FL-Gov: Democratic candidate Andrew Gillum says if police have drawn weapons, they’ve gone ‘too far’

Florida gubernatorial candidate and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum said that law enforcement has gone "too far" if they end up pulling out a weapon against a subject.

Gillum is running against Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis (Fla.) for the governor’s seat, a vacancy that will be left by GOP Gov. Rick Scott.

What did Gillum say?

During a Wednesday podcast on "Pod Save America," Gillum refused to say that he is anti-police, despite Republican critics saying otherwise.

"All this stuff that they say, I've got to let them know; anti-police? No," he said. "I'm for police accountability, but law enforcement society cannot work, and, quite frankly, law enforcement cannot do its job if it does not have a trusting relationship with the community."

He went on to explain that while he is in favor of law enforcement authorities "repairing the breach" between officers and citizens, he believes that pulling a weapon against a possible suspect is simply going too far.

"At the time a law enforcement official has to go to a weapon, to a gun, to a baton, to a taser, then they have already have to go too far by their very presence," Gillum explained. "By the very trust that [law enforcement inspires] in community and in society, they are supposed to be able to bring most situations to a heel."

Anything else?

Gillum has been under fire for reasons other than his stance on police in recent weeks.

In 2016, Gillum reportedly accepted tickets to see "Hamilton" from an undercover FBI agent. This came during a time when the city of Tallahassee was investigating a local government corruption case.

FBI special agent Mike Miller, who was posing as a developer, purchased the coveted tickets and reportedly gave them to Gillum through a lobbyist.

"Mike Miller and the crew have tickets for us for 'Hamilton' tonight at 8 p.m.” Adam Corey, former lobbyist, texted Gillum on Aug. 10, 2016.

Gillum responded that the news of the tickets was "awesome," and later reportedly told those who'd asked that his brother had gifted him the tickets.

The Florida Commission on Ethics released 150 pages of documents, which include text messages, emails, and photos that are related to interaction between Gillum, his brother, Corey, and Miller.

On top of the “Hamilton” tickets, the Florida Commission on Ethics released documents detailing trips the four men had taken to Qatar, New York, Costa Rica, Miami, and Amelia Island.

You can read more about the brewing scandal here and here.

In a recent poll, Gillum was polling slightly ahead of DeSantis for governor.

(H/T: The Washington Free Beacon)