The chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Friday was forced to walk back his remarks on the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict after making false claims about the case.
Soon after Mr. Rittenhouse was acquitted of murder charges for fatally shooting two during racial justice riots, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York said the riots were “against the unjust killing of Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man.”
Mr. Blake was neither unarmed nor killed when shot by a white police officer responding to a domestic disturbance call in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Mr. Blake had a knife during his altercation with police and is alive, though he was left partially paralyzed from being shot.
“We sent out an incorrect version of our statement,” DCCC spokesman Chris Hayden said on Twitter. “Here is the corrected version. Apologies.”
The updated statement simply called the police shooting “unjust.”
The error drew howls from Republicans for stoking racial discord with the inaccurate statement.
“The Democratic Party just can’t help themselves,” Rep. Brian Mast, Florida Republican, said on Twitter. “Lying is their only mode of operation.”
Still, Mr. Maloney said in his statement that “people are right to be outraged” over Friday’s verdict.
“It is clear that our legal system has one set of rules for some Americans, and very different standards for others,” he said. “We must continue the fight to end police violence against Black Americans and stand up for issues that affirm their humanity while working to engage the hearts and minds of the American people as we journey forward in the struggle to achieve justice for all.”
Mr. Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges in connection with fatally shooting two men and injuring a third while being chased by and struck by demonstrators during the riots in August 2020.
• Joseph Clark can be reached at jclark@washingtontimes.com.
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