Vice President Kamala Harris’ backing of a bail fund connected to Black Lives Matter has raised significant concerns as she tries to establish herself as a candidate focused on law and order.
Joe Gamaldi, the national vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police and a lieutenant with the Houston Police Department, shared his concerns with Fox News Digital, stating that a Harris presidency could be disastrous for public safety.
He criticized her for her support of bail reform and for promoting a fund that, according to him, helped release individuals charged with severe crimes, such as murder and rape.
“This isn’t about aiding someone who stole a candy bar to feed their children; it’s about violent offenders,” Gamaldi emphasized.
Gamaldi further claimed that bail reform has proven ineffective in urban areas, citing a spike in murder rates in 2020-2021 and a persistently high homicide rate in recent years. He warned that Harris’ platform supporting bail reform could worsen these issues.
Joseph Imperatrice, an NYPD detective and founder of Blue Lives Matter NYC, voiced similar concerns.
He stressed the need for a president committed to keeping criminals behind bars, criticizing Harris for what he views as a history of leniency towards offenders.
Imperatrice suggested that Harris’ tenure as San Francisco’s district attorney and California’s attorney general was marked by policies that he sees as insufficiently tough on crime, with recent actions further pandering to activist groups.
Charles “Cully” Stimson, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation and former prosecutor, argued that Harris’ rhetoric mirrors calls from progressives to defund the police.
He accused her of supporting measures that undermine law enforcement efforts, pointing out her praise for the $150 million reduction in the LAPD’s budget as evidence of her anti-police stance.
During her previous presidential campaign, Harris advocated for the Minnesota Freedom Fund to assist those arrested during Black Lives Matter protests.
However, reports revealed that the fund supported individuals with serious criminal backgrounds, including a convicted rapist and a suspect in a fatal shooting. The fund acknowledged its role in these cases but maintained its position on bail support.
As Harris continues her campaign as the likely Democratic presidential nominee, she is reportedly considering several Midwestern governors as potential picks for her vice presidential running mate.
