KAMALA Harris was slammed by conservatives this weekend after tweeting she was committed to helping small businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic.
Critics claimed that her tweet was hypocritical because the Vice President-elect had openly supported George Floyd protesters this summer.
“Small businesses, especially Black and minority-owned businesses, urgently need relief to survive the effects of coronavirus this winter,” Harris tweeted.
“@JoeBiden and I are committed to helping these businesses during this pandemic and get them the support they need to thrive in years to come.”
But in June, Harris, who was not yet Joe Biden’s running mate, tweeted support for Minnesota Freedom Fund.
“If you’re able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota,” Harris wrote at the time.
The tweet came just one week after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin, sparking protests against police brutality across the nation.
Conservatives have often criticized the protests for racial justice, condemning them after some of the peaceful protests in cities across the country ended with rioting and looting.
“Reminder, Kamala was helping to raise bail for a-holes who destroyed many small businesses over the summer,” @PolitiBunny wrote.
Another user claimed Harris wanted to help the same businesses “destroyed during rioting.”
“The same businesses that were looted and destroyed during rioting? By the same people for which you helped raise the funding for their bail and legal costs? Hmmmm,” @RCbeancounter wrote.
Another told Harris she needed to “pick a lane.”
“You bailed looters out who destroyed small businesses. Pick a lane,” wrote @heather4liberty.
Others slammed Harris for the wording of her tweet, noting that the former prosecutor wanted to “especially” help minority-owned businesses.
“Why ‘especially?’ What does that even mean, especially?!! How’s this helping with unity, the stated mission of this administration?” @AdamSiers tweeted.
Another asked if Harris could “just help Americans without color coding everything.”
The Minneapolis Star Tribune published a list of more than 360 businesses “vandalized, looted or had doors and windows smashed” during George Floyd protests.
Many small businesses damaged by riots and hit by looting likely did not have insurance or extensive enough coverage that would “make every business owner whole” in the aftermath, Forbes reported.
“Limitations of insurance, potential fights with insurers and the reality of trying to rebuild and reestablish operations have become major hardships,” the outlet reported.
Many of the small business owners understood “why it happened” to their businesses, NBC reported.
“It’s not like I have to blame someone for this. I understand why this happened. If it sends out the message, it doesn’t matter to us,” said Salih Mothana, who owns a small grocery store in Chicago damaged by riots.
Anthony Galindo, who co-owns a phone repair business in Los Angeles, told the outlet the small business owners supported the protests but condemned the damage the protests caused.
”Small businesses shouldn’t have to pay for the anger that is being caused right now. We all support the cause and the protest,” he said.
“We’re just collateral damage from the rioting.”