Over 100 Georgia sheriffs condemn Stacey Abrams over 'defund the police' foundation ties
The Seattle-based Marguerite Casey Foundation has repeatedly called for defunding the police
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Over 100 sheriffs in the Peach State condemned Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams over her ties to a foundation that supports defunding law enforcement as well as her "soft-on-crime policies."
102 Georgia sheriffs joined Republican Governor Brian Kemp in a Monday press release blasting Abrams over her ties to the Marguerite Casey Foundation.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation is a Seattle-based grantmaking group that has called for the abolition of police. Abrams supported an expanded anti-police initiative from the group shortly after joining its board.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}STACEY ABRAMS SERVES AS BOARD MEMBER, GOVERNOR OF FOUNDATION THAT SUPPORTS #ABOLISHTHEPOLICE
Stacey Abrams, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Georgia, has come under fire for her board service for a group that wants to defund the police. ( Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Kemp’s press release with the sheriffs condemned Abrams’ "role in advancing the Defund the Police movement and support of soft-on-crime policies that put Georgia families at risk."
The sheriffs wrote that Kemp and his family have stood in solidarity with them over the course of his first gubernatorial term, writing the governor "championed legislation to recruit and retain more officers into the profession, strengthen penalties for criminals and help keep Georgia’s streets safe, and prevent rogue local governments from stripping critical funding and resources from police."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"In stark contrast, Stacey Abrams has repeatedly shown complete disdain for law enforcement and the risk we take every day putting our lives on the line to serve our communities," they continued.
"Ms. Abrams actively serves on the governing board of - and has profited from - an anti-police organization which openly advocates for abolishing prisons and stripping local police departments of their funding," the group of 102 sheriffs wrote.
The law enforcement leaders continued in their statement to say Abrams "also supports proposals that put criminals back on our streets and clears their criminal record" and pointed to the former state representative’s lack of a vote on "legislation to crack down on human trafficking."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}GEORGIA GOV. BRIAN KEMP CALLS ON STACEY ABRAMS TO RESIGN FROM RADICAL ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ FOUNDATION
Abrams’ missed votes on the sex trafficking bill became a point of contention in her and Kemp’s first matchup in the 2018 elections.
"These policies and Ms. Abrams’ role in advocating for them put Georgia’s law enforcement officers and the communities we serve at risk," the sheriffs wrote. "In these uncertain times, it is critical to our profession that Georgia’s leaders stand firmly behind the men and women in law enforcement who keep Georgia families safe."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Governor Brian Kemp called on Abrams to resign from the Marguerite Casey Foundation. The foundation has repeatedly called for defunding the police. (REUTERS/Dustin Chambers)
The sheriffs expressed their gratefulness for support from Kemp and his administration while calling on Abrams "to disavow the dangerous policies she supports."
Abrams' campaign spokesperson Alex Floyd told Fox News Digital that Abrams "does not support defunding the police, and is a longtime supporter of investing in law enforcement alongside building community trust and fostering law enforcement accountability."
"Foundation bylaws prohibit board members from approving, supporting or opposing any potential grants – all of which are determined by staff," Floyd said. "No grant reflects or changes Stacey’s views."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The sheriff coalition comes on the heels of Kemp calling on Abrams to resign from the anti-police foundation last Thursday.
"Her campaign may be trying to bury her past, but Abrams' record is abundantly clear at every turn," Reagan McCarthy, deputy communications director for Kemp's campaign, told Fox News Digital last week.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"If she truly supports law enforcement here in Georgia, she should resign her position with the Marguerite Casey Foundation and disavow the radical Defund the Police policies that put officers at risk and families in danger," McCarthy said.
Kemp's call for Abrams to leave the radical anti-police group followed numerous Fox News Digital reports on her involvement with the foundation.
Georgia's Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams is facing backlash from over 100 sheriffs in Georgia who are supporting the reelection of Gov. Brian Kemp. (Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Marguerite Casey Foundation has repeatedly voiced support for defunding and abolishing the police, Fox News Digital previously reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The group has also awarded millions to professors and scholars who advocate anti-capitalist and prison abolitionist views.
GEORGE SOROS THROWS $1M BEHIND STACEY ABRAMS' SECOND GUBERNATORIAL RUN
Abrams also supported an expanded anti-police initiative from the foundation, Fox News Digital also reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The board unanimously approved the 'Answer the Uprising' campaign weeks after Abrams joined the group. The initiative involved increased financial support to liberal groups working on law enforcement issues.
"This latest initiative is fully supported by Marguerite Casey Foundation's Board of Directors, which recently named seven new changemakers to the Board, including Stacey Abrams and Rashad Robinson, President of Color Of Change," its press release at the time of the announcement said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 'Answer the Uprising' initiative also established a coalition with other grantmaking organizations that provide backing to groups who call for stripping law enforcement of their budgets.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation has also given grants to left-wing groups that want to defund police, including the Movement for Black Lives, Black Organizing Project and Louisville Community Bail Fund.