Election season is in full swing and that means lots of claims are being hurtled at candidates by organizations, elected officials, and, of course, opponents.
Such is the case in the race for one of Florida’s two U.S. Senate seats.
Recently, Democrat Patrick Murphy said Republican Senator Marco Rubio, “voted against the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act.”
PolitiFact Florida heard the claim and gave it a TRUE rating.
Writer Josh Gillin said Rubio cast the votes when the legislation came up for reauthorization, and did so because the reauthorization was not for the original bill.
“They [senators] had wanted to add on these amendments that, you know, said change the way the Justice Department worked with states and how block grants were given to states, and jurisdictional things. And Rubio had voiced a lot of opposition to this,” Gillin said.
Gillin went on to say Rubio voted against the reauthorization in 2012 and 2013.
For that reason Murphy’s statement received at TRUE rating.
SOURCES: Rubio voted against Violence Against Women Act
- U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, "Marco Rubio’s shameful record for Florida women," Aug. 19, 2016
- U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, "We Should Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act," April 26, 2012
- U.S. Senate, Roll call vote No. 85, April 26, 2012
- U.S. Senate, Roll call vote No. 87, April 26, 2012
- Politico, "Why Rubio voted no on domestic violence bill," April 27, 2012
- New York Times, "G.O.P. Push on Domestic Violence Act," July 31, 2012
- U.S. Senate, Roll call vote No. 19, Feb. 12, 2013
- Politico, "Rubio opposes Violence Against Women Act," Feb. 12, 2013
- Politico, "Senate renews anti-violence law," Feb. 12, 2013
- U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, "Statement on my Vote Against the Violence Against Women Act," Feb. 12, 2013
- Tampa Bay Times Buzz blog, "Rubio votes against Violence Against Women Act; Nelson votes yes," Feb. 12, 2013
- Associated Press, "Senate approves anti-violence against women act," Feb. 12, 2013
- Washington Post, "Marco Rubio is more conservative than you think," Feb. 13, 2013
- U.S. House of Representatives, Roll call vote No. 55, Feb. 28, 2013
- Washington Post, "The Violence Against Women Act’s most interesting votes," Feb. 28, 2013
- Tampa Bay Times Buzz blog, "Florida Republicans divided as House passes Violence Against Women Act," Feb. 28, 2013
- Congress.gov, "H.R.3355 - Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994," accessed Aug. 22, 2016
- WhiteHouse.gov, "Factsheet: The Violence Against Women Act," accessed Aug. 22, 2016
- Congress.gov, "Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012," accessed Aug. 22, 2013
- Congress.gov, "Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013," accessed Aug. 22, 2013
- Interview with Joshua Karp, Murphy spokesman, Aug. 22, 2016
- Interview with Olivia Perez-Cubas, Rubio spokeswoman, Aug. 23, 2016
- Interview with Michael Ahrens, Rubio spokesman, Aug. 23, 2016