2020 Democrats react to NYPD firing of officer in Garner case: ‘Finally’

Democratic presidential candidates on Monday tweeted support for the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) decision to fire the officer accused of killing Eric Garner with a chokehold. 

Many of the candidates had called for the firing of Officer Daniel Pantaleo after a police administrative judge recommended his termination earlier this month. Federal prosecutors announced in July that they would not be charging him for Garner’s death.

{mosads}On Monday, the White House hopefuls joined in saying the firing in the 2014 death of the unarmed black man who was selling loose cigarettes came five years too late.

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D), for example, tweeted “finally,” as the news broke of Pantaleo’s firing.

Finally. https://t.co/hSd0fCDgtk

— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) August 19, 2019

“Five years too late,” former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke tweeted.

Five years too late. https://t.co/yB7gB3dtF7

— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 19, 2019

“Mixed emotions today. Glad to see some justice in this case, but ashamed that it took five years to get there,” said Tom Steyer.

Mixed emotions today. Glad to finally see some justice in this case, but ashamed that it took five years to get there.https://t.co/4y2cR1cDlu

— Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) August 19, 2019

“It took you five years to figure that out?” Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton asked.

It took you five years to figure that out? https://t.co/cGNdRJs9Sg

— Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) August 19, 2019

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) praised the firing, and pushed for further changes to bring justice to other victims’ families. 

“This is the right decision, but we are still a very long way from achieving justice for Eric Garner’s family and countless others who have lost loved ones to police violence. We must fundamentally transform our criminal justice system at every level,” Sanders tweeted.

This is the right decision, but we are still a very long way from achieving justice for Eric Garner’s family and countless others who have lost loved ones to police violence. We must fundamentally transform our criminal justice system at every level. https://t.co/1YVNtpNfrj

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 19, 2019

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, who has proposed a database to track decertified officers, said steps should be taken to prevent other department from hiring Pantaleo.

“He should now be held accountable under the law,” Castro tweeted.

After five years, the officer who killed #EricGarner will finally be fired.

Daniel Pantaleo’s name and this incident should be in a national database so that every police department knows his history and will not hire him.

He should now be held accountable under the law. https://t.co/fqvLgf9hXw

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) August 19, 2019