Harris Now Supports Small Business After Bailing Rioters

Kamala Harris now supports small business owners, if you check her Twitter account. Last Saturday, she tweeted her support for relief for small business owners. “Small businesses, especially Black and minority-owned businesses, urgently need relief to survive the effects of coronavirus this winter,” she tweeted. “@JoeBiden and I are committed to helping these businesses during this pandemic and get them the support they need to thrive in the years to come.”

 RELATED: Lawmakers Close to Deal on New Coronavirus Funding for Small Business

The Vice-President- elect’s Twitter messages met with scorn with some users. A summer ago, detractors said she tweeted support for rioters who looted and burned down small businesses. Back then, her Twitter messages  

Support for Small Business

Harris spent Saturday with husband Dough Emhoff at a Washington DC outdoor market. She held a shirt for sale that contained the printed title “Madam Vice President.” Mayor Muriel Bowser accompanied her during her visit. She thanked Harris for her support of the annual “Small Business Saturday.” 

Afterward, Harris took a minute to answer questions from the media. Together with President-elect Biden, they talking with experts to prepare for their transition. “We’ve been meeting with everyone from labor leaders to heads of Fortune 500 companies,” she said. Her tweet happened the same day she visited the Small Business Saturday event Bowser. 

Minnesota Freedom Fund

After the death of George Floyd while under police custody, the Minnesota Freedom Fund got attention. MFF fronts bail money for people without the means to pay for their temporary release. Before George Floyd, it raised an average of $100,000 annually. After the eruption of the BLM movement, the MFF managed to raise a whopping $35 million. The increase came at the time when riots broke out in Minnesota, with a lot of donors coming from outside the state. 

Prominent personalities' public acts of a donation from prominent personalities. This includes at least 13 Biden campaign staff members, plus Harris. The staffers did so on their own initiative. At the time, Harris tweeted: “If you’re able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota.” 

Bail For Those Who Need It

MFF interim director Greg Lewin said bail support does not depend on charges. “We do not make determinations of bail support based on the crimes that individuals are alleged to have committed,” he said. 

“We are, however, taking steps to strengthen our internal procedures for ensuring that those we bail out receive support, especially if they are in need of housing or medical treatment. Those processes involve renewing our commitment to listen to the communities directly impacted by our efforts, and ensuring those we bail out have the necessary support to safely return to their families and their community,” he added. 

‘Get Out of Jail to Do More Damage’

MFF got some unwanted publicity after a beneficiary went wild. Lionel Timms got out on bail with help from MFF in July. By August, Timms was back in prison for a new assault charge. At the height of the protests, Senator Tim Cotton of Arkansas blamed Harris. He tweeted on August 30 that “Kamala Harris helped violent rioters in Minnesota get out of jail to do more damage.” He added: “Don’t believe her when she says she ‘condemns the violence’ — look at her record, not her words.” 

According to Aaron MacLeod, Cotton's spokesman,  MFF's support for Timms is an example. “Anyone who donated/solicited donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund shares responsibility for how the money is used — in this case, to bail out a violent criminal who went on to commit a further act of violence,” MacLean said in an email. “Indeed, no one should be soliciting donations for (or, in the case of Joe Biden's staff, actually donating to) an organization that takes an incredibly reckless approach to public safety.” 

Harris Condemns the Protests Not The Riots

Following George Floyd's death, Harris joined anti-racism protests and gave her support to the Black Lives Matter movement. She clarified that she supports peaceful protests and not riots. She said “It’s no wonder people are taking to the streets and I support them. We must always defend peaceful protest and peaceful protestors. We should not confuse them with those looting and committing acts of violence, including the shooter who was arrested for murder. And make no mistake, we will not let these vigilantes and extremists derail the path to justice.” 

A popular YouTube video that circulated during the campaign said she supports the protests. It showed snippets from her interview with late show host Stephen Colbert. A Reuters fact check did check and confirmed she supported the protests. But they did not see any mention of riots or violent protests in the interview.

Watch as VP-elect Kamala Harris voices her support for small businesses during a visit to a DC holiday market:

Do you believe Kamala Harris when she said she supports providing relief to small businesses? Or do you hold her accountable for her support for protests? Let us know what you think by sharing your comments below.