Last night’s gubernatorial debate between Gov. Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams contained several gems as they jousted about their records ranging from the economy and abortion to COVID lockdowns and law enforcement. Social media, though, particularly blew up about Abrams’ disparagement of a large majority of Georgia sheriffs.
The governor, reminding listeners that Abrams has advocated “defunding the police” while he continues to fight street gangs, promised to “have the back” of law enforcement agencies. In this context, Kemp underscored that he has the endorsement of 107 sheriffs.
Abrams shot back, “As I have pointed out before, I am not a member of the ‘good ole 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.”
“Want to be able to take black people off the streets”? No “accountability”?
That must have especially come as a surprise to one of Kemp’s endorsers, Sheriff Charles Davis of Quitman County, a black Democrat. And nobody to our knowledge has accused Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat of simply wanting to take “black people off the streets.” (The black Democratic sheriff of Georgia’s most populous county recently told this writer he absolutely refuses to endorse Abrams for governor.)
By the way, the governor has also been endorsed by the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police, the Police Benevolent Association of Georgia and former Gov. Joe Frank Harris— a Democrat who calls Kemp a “proven leader.”
