WATCH: Steyer Confronts Biden About Surrogate’s ‘Racist’ Comments, Demands He Condemn
At tonight’s debate between the top contenders for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, hedge fund manager Tom Steyer went after former Vice President Joe Biden over a tweet earlier this week by South Carolina State Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a longtime Biden ally and campaign surrogate.
The controversial tweet at issue was posted by Harpootlian on Wednesday, attacking Steyer for paying another South Carolina legislator, State Rep. Jerry Govan, nearly $50,000.
South Carolina’s Legislative Black Caucus slammed the tweet as racist, viewing Harpootlian’s words as suggesting Govan could be bought.
Harpootlian has said that his remarks were not racially motivated.
At the debate, Steyer responded to a question about racial issues by emphatically affirming his support for reparations.
“Something wrong happened, and I am for reparations for African-Americans in this country,” said Steyer. “And anyone who thinks that racism is a thing of the past and not an ongoing problem is not dealing with reality.”
Steer then mentioned how Harpootlian, who he identified as “one of the leaders of Joe Biden’s South Carolina campaign,” had “made racist remarks about someone associated with our campaign.”
Noting the condemnation by the Legislative Black Caucus, Steyer then asked Biden to join them in condemning Harpootlian’s tweet.
“Joe, I’m asking you to come with me and the Legislative Black Caucus and disavow Dick Harpootlian and what he had to say,” said Steyer, turning to the side to address Biden directly. “It was wrong, and I’m asking you to join us, be on the right side.”
Biden responded that he was on the right side, due to his strong support among members of the Legislative Black Caucus and other black voters in South Carolina.
Watch the video above, via ABC.
