December 4, 2015

Clinton Earns the Support of Dozens of SC General Assembly Members

In the latest sign of Hillary Clinton's continued momentum, dozens of former and current South Carolina General Assembly members have announced their endorsement of Clinton, emphasizing her commitment to South Carolina families and children. These senators and representatives have said clearly: Clinton is the right choice for South Carolinians who want action on gun violence, criminal justice reform, college affordability, health care, and raising wages. 

“Long ago, Hillary began fighting for justice while working here in South Carolina to investigate the living conditions of youth incarcerated in adult jails. She’ll continue this work as president by ending the era of mass incarceration, reforming mandatory minimum sentences, and supporting efforts to remove barriers facing formerly incarcerated individuals,” said Sen. Karl Allen

“Rural communities continue to face too many health, education and economic disparities, and we need someone always fighting for us. Hillary Clinton is working so all South Carolina families can have the opportunity of a good paying job, quality heath care, and affordable child care and education. As president, Hillary will fight for investments in our small towns,” said Sen. Brad Hutto.

“As she has done time and time again, she’ll stand up for families and work every day to ensure children have the opportunities to live up to his or her God given potential. Hillary is committed to expanding opportunity by raising the minimum wage, reforming a broken justice system, and make college affordable for all of South Carolina’s students and families,” said Sen. Darrell Jackson. 
 
“I’m so impressed that Hillary Clinton values the experiences of local government officials and school board members. She understands that our cities and towns are economic engines that drive South Carolina. Hillary has always been a strong supporter of local priorities like good paying jobs, pay equality and investing money into our infrastructure. She has a proven record of supporting and valuing our priorities,” said Sen. Kevin Johnson.

“For decades, Hillary Clinton has been on the front lines of advocating for women and children. She is dedicated to helping our families succeed, starting with ensuring our kids have access to quality early childhood education and making college affordable,” said Sen. Margie Bright Matthews. "Hillary supports establishing initiatives to promote successful re-entry of formerly incarcerated individuals, which will allow an avenue for employment, paying taxes and taking care of their families. I believe we have to address the recidivism rate and give a second chance to individuals to give back to society."

“Secretary Clinton brings an important experience to the race after serving in President Obama’s cabinet. Our next president must stand ready and have a vision to address the significant threats of ISIS and global terrorism to keep our country safe. Especially in the aftermath of the recent terrorist attacks, it’s clear that Hillary is uniquely qualified to serve as our next Commander-in-Chief,” said Rep. James Smith, Deputy Minority Leader.

“When Hillary Clinton served as First Lady of Arkansas, she led the successful effort to reform the state’s education system—from reducing class sizes to increasing accountability. Her focus on education hasn’t wavered because she understands that a college education shouldn’t be out of reach for any student. As an Army veteran and former teacher, I feel like my country is in good hands with Hillary Clinton at the helm,” said Rep. Jimmy Bales.

“After the tragic incidents involving Walter Scott, Laquan McDonald, Eric Garner, Samuel DuBose and countless others, it’s become clear that we need to restore the balance of trust between law enforcement and many communities across the country. This is not an easy task, but it is needed now more than ever,” said Justin Bamberg, SC State Representative and attorney for the family of Walter Scott.  "Hillary Clinton has shown that she’s not only serious about this issue, but she is committed to making significant reforms our criminal justice system. She has put forth plans—including implementing a national plan for police body cameras and signing legislation that bans racial profiling—that reinforce her commitment to fight for those persons who so often feel a sense of powerlessness on these issues."

“Hillary Clinton cares deeply about families, and has spent her entire life delivering for them. Looking towards the future, Hillary is ready to reform our broken criminal justice system. Hillary understands that, and she is dedicated to fighting crime, rebuilding trust in our communities, and increasing police departments’ transparency and accountability,” said Rep. Joseph Jefferson.

“Hillary Clinton has been a fighter her entire life. By fighting for equal pay, Planned Parenthood, affordable child care, and paid family leave, Hillary will build a better future for women and their families. As president, she will work to protect women from domestic violence starting with getting guns out of the hands of criminals and abusers. Hillary will be right there with us on the front lines every day,” said Rep. Mia McLeod.

“Hillary Clinton has the breadth and depth of experience to serve as our nation’s next president. Her experience is unmatched, as it ranges from bolstering education standards, to expanding healthcare coverage for millions of children, and to handling global crises as our Secretary of State,” said former Rep. Tim Rogers.

“Through her decades of experience, Hillary Clinton has always shown that she’s a fighter for children and hardworking families. She’s broken barriers as she’s worked to make a difference in the lives of others. As our president, she’ll continue President Obama’s work to lower health care costs, address gun violence, and ensure employees are paid a fair wage,” said former Rep. Levola Taylor.

Clinton also has the support of other General Assembly members, including Assistant Leader Sen. John Matthews, Sen. Creighton Coleman, Sen. John Scott, Jr., Rep. Carl Anderson, Rep. Bill Clyburn, Rep. Chandra Dillard, Rep. Jerry Govan, Rep. Leon Howard, Rep. John King, Rep. David J. Mack, Rep. Walt McLeod, Rep. Harold Mitchell, Jr., Rep. Mandy Powers Norrell, former Sen. Kay Patterson, former Sen. Linda Short, Rev. McKinley Washington, and former Rep. I.S. Leevy Johnson.

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For Planning Purposes, December 4, 2015