The contest between Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Rep. Val Demings continues to focus on her ties to law enforcement, as Rubio’s campaign released a video in which police blast her for her vote last year on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021.
That policing reform bill (HR 1280) was inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 that arose out of George Floyd’s murder by the Minneapolis police. It passed the House along party lines, but died in the Senate.
Specifically, Rubio’s campaign video shows law enforcement officers expressing outrage that the bill includes provisions that would strip police of qualified immunity, protection against lawsuits over what they do on the job.
The video features seven law enforcement leaders, including county Sheriffs and executives of the Florida Police Benevolent Association, expressing outrage over her vote. Those Sheriffs and the PBA have endorsed Rubio.
Among them, Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith declares, “Shame on you, Val.”
Demings’ campaign responded by reasserting that she’s been a cop, including a Police Chief, and has voted numerous times for legislation to protect law enforcement, while “Rubio was plotting his political career” and voting against funding for police.
Demings’ campaign did not explicitly defend or discuss the qualified immunity provision, or her co-sponsorship of the police reform bill containing it.
Rubio’s video comes the day after the Demings campaign launched a statewide TV commercial lauding her 27 years as an Orlando police officer, including the last four years as the Orlando Chief of Police.
Among the comments in the video:
— Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook: “I’m really disappointed in Val Demings’ position on law enforcement, especially qualified immunity.”
— Florida PBA President John Kazanjian: “Val Demings. Shame on her. Police officer. Voted to take our qualified immunity away.”
— Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods: “And to vote for something like that, or to even get behind it, it’s disappointing.”
— Smith: “Look at her voting record. It doesn’t matter who she says she was or what she did in the past, because apparently it’s obvious she’s forgotten about that. He added, “Shame on you, Val.”
— Florida PBA Senior Vice President Mick McHale: “The impact that it will have on law enforcement in the state of Florida is unacceptable.”
— Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno: “And that unfortunately radiates through what we see throughout our county.”
Demings’ campaign press secretary Devon Cruz responded with, “Chief Demings spent 27 years at the Orlando Police Department, including over three years as the department’s Chief of Police. She put on a bulletproof vest and patrolled the streets for violent criminals while Marco Rubio was plotting his political career.”
“Marco Rubio wants to make this race about anything other than what it is: a choice between a cop on the beat and a career politician who puts special interests and big money donors before what’s best for Florida,” he added.
