Ted Poe: “It was a Saturday morning, clear skies, and a wonderful day, and Gabby Giffords was doing what really she liked to do…”

“It was a Saturday morning, clear skies, and a wonderful day, and Gabby Giffords was doing what really she liked to do best, what many of us like to do best--talking to people that we represent and listening to those people back home. Friday, before she left for Tucson and I left for southeast Texas, we were talking here on the House floor. Gabby and I are friends. I have been to Iraq with her. And we were talking about border security. In fact, she had invited me to Tucson to see what takes place there and go to the border. I, likewise, have already invited her to Texas to see our border. And we work quite well together. She works with everybody quite well. And then she was off to the airport, going home. Many people don't realize that most Members of Congress go home every weekend. We don't live in Washington. We work in Washington, and we commute. And she was headed to the airport, excited to go back and see the people that she represents. And then Saturday morning, an evildoer came to a public gathering, attacked Gabby, He really attacked our Nation, because there was a crowd of citizens, old and young, that were peaceably assembling to learn more about America--to participate in the American process in dealing with their representative, Gabby Giffords. We should remember the victims that were shot and killed that day. The evildoer, his name is not important. He should be held personally accountable for his actions. His trial should be swift.”