Contact: lauren@scdp.org, 803-832-0819
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATS SLAM REPUBLICAN NANCY MACE FOR CRITICISM OF CHARLESTON COUNTY SHERIFF KRISTIN GRAZIANO
Columbia, S.C.— Despite having zero record on issues of racial and carceral justice and casting a vote against the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace has become a vociferous critic of Charleston County Sheriff, Kristin Graziano, over the departments handling of inmate Jamal Sutherland, who died in police custody at the Al Cannon Detention Center in January.
In response, South Carolina Democratic Party Chair, Trav Robertson, Jr. released the following statement:
“Once again, Nancy Mace is using her position as a Congresswoman to enact more harm than help to citizens of the 1st District. She has no moral authority on the issue and is using the horrible situation to energize her base. Her criticism of Sheriff Graziano, who officially began her role the same day Jamal Sutherland was taken into custody, is unfounded, unnecessary and unhelpful. Sheriff Graziano has moved swiftly, firing the officers involved, keeping open lines of communications with the Charleston delegation of legislators and changed the policy at the detention center forcing inmates to attend bond hearings.
“Nancy had the chance to do what she is attacking others for but cast her vote against helping African American women and men in this state. Her attacks are for political purposes. Mace knows that decades of corruption, obstruction and blatant police misconduct by members of Charleston County Sheriff’s Office can’t be fixed instantly. Without Sheriff Graziano in office, the people of Charleston still wouldn’t know or have seen the video of the events that lead to the death of Mr. Sutherland. Rep. Mace does not have the record, or political credibility to advocate for inmates, evidenced by the fact she is using the tragic death of Jamal Sutherland to score political points, when she should be uniting with Democrats and community leaders who are demanding change.
“At no point has Sheriff Graziano denied that Sutherland’s death happened on her watch, and she has kept her promise to be as transparent as possible with the public. If Nancy Mace thinks for a moment this video would have ever been released under the leadership of Al Cannon, or that he would have terminated the officers involved, then she also needs to question his character and truth telling abilities as well.”
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