More than 100 sheriffs in Georgia signed a letter blasting Democrat gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams as “soft on crime.”
“Over the last four years, Governor Kemp and his family stood shoulder to shoulder with the men and women serving in Georgia’s law enforcement community,” the letter, touted on incumbent Governor Kemp’s website, says. “Working alongside our departments, Governor Kemp has 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.”
“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,” the letter says. “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.”
It also accused Abrams of supporting measures that make it easier for criminals to be let out of jail and have their records expunged. Furthermore, it says she “opposed legislation to crack down on human trafficking when she served in the state legislature.”
As reported extensively by The Georgia Star News, Abrams has not historically been an ally to law enforcement.
Abrams served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017 when she left her post for her first attempt to become governor. She narrowly lost to Kemp in 2018, and notoriously refused to concede the race, saying that voters were suppressed during the election.
“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,” the letter said. “We are grateful to have the support of Governor Kemp and his administration, and we call on Stacey Abrams to disavow the dangerous policies she supports.”
The 102 sheriffs who signed the letter represent a vast majority of the state’s county law enforcement leaders. There are only 159 counties in Georgia.
Notably absent from the group of signatories, though, were the sheriffs of Fulton and DeKalb counties, both Democrat strongholds.
Abrams is attempting to avenge her 2018 loss to Kemp in November’s general election.
Her campaign did not return a Wednesday comment request.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Stacey Abrams” by Stacey Abrams.
