Congressional hopeful Liz Whitmer Gereghty ‘thrilled’ with left-wing org that wants to pull cops from schools
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and sister Liz Whitmer Gereghty (Via Twitter)
Michigan Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer’s sister, who is running for Congress in New York, endorsed a liberal group’s plan to recruit candidates for local school board elections. That group wants to defund police and remove cops from schools.
Liz Whitmer Gereghty on September 26 said she was “thrilled” to see left-wing political group Run For Something “invest millions in recruiting and supporting” local school board candidates, adding that New York is “one election away from losing our school boards to book banners.” Run For Something, however, is pushing for far more than curriculum changes. The group has long pledged to “help” school board candidates who aim to “get police out of school,” an objective it achieved in Denver and Minneapolis. The group has also called to defund the police altogether.
“If you want to run for district attorney to hold law enforcement accountable or city council to defund the police and instead invest in BIPOC communities, we’ll help you,” Run For Something said in 2020.
Gereghty’s endorsement of the group comes as the congressional hopeful approaches a difficult primary against former congressman Mondaire Jones, a longtime ally of the left-wing “Squad” who is known for his progressive politics. It also comes as the constituents Gereghty hopes to serve sound the alarm about crime. In Rockland and Putnam counties, which sit roughly 50 miles north of New York City, crime increased in nearly every reported category between 2021 and 2022.
Gereghty has subsequently worked to walk a fine line on crime, with the Democrat expressing support for both law enforcement and some criminals. Gereghty on her campaign site, for example, says she supports cashless bail for “those accused of non-violent crime,” as “we should not be ruining peoples’ lives … if they cannot afford bail.” But she also stresses the need to be “tough on crime” and ”support law enforcement.” Gereghty did not return a request for comment on her endorsement of Run For Something and which crimes she considers “non-violent.”
Gereghty is a former school board member herself, having joined the Katonah-Lewisboro board of education in 2019. Gereghty abruptly resigned from that role in June, however, one month after she announced her bid for New York’s 19th Congressional District. Gereghty’s former colleagues on the board lamented the “unforeseen” departure, which gave them just two weeks to fill the vacancy with an unelected successor.
Gereghty’s decision to forgo her school board role in favor of a congressional campaign has fueled criticism that the Michigan native does not represent the New York district she seeks to serve in Congress. Gereghty has courted support for her campaign from Michigan’s congressional delegation and hired a campaign manager who most recently worked in the Great Lakes State. In April, meanwhile, Michigan’s Whitmer contributed the maximum amount to her sister’s campaign.
“I didn’t even know [Whitmer’s] sister lived in the district,” liberal New York congressman Jamaal Bowman said that month. ”And I don’t know many people who know her.”
In addition to recruiting local candidates who want to defund police, Run For Something’s leaders have also campaigned in favor of the unpopular policy. Nithya Raman, a Run For Something regional director who serves on the Los Angeles city council, signed a pledge in 2020 to slash the city’s police budget by 97 percent.
“The path is not complicated: fund services. Fund housing. Fund care. Defund the police,” Raman said at the time.
Gereghty is running to unseat freshman GOP lawmaker Mike Lawler, who last year upset then-Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Sean Patrick Maloney by less than 2,000 votes. Jones complicated that effort when he announced his own campaign to take on Lawler, pitting the two prominent Democrats against each other in a race that is expected to get messy.
What are the potential consequences of removing police from schools, and what factors should be considered in making this decision?
Istrict and is exploiting the position for personal gain. The endorsement of Run For Something further solidifies this perception, as the group’s radical agenda does not align with the concerns of the constituents in Rockland and Putnam counties.
The push to remove police from schools is a controversial topic that has gained traction in recent years. Proponents argue that police presence in schools contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline and disproportionately targets students of color. They argue that alternative methods of addressing disciplinary issues and ensuring school safety should be employed, such as restorative justice practices and increased mental health support. Critics, on the other hand, argue that removing police from schools leaves students vulnerable to potential threats and reduces the ability to respond effectively to emergencies.
While it is important to address the concerns raised by proponents of removing police from schools, it is equally important to consider the potential consequences of such a policy. The safety and well-being of students should be the top priority, and any decision regarding police presence in schools should be based on a thorough assessment of the unique needs and circumstances of each school and community.
Furthermore, the endorsement of Run For Something raises questions about Gereghty’s stance on law enforcement and crime. Her support for defunding the police and her endorsement of a group that calls for such measures seem contradictory to her claim of being “tough on crime.” Constituents may question whether she can truly provide effective representation and address their concerns regarding public safety.
Gereghty’s decision to abruptly resign from the school board also raises concerns about her commitment to public service and her ability to fulfill her responsibilities. Leaving the board with just two weeks’ notice and forcing the remaining members to find an unelected successor reflects a lack of consideration for the needs of the community and a prioritization of personal ambitions over the well-being of the students and families she was elected to represent.
In conclusion, Liz Whitmer Gereghty’s endorsement of Run For Something and their agenda to remove police from schools raises questions about her alignment with the concerns and values of the constituents in the New York district she hopes to represent. Her decision to resign from the school board and her contradictory stance on law enforcement further fuel skepticism and criticism. The safety and well-being of students should be prioritized in any discussion regarding police presence in schools, and decisions should be made based on a thorough assessment of the unique needs of each community.
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