With Ron Kind’s vote against H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, we have seen one of the most blatant displays of lack of character, integrity, and courage by a politician in the modern American history.
Seven months ago, Ron Kind was caught lying to all 18 of our county sheriffs when he told them on a conference call that he would not vote for the 2020 version of this bill that removed qualified immunity from our police.
He failed to mention that he had already cosponsored it, a full week before the call with our sheriffs.
This lie rightly destroyed his reputation with law enforcement and the community writ large.
In his official statement on the 2020 bill, he was quoted as saying;
“It’s clear from the millions that have marched not only in Wisconsin but across the nation, that Americans are coming together to push for real change in this country . . . I’m proud to vote for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act; we cannot allow this national outpouring of grief and demand for change to go unheard.”
He went so far as to hold a rally in La Crosse with members of the community supporting the bill.
On March 3rd, only seven short months later, Ron Kind was one of two Democrats to vote against the 2021 version of the bill, stating his reasoning to be that the bill did not provide enough resources for “de-escalation, implicit bias, and diversity training”
He also said;
“We also need to ensure that good officers are not subjected to frivolous lawsuits, which may force them to leave their profession and make the recruitment of good people into law enforcement more difficult.”
This is what the removal of qualified immunity would do, exactly what he voted for in 2020.
The language referring to the removal of qualified immunity,(SEC. 102), in the 2020 and 2021 bills is identical.
Literally verbatim.
The only difference between now and then is that by lying to our sheriffs when he co-sponsored the 2020 bill, Ron almost lost his job.
If he had any integrity, he would have stood his ground, added his co-sponsorship to the 2021 bill and voted for it.
It’s clear Kind doesn’t vote on legislation because he believes in it. His votes are not for the good of our nation, they’re for the good of himself—and he thinks his constituents won’t notice.
Ron Kind is not a leader or a statesman.
By this unprincipled vote he has proven unequivocally that he is a used car salesman of a political opportunist who is willing to say or do anything to maintain his personal political power.
He is not part of the problem in DC, he is the problem.
IN PHOTOS: Voting Day in La Crosse
Voting Day
Voters exit the polling place for ward 13, 15, 17, and 18 Tuesday at the Coulee Recovery Center.
Voting Day
Three-year-old Montgomery Bolanos waits for his mother, Karina Bolanos, as she votes at the Coulee Recovery Center.
Voting Day
Voters fill out their ballots Tuesday at the Coulee Recovery Center.
Voting Day
Polling place workers Kay Hatlestad, left, and Karen Martin process absentee ballots at the Coulee Recovery Center.
Voting Day
Margret Wood processes absentee ballots Tuesday at the Coulee Recovery Center. The polling place for wards 13, 15, 17, and 18 had an estimated 1000 absentee ballots submitted.
Voting Day
Liam Moran, left, and Melinda Byerly process absentee ballots Tuesday at the polling place at Mitchel Hall on the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse campus.
Voting Day
Voters wait to submit their ballots at the polling place at University of Wisconsin La Crosse’s Mitchel Hall.
Voting Day
Voters fill out their ballots Tuesday at the polling place for wards 8 and 11 at Mitchel Hall on the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse campus.
Voting Day
Melinda Byerly processes absentee ballots at the polling place at Mitchel Hall on the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse campus.
Voting Day
A voter submits a ballot Tuesday at University of Wisconsin La Crosse’s Mitchel Hall as others fill theirs out.
Voting Day
Angie Bernstein, a volunteer from Viroqua with Election Defenders, offers personal protective equipment and general help to voters Tuesday outside of the Coulee Recovery Center.
Voting Day
Jeremy Kimpel shows his ID Tuesday before voting Tuesday at the Coulee Recovery Center in La Crosse.
Voting Day
Poll worker Kathy Allen, left, hands voter, Jen Neuhaus, her ballot Tuesday at the Coulee Recovery Center.
Voting Day
Second time voter Cydney Livingston, left, checks her ballot as her friend and first time voter Alana Bouquet watches on at the polling place at the Coulee Recovery Center.
Derrick Van Orden
Derrick F. Van Orden, a Republican from Hager City, lost a close race to Kind for the 3rd Congressional District
