. He said everyone is required to “sit down and remain silent” during them. Manuel took a screenshot of the lawmaker’s remarks and blamed him for the arrest.
This is a lie, just like the ones you said during the hearing @FallonForTexas. You didn't ask @patriciapadauy or me to sit down. You motivated my arrest and excessive force from @CapitolPolice. Not happy with that, you made jokes about the situation. That was a wrong move and a… pic.twitter.com/rYvajlEpRr
— Manuel Oliver (@manueloliver00) March 26, 2023
Patricia Oliver claimed she was exercising her “right to free speech” when she disrupted the hearing.
This was me an hour and a half ago. I was exercising my right to free speech by saying my opinion. I am not scared to speak up for what I believe in. WE NEED TO HOLD LAWMAKERS ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKE THEM SPEAK THE TRUTH. @manueloliver00 and I are doing what is right! pic.twitter.com/jrSYx5pGvH
— Patricia Padauy -Oliver (@patriciapadauy) March 23, 2023
As for the point of the hearing, the House Oversight Committee made it clear GOP lawmakers were just trying to ensure President Joe Biden’s administration was not violating the Second Amendment.
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