Drew Wilson
In a Wednesday email Democratic House District 93 candidate Emma Collum called Republican rival Chip LaMarca “cowardly and AWOL” for his failure to vote for gun resolutions before the Broward County Commission.
“Commissioner LaMarca’s ridiculous claims of technology failure at two critical moments during the commission meeting are shameless. I refuse to blame Boost Mobile for Commissioner LaMarca’s personal shortcomings. I blame him and him alone. I blame a lack of courage in standing up to the gun lobby on behalf of the citizens of our community,” Collum said.
Collum then attacked LaMarca, who holds the District 4 commission seat, for not casting a vote in favor of a pair of resolutions — one urging the federal government to take immediate action on gun control, including an assault weapons ban, and another that would instruct the county to explore banning gun shows and the possession of firearms on county property.
LaMarca, who called into the meeting, said phone problems prevented him from voting on the resolutions.
“As the rest of the commission voted unanimously to do the right thing, LaMarca went AWOL and did nothing to make our community safer – or to do right by the victims of the unspeakable tragedy in Parkland,” Collum said.
“Yesterday, Commissioner LaMarca had the opportunity to heed their calls and be a leader on this issue. Instead, he disappeared. It was a cowardly act and our community deserves better than the commissioner’s lame excuses and abdication of duty. To think that he is now asking voters to send him to the State House, where his only job will be to cast votes, is beyond comprehension.”
Collum and LaMarca are running for the House seat currently held by Republican Rep. George Moraitis, who faces term limits in 2018.
HD 93 is a Republican oasis within left-leaning county and LaMarca is currently the only GOP candidate in the race. Collum is running against Stephanie Myers for the Democratic nomination.
