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Tim Scott, Black Republican Senator, Recounts Run-Ins With Police Tim Scott, Black Republican Senator, Recounts Run-Ins With Police
(about 13 hours later)
WASHINGTON — It was not one particular shooting that moved Senator Tim Scott to come to the Senate floor, speaking in strikingly personal terms about being a black man in America. Rather, it was the fact that they just kept coming: the police shooting in Baton Rouge, La.; another in Falcon Heights, Minn.; and then the shooting in Dallas that left five police officers dead.WASHINGTON — It was not one particular shooting that moved Senator Tim Scott to come to the Senate floor, speaking in strikingly personal terms about being a black man in America. Rather, it was the fact that they just kept coming: the police shooting in Baton Rouge, La.; another in Falcon Heights, Minn.; and then the shooting in Dallas that left five police officers dead.
Their collective weight prompted Mr. Scott to recount his own troubling encounters with the police, some even within the Capitol complex where he serves.Their collective weight prompted Mr. Scott to recount his own troubling encounters with the police, some even within the Capitol complex where he serves.
Mr. Scott’s hometown, North Charleston, S.C., felt the unwanted glare of the national spotlight last year after a white police officer in that city fatally shot an unarmed black man in the back as the man fled. He said that prayer and an invitation to speak at a local church after the most recent shootings convinced him to open up.Mr. Scott’s hometown, North Charleston, S.C., felt the unwanted glare of the national spotlight last year after a white police officer in that city fatally shot an unarmed black man in the back as the man fled. He said that prayer and an invitation to speak at a local church after the most recent shootings convinced him to open up.
“I felt like if I could maybe, perhaps, tell the whole truth and not just one side of the truth,” he said in an interview. “Both sides are very important, but you have to have the whole picture so we can move forward.”“I felt like if I could maybe, perhaps, tell the whole truth and not just one side of the truth,” he said in an interview. “Both sides are very important, but you have to have the whole picture so we can move forward.”
And as Mr. Scott demonstrated in three often moving speeches on the floor this week, he is better positioned than most members of Congress to talk about both sides.And as Mr. Scott demonstrated in three often moving speeches on the floor this week, he is better positioned than most members of Congress to talk about both sides.
The first black senator elected in the South since Reconstruction, the South Carolina Republican has had positive experiences but also many run-ins with police officers over the course of his life.The first black senator elected in the South since Reconstruction, the South Carolina Republican has had positive experiences but also many run-ins with police officers over the course of his life.
In remarks Wednesday that trained the capital’s gaze on the usually low-profile Mr. Scott, he recalled drawing the suspicion of a Capitol Police officer last year who insisted on seeing identification even though he was wearing the distinctive lapel pin worn by senators.In remarks Wednesday that trained the capital’s gaze on the usually low-profile Mr. Scott, he recalled drawing the suspicion of a Capitol Police officer last year who insisted on seeing identification even though he was wearing the distinctive lapel pin worn by senators.
Mr. Scott was elected to the House in 2010 before becoming a senator in 2013, replacing Senator Jim DeMint.Mr. Scott was elected to the House in 2010 before becoming a senator in 2013, replacing Senator Jim DeMint.
“The officer looked at me, full of attitude, and said, ‘The pin, I know. You, I don’t. Show me your ID,’ ” he said. “I’ll tell you, I was thinking to myself, either he thinks I’m committing a crime — impersonating a member of Congress — or what?” “The officer looked at me, full of attitude, and said: ‘The pin, I know. You, I don’t. Show me your ID,’ ” he said. “I’ll tell you, I was thinking to myself, either he thinks I’m committing a crime — impersonating a member of Congress — or what?”
“While I thank God I have not endured bodily harm, I have, however, felt the pressure applied by the scales of justice when they are slanted,” Mr. Scott added. “I have felt the anger, the frustration, the sadness and the humiliation that comes with feeling like you are being targeted for nothing more than being just yourself.”“While I thank God I have not endured bodily harm, I have, however, felt the pressure applied by the scales of justice when they are slanted,” Mr. Scott added. “I have felt the anger, the frustration, the sadness and the humiliation that comes with feeling like you are being targeted for nothing more than being just yourself.”
President Obama has often spoken after a racially charged shooting, urging cooperation and empathy. On Tuesday he reprised that role at a memorial service for the officers killed in Dallas during a protest sparked by the recent police shootings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.President Obama has often spoken after a racially charged shooting, urging cooperation and empathy. On Tuesday he reprised that role at a memorial service for the officers killed in Dallas during a protest sparked by the recent police shootings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.
But Mr. Scott is the highest-ranking black Republican to join the discussion at a time when many have come to associate his party with the sometimes racially charged remarks of Donald J. Trump, the presumptive presidential nominee.But Mr. Scott is the highest-ranking black Republican to join the discussion at a time when many have come to associate his party with the sometimes racially charged remarks of Donald J. Trump, the presumptive presidential nominee.
“We needed to hear it,” said Senator Jeff Flake, Republican of Arizona, adding, “I don’t know how anybody can hear him and not have a greater appreciation for what he and others go through.”“We needed to hear it,” said Senator Jeff Flake, Republican of Arizona, adding, “I don’t know how anybody can hear him and not have a greater appreciation for what he and others go through.”
In his final speech, about 20 minutes long, on Thursday, Mr. Scott listed several potential remedies to the current problems, including a bill he introduced last year to help state and local police departments buy body cameras and another to improve the tracking of police shootings.In his final speech, about 20 minutes long, on Thursday, Mr. Scott listed several potential remedies to the current problems, including a bill he introduced last year to help state and local police departments buy body cameras and another to improve the tracking of police shootings.
Mr. Scott also said senators were considering their own version of a bipartisan group created by House Republican leaders and the Congressional Black Caucus this week to address police shootings, a coalition praised by Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin on Thursday.Mr. Scott also said senators were considering their own version of a bipartisan group created by House Republican leaders and the Congressional Black Caucus this week to address police shootings, a coalition praised by Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin on Thursday.
“That’s what we want to see in this country,” Mr. Ryan said. “We want to see things calm down, we want to see people listen to one another.”“That’s what we want to see in this country,” Mr. Ryan said. “We want to see things calm down, we want to see people listen to one another.”
Speaking after many of the Senate hallways had already gone dark as lawmakers headed home for a seven-week recess, Mr. Scott expressed optimism. He talked about the sacrifices made by the officers who protected the protesters during the shooting in Dallas and the resolution of a black surgeon who tried to save them to teach his daughter not to fear the police.Speaking after many of the Senate hallways had already gone dark as lawmakers headed home for a seven-week recess, Mr. Scott expressed optimism. He talked about the sacrifices made by the officers who protected the protesters during the shooting in Dallas and the resolution of a black surgeon who tried to save them to teach his daughter not to fear the police.
“We are a beautiful nation. We are an amazing family,” he said. “Families fight sometimes. That’s O.K. We must remember that we are one single family. We can all get to where we’re going. We must get to where we’re going, and we will get there together.”“We are a beautiful nation. We are an amazing family,” he said. “Families fight sometimes. That’s O.K. We must remember that we are one single family. We can all get to where we’re going. We must get to where we’re going, and we will get there together.”