Abbott bringing tech leaders to 1st meeting of Texas Safety Commission after El Paso attack
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called Monday for the help of big tech platforms in the wake of an El Paso mass shooting that authorities say was carried out by a gunman who posted a racist screed online before killing 22 people at the Cielo Vista Walmart.
It’s unclear what the invited companies, which include Google, Facebook and Twitter, will offer or say in the aftermath of the tragedy. None addressed questions about their role after Abbott announced the tech giants will join the FBI and state lawmakers on Thursday in Austin for the Texas Safety Commission’s first meeting to discuss the El Paso shooting and how to prevent future attacks.
Authorities say the suspected El Paso gunman confessed to targeting Mexicans during the Aug. 3 shooting at a Walmart. They also believe 21-year-old Patrick Crusius railed against immigrants and an influx of Hispanics into the U.S. in a rambling document that appeared on the 8chan message board.
In April, executives from Google and Facebook acknowledged while testifying before Congress that the companies have a duty to try to curb hate while being grilled about their responsibility for the spread of white supremacist views in the U.S. But they defended policies at the two companies that prohibit material that incites violence or hate.
Abbott, a Republican, described the gathering as a starting point to combat the rise of extremist groups and “hateful ideologies” and keeping guns out of the hands of “deranged individuals.” He said they will also discuss domestic terrorism and cyber security threats.
Abbott spokesman John Wittman said the tech companies were invited to offer insights. Neil Potts, Facebook director of public policy who appeared before the House Judiciary Committee earlier this year, is also set to represent the company at the meeting in Texas.
Abbott called for cracking down on internet sites used by violent extremists in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. He has not proposed any new major gun control measures ahead of Thursday’s meeting, which will include several Democratic lawmakers from El Paso who have pushed for tighter gun restrictions in Texas.
No gun-rights groups are among more than two dozen attendees scheduled to attend the meeting in the Texas Capitol, but Wittman said a gun-rights advocate will be invited to attend a similar gathering later this month in El Paso.
Abbott held similar gatherings in 2018 after a gunman killed 10 people at a high school near Houston. Those meetings resulted in a 43-page report with proposals for more armed guards in schools and boosting mental health screening. A year later, Abbott relaxed gun laws in a legislative session that was applauded by the National Rifle Association.
Here’s the complete list of those expected to participate in the Texas Safety Commission meeting on Thursday:
Governor Greg Abbott Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen Senator Jose Rodriguez Representative Mary Gonzales Representative Cesar Blanco Representative Joe Moody Representative Art Fierro Senator Joan Huffman, Chairwoman of the Senate State Affairs Committee Representative Phil King, former police officer, member of the Texas State Guard Colonel Steven McCraw, Department of Public Safety (DPS) Major David Cabrera, DPS Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division, Texas Fusion Centers Major Manuel Espinosa, DPS Criminal Investigation Division, Texas Anti-Gang Centers Matthew DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Dallas Federal Bureau of Investigation Dr. Courtney Phillips, Executive Director, Texas Health and Human Services Commission Ed Scruggs, Texas Gun Sense Dr. Juan Martinez, Superintendent, Clint Independent School District Jeff Murray, Protective Security Advisor, United States Department of Homeland Security Dr. Lina Alathari, Chief, United States Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center Dr. Susan Fletcher, Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists Robert Chesney, Director and James Baker Chair, University of Texas at Austin Neil Potts, Content Policy Team, Facebook Tory Mayo, Lead Pastor, The Well Austin A Representative From Google Tom Tarantino, Head of US State Public Policy, Twitter Lonzo Anderson, Assistant Chief, Dallas Police Department Karie Gibson, Supervisory Special Agent, Behavioral Analysis Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation
