Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner was accused by his opponent on Tuesday of photoshopping the Virginia State Police logo out of a photograph on his campaign website.
“It’s sad that Mark is so ashamed of the police,” Gade told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“First he defunded them by $50 million dollars as Governor and now he is photoshopping them out of his campaign. Mark says he wants police reform, but voted against it because it was ‘token legislation.’ He clearly just wants to airbrush the police away.”
Hey @MarkWarnerVA, are you that ashamed of the Virginia State Police that you photoshopped off their logo from your jacket on your campaign website? First defunding the police as Governor, now this? pic.twitter.com/69Zxcmnwcp
— Daniel Gade (@gadeforvirginia) October 12, 2020
Gade accused Warner of defunding the police when he was governor of Virginia. While governor, Warner reportedly cut spending for state police and sheriff’s deputies by around $19 million, the Dail Press reported.
Warner reportedly cut the state police budget by $18.7 million, or 26 jobs, and the marine police by $500,000, the Daily Press reported. (RELATED: ‘Stand Taller On One Leg’: Veteran Amputee Running For Senate Launches Ad Attacking ‘Violent, Left-Wing Extremists’)
However, there is no evidence Warner supports defunding the police, VPM Media Corporation reported. Warner said he opposed defunding the police in at least four instances, VPM reported. “Let me be clear, I don’t support defunding the police,” Warner said during a live Facebook town hall meeting on June 8.
“…I don’t think we should get caught in these slogans like defunding the police. To me, that’s not where I’m headed. I’m looking at reform, criminal justice reform,” Warner said, according to an NBC affiliate.
“I don’t think that slogan or that policy is something that I support,” Warner said of defunding the police during another Facebook live town hall meeting on June 22.
Warner endorsed Democratic New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker’s “Justice in Policing Act of 2020” bill along with over 30 other Democratic senators, VPM reported.
Warner did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.