In a press conference held Wednesday morning, Christopher Eiserman, the president of the Delaware County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 27 and an active-duty officer in Folcroft Borough, voiced strong criticism against Senator Bob Casey’s recent engagement with the anti-police group Indivisible Philadelphia.

Eiserman, representing over 1,300 law enforcement members in Delaware County, condemned Casey’s alignment with what he described as anti-police activists.

“Last night, our current Senator Bob Casey attended an event with an anti-police organization Indivisible Philadelphia… Subsequent to that event last night, Indivisible Pennsylvania has announced that they are endorsing Senator Bob Casey in his run to be the Senator of Pennsylvania,” Eiserman remarked.

The endorsement by Indivisible Pennsylvania, a group advocating for defunding the police, reducing officer presence, ending cash bail, and previously bailing out violent offenders, was pointed out by Eiserman as contradictory to the needs of Pennsylvanians amid a spike in violent incidents on local public transit, overall crime, and a general understaffing of law enforcement across Pennsylvania.

“Casey voted against $300 million towards anti-narcotic and opioid activities… He voted against Kate’s law which would have set a mandatory imprisonment minimum for deported felons who illegally reenter the U.S.,” he pointed out.

Eiserman continued, further rebuking the Senator’s voting and legislative record:

“Casey says there’s systemic racism in our police. He thinks we’re the problem, not the violent criminals making Pennsylvanians less safe. He co-sponsored a bill that would end qualified immunity, which protects officers from being sued for actions taken in the line of duty unless the courts have previously deemed those actions unreasonable. His bill would also defund local police departments from federal grants if they don’t implement the Biden administration’s preferred policing policies.”

Casey, Eiserman suggested, is aligning more with ideological agendas than with the safety of the constituents he serves.

Conversely, Eiserman praised Casey’s opponent Dave McCormick, describing him as a law-and-order Senate candidate who values the importance of public safety and respects law enforcement. He commended McCormick for his understanding of the impact of national politics on local communities and his commitment to addressing Pennsylvania’s safety concerns and advocating for security at the southern border.

Eiserman issued a firm declaration of support for McCormick:

“As Senator, Dave will advocate for public safety by working to secure the southern border to prevent dangerous drugs like fentanyl and crime from destroying Pennsylvania families. Ensuring law enforcement has the necessary resources to do the job they have to do. Insisting progressive liberal prosecutors uphold the rule of law, encouraging a culture of respect for law enforcement. Our communities all across the Commonwealth are affected by crime and we need a senator who will work with us, not against us, to solve this problem. It’s no surprise that 47 Pennsylvania sheriffs have already endorsed Dave to be our next US senator. Delaware County FOP Lodge 27 is proud to support Dave McCormick in his run to replace Bob Casey as our senator.”

With crime and public safety being crucial issues for Pennsylvanians, the upcoming elections will likely see these concerns take center stage, as candidates present their visions for a safer Commonwealth and country at large.

Olivia DeMarco is an Editorial Associate for Broad + Liberty. She previously served as a legislative aide in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She holds a Masters in Public Policy from Temple University.