Eric Garner’s daughter stars in Sanders ad in NY
The daughter of a black man who died after an encounter with police stars in a new ad for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
“This is everything that I have — my family,” Erica Garner says of her father Eric Garner’s death in the clip. “I got to see my dad die on national TV. They don’t know what they took from us.
{mosads}“People are dying,” Erica Garner added. “We need a president who is going to talk about it. I believe Bernie Sanders is a protester. He’s not scared of the criminal justice system. He’s not scared. That’s why I’m for Bernie.”
Sanders’s campaign is airing the 30-second clip in New York, CNN reported Tuesday.
Eric Garner died in July 2014 after a Staten Island police officer put him in a chokehold for allegedly selling cigarettes illegally. His death inspired national protests and fierce debate over criminal justice reform and race.
Erica Garner originally appeared in a longer, web-only campaign spot for Sanders in February.
She endorsed the independent Vermont senator in January, saying he is the best candidate for improving relations between police and minority communities.
“Black Americans — all Americans — need a leader with a record that speaks for itself,” she wrote in a Jan. 29 op-ed for the Washington Post.
“To me, it’s clear. Of all the candidates, Sen. Bernie Sanders is our strongest ally. I believe he will continue to listen. I know that once we come together, we are powerful beyond recognition.”
Daniel Pantaleo, Eric Garner’s arresting officer, was not indicted by a grand jury in December 2014 following an investigation of his actions.
Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton leads Sanders by 11 points in New York, according to a RealClearPolitics average of polls. The state’s primary is April 19.
Sanders, a Brooklyn native, insisted last Friday he will win New York.
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