Philadelphia’s police union rebuked Hillary Clinton for including relatives of victims of police shootings at next week’s Democratic National Convention but no relatives of slain police officers, reports Philly.com. The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 said it was “insulted by the exclusion of police widows and family members” as speakers.
“It is sad that to win an election Mrs. Clinton must pander to the interests of people who do not know all the facts, while the men and women they seek to destroy are outside protecting the political institutions of this country. Mrs. Clinton you should be ashamed of yourself if that is possible,” the union said.
The Clinton campaign announced that former President Bill Clinton would speak Tuesday night along with members of Mothers of the Movement, a group that includes Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner; Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin; and Lezley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown. Clinton’s campaign noted that two members of law enforcement are scheduled to speak at the convention, including former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. “As Hillary Clinton has said, we need to support heroic police officers who put their lives on the line every day as well as listen to the voices of mothers who have lost their children,” said Stephanie Formas, Pennsylvania communications director for Hillary for America.