TUESDAY: Rev. Al Sharpton and Eric Garner’s Mother to Meet with Members of Congress in Washington in Light of Police Misconduct Cases in Philadelphia, Chicago, and NYC

—

Jul 23, 2019

Rev. Al Sharpton to Push for House Hearings on Police Misconduct

NEW YORK (July 22, 2019) — Last night on his weekly MSNBC show “Politics Nation,” Rev. Al Sharpton announced he would take Eric Garner’s mother Gwen Carr to Washington, D.C. Tuesday to meet with multiple members of Congress following last week’s announcement that the officer responsible for Garner’s death would not face federal charges. The meetings come on the heels of renewed calls to investigate police misconduct cases in Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York City.

Rev. Al Sharpton and the family of Eric Garner are deeply concerned that the New York City Police Department has not yet fired Daniel Pantaleo, the officer who killed Eric Garner five years ago, while federal authorities announced last week that he would not face civil rights charges. Sharpton and the family will push for congressional hearings on police misconduct.

The Garner case is not isolated; the Philadelphia Police Department has pulled 72 officers off their regular duties as authorities investigate inflammatory social media posts revealed in a database that found thousands of offensive postings by current and former officers. And, the Chicago Police Board recently fired four police officers for allegedly covering up a white officer’s 2014 fatal shooting of Black teenager Laquan McDonald.

Garner’s family, who since 2014 has sought justice for Eric’s death, will meet with Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Jakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) to discuss the case and the best options for recourse moving forward.

“Last week’s decision by William Barr and the Justice Department was a severe miscarriage of justice. Eric’s family is justifiably outraged at the result – as am I,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of National Action Network (NAN). “We will not stand by while countless other families are ripped apart by the deaths of innocent Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. It’s our sincerest hope that these meetings provide our elected representatives with the courage and resolve to stand up for justice.”

11:30 a.m.
Meeting with Sen. Charles Schumer
S-221, The Capitol

12:00 p.m.
Meeting with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
ST-36, The Capitol

12:30 p.m.
Meeting with Sen. Kamala Harris
112 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC, 20510

1:30 p.m.
Meeting with Sen. Cory Booker
Hart Senate Office Building

2:00 p.m.
Meeting with Chairman Jerry Nadler
2132 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC

2:15 p.m.
*Rev. Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr will be available to the media immediately following their meeting with Chairman Nadler.

3:00 p.m.
Meeting with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries
2433 Rayburn Office Building

4:00 p.m.
Meeting with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
229 Cannon House Office Building

5:45 p.m.
Meeting with Rep. Ayanna Pressley
1108 Longworth House Office Building