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Daughter Of Sandy Hook Victim: Hillary Clinton Will Fight For Gun Reforms

PHILADELPHIA – The daughter of the principal murdered in the Sandy Hook School massacre delivered an impassioned speech at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday evening, offering her emphatic support of Hillary Clinton as a candidate who would fight to protect Americans from gun violence.

Erica Smegielski speaks at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday evening in support of Hillary Clinton.

Erica Smegielski speaks at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday evening in support of Hillary Clinton.

Photo Credit: YouTube screenshot

The Hillary Clinton campaign ad with Erica Smegielski, daughter of the slain Sandy Hook School principal.

Photo Credit: Hillary Clinton

“We don’t need another Charleston or San Bernardino or Dallas or countless other acts of everyday gun violence that don’t make the headlines,” said Erica Smegielski, the daughter of Dawn Hochsprung. “What we need is to elect Hillary Clinton as the 45th President of the United States of America so that no other daughter ever has to say ‘I would give every single day that I have left for just one more day with my mom.’”

She said the country needs Clinton, who is "another mother whose willing to do what's right, whose bravery can live up in equal measure to my mom's."

Smegielski, who lives in Prospect, called out politicians for failing to take on the gun lobby and pass gun reform legislation. “I’m here alone without my mother while too many politicians cower behind the gun lobby instead of standing with American families,” she said.

A vocal supporter of Clinton, Smegielski appeared in a campaign ad that aired in Connecticut in April, Daily Voice reported.

“No one is fighting harder to reform our gun laws than Hillary Clinton,” Smegielski said in the ad, which was played at the convention before her speech. “She reminds me of my mother: She isn’t scared of anything.”

Among the issues backed by Clinton are comprehensive background checks, an end to immunity protections for irresponsible gun manufacturers and dealers, and strengthened laws to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, violent criminals and the mentally ill.

Smegielski’s speech came after U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who held a nearly 15-hour filibuster on the floor of the Senate to force a vote on two gun control amendments in Congress in June. Before Smegielski took the stage, Murphy praised Clinton for backing gun control even if it wasn’t politically expedient.

"She stood up to the NRA and ... pledged to take Washington back from the gun lobby," Murphy said.

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