Graham calls on Harrison to return money from group that supports defunding police
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham pushed a new message on Tuesday against his November opponent calling on Democrat Jaime Harrison to return contributions from a group that wants to defund the police.
Graham, who made that challenge Tuesday while announcing endorsements from law enforcement officials from around the state, also said law enforcement agencies need reforms including more body cameras and increased training, but money should not be taken away from them.
Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon, Charleston County Sheriff Al Cannon and S.C. Fraternal Order of Police President Terry Gainey spoke in support of Graham’s re-election bid during a news conference at the State House. They were joined by Florence County Sheriff Billy Barnes, Lancaster Sheriff Barry Faile and Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey.
Koon complimented the work Graham and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott did in the wake of the George Floyd death in an effort to reform police, and said Democrats in the Senate stopped the effort.
“Some groups in the radical left don’t want to reform law enforcement; they actually want to get rid of law enforcement,” Koon said.
The endorsements come amid continuing protests around the country calling for police reform after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
Protests erupted early this week in Wisconsin over the Sunday police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, while he tried to enter his SUV. Blake’s attorney says he was at the scene because he was trying to break up a fight between two women. Blake is in an intensive care unit, paralyzed from the waist down.//
“What happened to Mr. Floyd is outrageous. That’s not good policing. That’s violence in the street engaged in by a rogue police officer,” Graham said. “I don’t know what happened in Wisconsin, but let’s look but let’s not prejudge.”
Graham, who is seeking a fourth term, is facing Harrison in a potentially close race, according to recent polling that shows the race is tied.
Graham hit Harrison on the support he has received from MoveOn.org which calls for defunding the police and reinvesting in social programs. Graham called on the Democratic challenger to give back contributions from MoveOn.org. According to the Federal Elections Commission, MoveOn.org’s political action committee gave Harrison $2,000 in May of this year. As of the end of June, Harrison had raised $28.9 million toward his Senate bid, while Graham had raised $30.9 million.
Harrison denied being in favor of defunding the police.
“After 25 years in Washington, Lindsey Graham has changed, and he’ll do anything to play political games,” Harrison said in a statment released by his campaign. “It’s clear police across this country must do better, and that’s why leaders at every level — local, state, and federal — need to hear these protesters, and take action. I do not support defunding the police, but I do support police reform, and that starts with training, changing the way force is used, and funding community safety, not military-style tactics.”
The defund the police movement has called on taking money allocated for police departments and reinvesting it in social service programs to address issues such as mental health, homelessness and drug addiction.
“I don’t think a social program is what a woman is looking for when she’s getting the hell beat out of her by her husband. I don’t think you’re looking for a social worker when somebody is breaking in a window. I don’t think you’re looking for a social worker when they’re selling drugs on the streets and your kid’s passing by,” Graham said. “Count me in on improving the quality of life. Improving social services makes sense. But this an effort to take money away from law enforcement and I will oppose it.”
Graham also drew a contrast between him and Harrison saying he supports continuing to send excess military equipment to police departments. He pointed to pictures from protests that turned violent, including the George Floyd demonstrations in Columbia, which led to some businesses’ windows being broken and police cars set afire, among other forms of destruction. Police used tear gas in order to disperse crowds.
“We see on our television screens, anarchy in the streets we’ve seen organized efforts to destroy property, Graham said. “We’ve seen people in masks through Molotov cocktails and other dangerous projectiles. The better armed police, the more likely they are to be able to go home.”
This story was originally published August 25, 2020 at 3:23 PM.
