Stefan Mychajliw, a Republican candidate for New York State Congress, has found himself in hot water online after offering his support to the Buffalo Police.
Two members of the Buffalo Police Department's emergency response team made national headlines recently when they pushed a 75-year-old man to the ground during a protest. The police unit members were also criticized for walking past the obviously injured man while offering no aid.
The elderly man was rushed to the emergency room bleeding from the head, and the two officers responsible were suspended without pay. In a move reportedly ordered by the police officer's union, the 55 other members of the emergency response unit resigned in solidarity.
Mychajliw, who is currently the comptroller of Erie County, now hopes to win votes for his congressional campaign by supporting the suspended officers on Twitter.
I stand strong behind these Buffalo Police officers. I refuse to let the shining city on a hill that brought my immigrant family here come under attack and destroyed from within. Cops are under attack from agitating, extremist radicals that crave chaos. Lawlessness must end pic.twitter.com/v2yGXrZ7M5
— Stefan Mychajliw (@StefanMychajliw) June 6, 2020
You are defending police brutality and police lawlessness. Stop it.
— Rebecca Tiffany (@rebeccajtiffany) June 6, 2020
Your statement today is amazingly tone deaf. It is sad to think that the city I grew up in is so far behind when it comes to compassion, empathy, and a moral compass. You do not speak for all and I hope that the city I love can become better.
— Jack S. (@CoachJSwartz) June 6, 2020
Despite Mychajliw's blatant attempts to win over conservative voters, one of his primary opponents, Chris Jacobs, already received President Trump's endorsement.
Translation, "I will say and do anything that gets me elected, I have no views of mine own"
— 𝙹𝚘𝚑𝚗 𝙺𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚣 🏡 (@watcherofskies_) June 6, 2020
I know you're hoping that by doing this you'll convince the BPD to reopen the cold case to find your spine, but ask them to locate you a chin while they're at it
— Katie (@katiecommamaybe) June 6, 2020
Stefan - try again, the 75 year old man was peaceful. They left a fellow American bleeding on the sidewalk. Go study the RULE OF LAW - it applies to everyone. Be better.
— myglenbeigh (@myglenbeigh) June 6, 2020
And the Erie Comptroller certainly isn't gaining any fans online, where Twitter is eviscerating him over his tone-deaf support.
I can't wait to vote for @Nate_McMurray!!!
— Victor Hugo Trash (@FreyaMermaid) June 6, 2020
Oh did the cops get pushed to the ground by a pack of unarmed 75-year-olds
— Jess Zimmerman (@j_zimms) June 6, 2020
Yeah, the lawless unarmed, frail old men
— Dave Wendel (@DaveEuph300) June 6, 2020
Local elections really do matter.
One thing I've learned from all of this is that change comes from voting at the smallest level — you're basically a nobody in Buffalo politics. But I'll vote against you next year and I can only hope other people remember you as the guy who backed cops who beat up an old man.
— Lauren Moore (@friendswaffles1) June 6, 2020
- doesn't understand the "rule of law"
- blindly defends all actions by humans with badge
- rouses up jingoism
- disgraces ancestors' pilgrimage for freedom
- can't find a cameraman willing to sustain verbal brain damage
— covid duchovny (@quality_pig) June 6, 2020
Did your immigrant family possibly come here to escape fascism?
— DKS (@dksintheflo) June 6, 2020
With less police officers present, protestors were able to protest peacefully.
The entire world saw That horrific video of the Buffalo Police pushing an elderly man. People want justice, accountability, and systemic change for an equitable society. Disappointed, but not surprised to have such idiotic statements from WNY officials.
— Carrie🌻 (@carrielogo) June 6, 2020
Didn't thousands march peacefully last night?
— Tyler (@tymarciniak) June 6, 2020
This is super confusing. Because last night we saw substantially *less* of a police presence during the protests and everything ended peacefully. This narrative just doesn't match real life events.
— KEG (@alyak2792) June 6, 2020
Stefan Mychajliw wants everyone to know whose side he's on. Voters will likely listen to him closely.
