Healey’s Latest Line of Attack Against Kim in CD-3
If you get robbed or mugged in Philadelphia, the man to blame is Andy Kim.
That seems to be the message from Republican Bob Healey, who is trying to oust Kim in CD-3.
Democrats want the midterm election to be about women’s rights and abortion.
Republicans want it to be about inflation and crime.
Healey is stretching that principle as far as can be – and then some – by blaming Kim for a rising murder rate in Philadelphia. Sure, the city is close to CD-3, which includes Burlington and parts of Mercer and Monmouth counties, but still – it’s in another state.
The connection, according to Healey, is George Soros, a well-established villain for Republicans all over the country.
Healey notes that Soros has contributed to the campaigns of both Kim and Larry Krasner, the District Attorney in Philadelphia. Healey derisively called him Larry ‘Let ’em go’ Krasner.
He further explained:
“DA Krasner and Congressman Andy Kim could be described as ‘co-conspirators’ on crime issues having both taken tens of thousands of dollars from George Soros who has notoriously pushed no bail laws, the elimination of qualified immunity for police officers and other initiatives that make more difficult the prosecution of criminals.”
Later, Healey says in a release, “We have now witnessed the effects of the Krasner-Kim naive approach to law enforcement where the murder rate in Philadelphia is at (an) all-time high …”
Some of those observations are legitimate discussion points in regard to crime and police behavior, but it sure seems a bit illogical – to say the least – to blame a congressman from New Jersey for crime in another state.
It is true that crime has risen in recent years across the country. And things in Philadelphia seem exceptionally harrowing.
The latest stats show that so far this year, Philadelphia has had 401 homicides. In comparison, New York City, which is much larger, has had 321 homicides.
From a political point of view, Healey’s statement shows how strongly Republicans want to make Nov. 8 about personal safety.
He is not alone.
Go to any Republican rally these days and rising crime is going to come up. The “evils” of bail reform too. This is understandable, but only to a point. This is a federal election and Congress has little direct control over stopping crime in Philadelphia, or for that matter, in such actual CD-3 locations as Pemberton or Robbinsville.
So what.
A lot of politics is based on emotion and fear – and if voters fear rising crime,
Republicans are confident they’ll go with the GOP.
Those checking out Healey’s Facebook page are confronted with this question:
“Do you feel safer today than you did before President Biden took office with my opponent Andy Kim?”
Those who answered said “no.” No upset here.
What Republicans will do in Congress to stop crime is not the issue – at least not now.
This is just a pathetic and desperate move on Bob Healey’s part. To pair Andy Kim with the policies of Larry Krasner is completely absurd. Moreover, the use of crime to fearmonger is simply resorting to racist dog whistle politics. To throw in the name George Soros ( who, btw, NEVER gave “ tens of thousands” of dollars to Congressman Kim) is the worst type of gutter anti semitic dog whistle politics. Bob Healey should be ashamed. I am nauseated by his hyperbole. And I am disgusted by his total lack of a policy oriented, solutions driven campaign.
How pathetic is Bob Healey. The commercials make me
Laugh because he is so out of touch. I would rather vote
for Astronaut Roger Healey from “I Dream of Jeannie”