The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association board has switched its endorsements of Democrat candidates to Republican after one Democrat candidate was purportedly caught on video beating a piñata with the likeness of top police union official Bob Kroll.
This is endorsed Democrat John Thompson, campaigning for State House in district 67A in St. Paul.
This newly emerged video shows him beating an effigy of the Minneapolis Police Union President and his wife in their own driveway on August 15. pic.twitter.com/oJ90WuEmww
— Kyle Hooten (@KyleHooten2) August 17, 2020
Fox News reports:
Minneapolis state house candidate John Thompson stood outside the police union leader’s home and and gave an expletive-laden speech to a crowd of Black Lives Matter demonstrators in August.
“Come on over here with your ‘Blue Lives Matter’ sign,” he said. “Blue lives ain’t s—, and if people in Hugo don’t support black people, f— Hugo.”
Thompson had won his primary in the heavily Democratic district the week before. He faced intense backlash for his remarks and later apologized.
Brian Peters, who serves as executive director of the police association, expressed concern over DFL caucus’ support of Thompson after he was identified as beating the Kroll effigy.
“The endorsements that we rescinded, my issue was those candidates did not stand up to their leadership and put pressure on and ask why are we supporting a candidate who did this in Hugo,” Peters said.
“If this is the future of the Democratic Party, my organization is going to support elsewhere,” he added.
Peters did not identify which Republicans were endorsed by the police group.
The development comes in the wake of President Donald Trump scoring two high profile endorsements from police unions: The Fraternal Order of Police and the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York (PBA).
“Public safety will undoubtedly be a main focus for voters in this year’s election,” FOP president Patrick Yoes said in a statement. “Look at what the national discourse has focused on for the last six months. President Trump has shown time after time that he supports our law enforcement officers and understands the issues our members face every day.”
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