Florida police union rescinds endorsement of House candidate over newspaper Q&A

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A Florida-based police union is rescinding its endorsement of a Democratic candidate for the state legislature in the wake of public statements in which he called for police to be demilitarized and questioned the need for patrol officers to drive unmarked cars, Fox News has learned.

The Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association, which boasts approximately 5,000 members, endorsed former prosecutor-turned-criminal attorney Michael Weinstein in his bid for a state House seat at the beginning of July.

But after Weinstein completed a questionnaire with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, which was published on June 26, the union changed its mind, PBA President John Kazanjian told Fox News.

“When Michael Weinstein came to the Palm Beach County PBA seeking our endorsement, he expressed to us that he supported and respected the police and law enforcement in general,” Kazanjian said in a statement. “He never expressed the view that the police are militarized, that unmarked police cars caused distrust, or called for more civilian review boards, all of which he later said to the Sun Sentinel to perhaps win their endorsement. Had we known he supported these drastic changes to policing, which we strongly oppose, we would have never endorsed him.”

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During the Q&A, Weinstein was asked if he thought the laws pertaining to Florida’s criminal justice system should change in the wake of the police-involved death of George Floyd.

“From my perspective,” he responded, “we need a three part approach: 1. Mandatory de-escalation training. 2. Demilitarization of law enforcement. Police Officers should have all the proper equipment needed to protect themselves, but that does not necessarily mean wearing fatigues and patrol officers driving unmarked cars. These things can cause distrust and are not necessary for effective law enforcement, and 3. I support the idea of Citizen Review Boards.”

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Weinstein, 47, told Fox News he supports police officers and first responders “wholeheartedly.”

“I believe they should be treated with respect and I believe that as citizens we should work with them to foster really strong relationships between law enforcement and our citizens,” Weinstein told Fox News over the phone. “I believe that when the proper use of undercover vehicles are used for surveillance or other types of law enforcement, they should be allowed to be used … I believe that police officers should protect themselves in every way and they should be outfitted to protect themselves, but I also believe that they should work together with the community so that there is no distrust.”

Weinstein said the PBA had also contributed $1,000 to his campaign. He said he learned of the PBA’s decision on Friday, but stressed that he is “a strong supporter” with more than two decades working for the criminal justice system.

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“I want them to know that I back them when it comes to things like their benefits, when it comes to things like their representation in court, when it comes to things like working with the community,” he said, adding: “I certainly don’t support defunding the police. I believe in working with them.”