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"We all know [Philadelphia District Attorney] Larry Krasner progressive approach to letting criminals back on the street isn't working,” Delaware County FOP Lodge 27 President Chris Eiserman said said. “And yet Bob Casey supports Soros-funded prosecutors in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, who have led crime get completely out of control.”
Law enforcement leaders in Pennsylvania tore into longtime Democratic Sen. Bob Casey’s “anti-police” voting record on Wednesday while slamming him for aligning himself with a pro-defund the police organization as he seeks reelection for a fourth term in Congress.
"At a time when there were four shootings in four days on our local public transit system, and law enforcement across the Commonwealth is understaffed, Casey's decision to align himself with these defund the police activists is alarming and extremely dangerous," Folcroft Deputy Police Chief and Delaware County FOP Lodge 27 President Chris Eiserman said during a press conference.
Eiserman, who represents over 1,300 law enforcement members in Pennsylvania’s fifth most populous county, delivered his criticisms against Casey after the Senator allegedly attended an event with the “anti-police organization” dubbed Indivisible Philadelphia the night before.
The group and its state chapter, which have repeatedly advocated for the defunding of police departments and other progressive left-wing movements like ending cash bail, announced its support for Casey’s campaign on social media subsequent to the event.
According to its website, Indivisible Philadelphia says its a "grassroots organization of volunteers determined to advance a progressive agenda by resisting corruption, authoritarianism, and inequality in our governmental institutions."
Eiserman said the group’s agenda contradicts the needs of Pennsylvanians as crime in cities like Philadelphia have spiked over the past four years after progressives reignited the Defund the Police movement following the death of George Floyd in 2020.
"We all know [Philadelphia District Attorney] Larry Krasner progressive approach to letting criminals back on the street isn't working,” he said. “And yet Bob Casey supports Soros-funded prosecutors in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, who have led crime get completely out of control.”
According to Fox News Digitial, crime statistics in Philadelphia show the number of homicides in the city set a new record at the end of 2021 with more than 550 deaths. The following year, carjackings increased to more than 1,000.
Eiserman continued his campaign against Casey, saying the Senator previously voted against policies that would ensure more safety of his constituents.
“Casey voted against the $300 million to anti-narcotics and opioid activities carried out by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He voted against Kate's Law twice, which would have set a mandatory imprisonment minimum for deported felons who illegally reenter the US," he said.
Eiserman continued his rebuke against Casey’s legislative record.
“Casey says there’s systemic racism in our police. He thinks we’re the problem, not the violent criminals making Pennsylvanians less safe,” Eiserman said. “He co-sponsored a bill that would end qualified immunity, which protects officers from being sued for actions taken in the line of duty unless the courts have previously deemed those actions unreasonable. His bill would also defund local police departments from federal grants if they don’t implement the Biden administration’s preferred policing policies.”
Casey, who first won the Congressional seat in 2007, reportedly voiced his support for groups advocating for less police on the streets like Black Lives Matter amid the mass riots breaking out in major cities across the United States in 2020. He also reportedly praised sports teams staging boycotts in response to police shootings.
But a spokesperson for Casey’s Senate Campaign told Fox News Digitial that he has supported the needs of police departments during his time the upper-chamber of Congress.
"Senator Casey has delivered hundreds of millions to fund bulletproof vests, SWAT gear, police cars, and ballistics shields for officers, and has worked alongside law enforcement to address threats like fentanyl trafficking,” spokesperson Maddy McDaniel said.
Eiserman also announced during the press conference on Thursday that the Delaware County FOP Lodge 27 endorsed Casey’s opponent Dave McCormick, who he described as a law-and-order candidate that “will work with police and not against us” to address the state's crime problem.
“As Senator, Dave will advocate for public safety by working to secure the southern border to prevent dangerous drugs like fentanyl and crime from destroying Pennsylvania families,” he said. “Ensuring law enforcement has the necessary resources to do the job they have to do. Insisting progressive liberal prosecutors uphold the rule of law, encouraging a culture of respect for law enforcement.”
McCormick, an Army combat veteran and former CEO of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, has also received endorsements from dozens of other law enforcement officers, including 47 sheriffs in Pennsylvania.
The candidate previously served as the Commerce Department's Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security as well as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs under former President George W. Bush’s administration, according to Fox News.
McCormick reportedly is expected to face Casey in the state’s primaries. According to an Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey, the race is shaping up to be a close call in the upcoming election with McCormick’s support at 41% and Casey's at 45%.