Democrats running for president in 2020 called for the New York City police officer\u00a0accused of killing Eric Garner to be fired.<\/p>\n
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The calls come after Deputy Police Commissioner Rosemarie Maldonado recommended Friday that the NYPD dismiss officer Daniel Pantaleo. Shortly after the recommendation was made, Pantaleo was suspended, though the ultimate decision as to whether he should be terminated rests with New York Police Commissioner James O\u2019Neill.<\/p>\n
\u201cCommissioner O\u2019Neill: fire Officer Pantaleo. The Garner family has been waiting five years for justice and it’s time they got it,\u201d Sen. Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook McEnany says Juneteenth is a very ‘meaningful’ day to Trump MORE (D-Calif.) tweeted.<\/p>\n
\nCommissioner O\u2019Neill: fire Officer Pantaleo. The Garner family has been waiting five years for justice and it’s time they got it.https:\/\/t.co\/T65jWXCtaP<\/p>\n
\u2014 Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 2, 2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cMaldonado is right. Pantaleo needs to go\u2014now,\u201d Sen. Cory BookerCory Anthony BookerRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-N.J.) echoed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nMaldonado is right. Pantaleo needs to go\u2014now. https:\/\/t.co\/pdMGAp8my4<\/p>\n
\u2014 Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) August 2, 2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Sens. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) said Garner\u2019s killing showed the need for \u201cmore civilian oversight to hold police accountable when they fail\u201d and Sen. Kirsten GillibrandKirsten GillibrandWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Warren, Pressley introduce bill to make it a crime for police officers to deny medical care to people in custody Senate Dems press DOJ over coronavirus safety precautions in juvenile detention centers MORE (D-N.Y.) resurfaced comments from Wednesday night\u2019s primary debate in which she called for Pantaleo\u2019s dismissal.<\/p>\n
\nOfficer Pantaleo should be fired. Eric Garner’s family has waited too long for justice\u2014we need more civilian oversight to hold police accountable when they fail. https:\/\/t.co\/yG1T5WuTHB<\/p>\n
\u2014 Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) August 2, 2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nAs I said on the debate stage, the officer who killed Eric Garner with an illegal chokehold should be fired. #DemDebate pic.twitter.com\/69uD87XXx5<\/p>\n
\u2014 Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) August 2, 2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Former Rep. Beto O’RourkeBeto O’RourkeBiden will help close out Texas Democrats’ virtual convention: report O’Rourke on Texas reopening: ‘Dangerous, dumb and weak’ Parties gear up for battle over Texas state House MORE (D-Texas) added\u00a0“There must be accountability \u2014 and there must be justice.”<\/p>\n
\nFire Pantaleo. There must be accountability \u2014 and there must be justice. https:\/\/t.co\/oHhZ6Jd8tv<\/p>\n
\u2014 Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 2, 2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cOfficer Daniel Pantaleo murdered a man in front of his business as he cried out for help. The NYPD must fire him. Anything less proves they’re not taking police brutality seriously. Lives were forever changed by this officer’s actions. There must be justice. #BlackLivesMatter,\u201d billionaire philanthropist and activist Tom SteyerTom SteyerBloomberg wages war on COVID-19, but will he abandon his war on coal? Overnight Energy: 600K clean energy jobs lost during pandemic, report finds | Democrats target diseases spread by wildlife | Energy Dept. to buy 1M barrels of oil Ocasio-Cortez, Schiff team up to boost youth voter turnout MORE tweeted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nOfficer Daniel Pantaleo murdered a man in front of his business as he cried out for help. The NYPD must fire him. Anything less proves they’re not taking police brutality seriously. Lives were forever changed by this officer’s actions. There must be justice. #BlackLivesMatter<\/p>\n
\u2014 Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) August 2, 2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Many 2020 candidates have made concerted efforts this election cycle to appeal to African American voters and cast themselves as\u00a0supporters of several\u00a0social justice\u00a0movements as an increasingly progressive base demands action to rectify historic racial inequities.<\/p>\n
Garner\u2019s 2014 killing sparked a wave of activism aimed at underlining police officers\u2019 use of force against people of color. Viral video of his death, in which Pantaleo is seen placing Garner, who was unarmed, in a headlock after he was allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His final words, \u201cI can\u2019t breathe,\u201d became a rallying cry of the Black Lives Matter movement.<\/p>\n
The medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Garner testified earlier this year that the officer\u2019s chokehold led to a \u201clethal cascade\u201d of events that resulted in his death.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The incident garnered national headlines again this week when protesters interrupted the Democratic primary debate shouting for Pantaleo\u2019s firing when New York City Mayor Bill de BlasioBill de BlasioProtesters splash red paint on NYC streets to symbolize blood De Blasio: Robert E Lee’s ‘name should be taken off everything in America, period’ House Democratic whip pushes back on calls to defund police: We need to focus on reform MORE was giving his opening remarks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
De Blasio and other local officials have faced mounting pressure in recent weeks over Pantaleo\u2019s employment status, particularly after the Justice Department announced it would not charge him over Garner\u2019s death.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pantaleo\u2019s defense team has blamed Garner\u2019s \u201ccompromised respiratory system\u201d for his death and claimed he was resisting arrest.<\/p>\n