Tipsheet

Sen. Tim Scott: Yes, I've Been Stopped By The Cops Before...Even Here On Capitol Grounds

On Wednesday night, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) took to the Senate Floor to discuss his interactions with law enforcement. The conservative Republican said that the cops have stopped him several times in a year. In one instance, Capitol Police forced him to produce identification, despite wearing the official pin only given to members of the U.S. Senate. He said that he felt the pressure from the “scales of justice” when it's slanted, though that is not an excuse to attack and kill police officers (via Associated Press):

"I have felt the anger, the frustration, the sadness and the humiliation that comes with feeling like you're being targeted for nothing more than just being yourself," Scott said in a powerful floor speech reflecting upon the killings of police and by police that have shaken the nation.

He implored colleagues to "recognize that just because you do not feel the pain, the anguish of another ... does not mean it does not exist."

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Scott talked about getting pulled over seven times in one year, and described an occasion when a police officer trailed him for blocks seemingly looking for a reason to stop him.

He talked about trying to enter the Capitol, as a senator wearing the official pin issued only to senators, and a Capitol Police officer stopped him and said: "'The pin I know. You, I don't. Show me your ID.'"