(RightIsRight.co) – Stacey Abrams, the Democrat candidate for Governor of Georgia, has accused the police of wanting to remove black people from the streets as she battled with Republican incumbent Brian Kemp during a live TV debate.
Kemp and Abrams faced off on WSB-TV in Atlanta in their final debate ahead of the Georgia gubernatorial election during the November 8 midterms.
The 2022 vote in the Peach State is a repeat of the 2018 gubernatorial election when Kemp, then the Secretary of State, defeated Abrams.
Abrams, who then became the first black female gubernatorial candidate of a major party, refused to concede and accused Kemp of “voter suppression.”
During Sunday’s live TV debate, the GOP incumbent emphasized that 107 state sheriffs had endorsed him, leading Abrams to attack him as part of the “good ol’ boys club.”
“As I pointed out before, I’m not a member of the good ol’ boys club. So, no, I don’t have 107 sheriffs who want to be able to take black people off the streets, who want to be able to go without accountability,” Abrams declared, as cited by The Washington Times.
She then backtracked on the allegation that police wanted to remove black Americans from the streets.
“I don’t believe every sheriff wants that, but I do know that we need a governor who believes in both defending law enforcement but also defending the people of Georgia,” Abrams added.
Her comments while debating GOP Gov. Kemp led to an immediate reaction by the Georgia Sheriffs Association, which does not endorse political candidates.
The group’s president, Effingham County Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie, declared that he was “incredibly disappointed to hear what Ms. Abrams had to say about the sheriffs of our state.”
“Stacey Abrams’ comments about Georgia sheriffs in Sunday night’s debate are exactly the type of false, demoralizing, and offensive accusations that have driven good men and women away from the law enforcement profession,” McDuffie stated.
“[police and sheriffs] put their lives on the line for everyone in their community — no matter their race, background, or walk of life. To suggest otherwise is insulting and outrageous,” he argued.
McDuffie also urged the Democrat gubernatorial candidate “immediately apologize to Georgia’s law enforcement community.”
According to Erick Erickson, a Georgia-based conservative radio host, Abrams performed strongly while debating Kemp but hurt her cause with the sheriffs remark.
“Objectively: Stacey Abrams had a good debate and fought on culturally liberal issues like abortion. Kemp did himself no damage and didn’t get hurt,” Erickson tweeted.
“BUT, Abrams accused 107 sheriffs of wanting [to] lock up black people. The issue for the suburbs is crime. This is going to hurt her,” he added.
“Stacey Abrams has been trying to convince Georgians that she is pro-law enforcement. But on last night’s debate stage, she slipped up,” the Georgia Republican Party posted on Twitter.
What is your reaction to Abrams’ wild allegation about sheriffs? Please share your opinion by emailing [email protected]. Thank you.
Stacey Abrams blasted for accusing sheriffs of wanting to 'take Black people off the streets' https://t.co/t7Mqd4oUnZ
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) October 31, 2022
