A resurfaced video from September 2020 features Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico describing the period following the Black Lives Matter riots in the wake of George Floyd's death as an "exciting" opportunity to "end the current situation of over-policing communities of color which has been in place in this country since its founding."
Talarico, a Texas state lawmaker, is currently engaged in a closely watched race against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Recent polling indicates a tie between the two candidates. Talarico has recently adopted a more moderate public persona, emphasizing a pro-police stance and identifying as a "border security Democrat."
However, critics have pointed to the resurfaced video as evidence that contradicts his current messaging. Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, characterized Talarico as "a dangerous freak who is willing to endanger the entire state just to prove that he is sufficiently woke," and alleged that his past positions would "put families in danger and be a paradise for criminal illegal aliens."
The video, from a Zoom call with South Asian American Voter Empowerment (SAAVETX), shows Talarico stating that policymakers need to "listen to black voices and to the activists in the streets calling for a radically different vision of public safety." He also criticized Republicans for what he described as using fear of racial issues to win elections.
Talarico asserted at the time that "police violence against communities of color, in particular our black community is nothing new, and has its roots in slavery and Jim Crow and mass incarceration." He added that the discussion should focus on fundamental changes to the criminal justice system and reinvesting public funding into community-based solutions.
During the 2020 call, Talarico also praised local leaders, citing the city of Austin's decision to cut its police department budget. He criticized Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for proposing financial penalties for cities that reduced police funding, calling Abbott's stance hypocritical.
In response to the renewed criticism, James Talarico's campaign spokesperson, JT Ennis, stated that Talarico "opposes defunding the police, has voted to deny bail for violent criminals, and has a record of sending billions of dollars to support law enforcement." Ennis also said Talarico "supports a secure southern border and has unveiled a border security agenda backed by law enforcement officials from both parties." The campaign has previously labeled accusations that Talarico supports defunding the police as "a flat out lie."
Ennis further explained that Talarico has proposed legislation that "supports the police by adding desperately needed mental health officials to help prevent tragic events like the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas."
Madison Cercy, a spokesperson for Paxton's campaign, contested these claims, stating, "James Talarico has the most consistently anti-law enforcement record in the Texas Legislature. But now his spokesman is out telling bold-faced lies." Cercy asserted that Talarico "donated thousands of dollars to an organization that supported defunding the police and voted against banning personal bond release for people accused of violent crimes."