NewsSOS
Unearthed clips from a September 2020 Zoom call show Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico telling members of South Asian American Voter Empowerment that ending what he described as "over-policing communities of color" was "really exciting," a statement that complicates the pro-police platform Talarico has built in a Texas Senate race that recent polling shows is tied between him and Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.
What the recording shows On the SAAVETX call, Talarico said policymakers needed to "listen to black voices and to the activists in the streets calling for a radically different vision of public safety." He said he wanted to convene participants ranging from activists to law enforcement officials for discussions on fundamental changes to the criminal justice system.
He described communities reinvesting limited public funding into "community-based solutions" as "really exciting." Talarico praised Austin for approving a budget that cut tens of millions of dollars from the Austin Police Department.
Greg Abbott "hypocritical" for threatening to pull revenue from cities that reduced police funding.
Keep reading