BLM Unexpectedly Leaps to Lindsey Graham’s Defence After Strategist Says ‘Hopes’ he ‘Dies of Covid’

The Republican lawmaker, a longtime foe-turned-ally of Donald Trump and outspoken critic of Black Lives Matter, announced Monday that he had contracted COVID-19 despite being vaccinated.

Black Lives Matter (BLM) Rhode Island’s Political Action Committee (PAC) has called for the immediate resignation of a Democratic Party strategist who indirectly expressed a desire to see South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham die from COVID.

On 2 August, Democratic operative Kate Coyne McCoy tweeted (and soon deleted), a comment saying: “It’s wrong to hope he dies from COVID right? Asking for a friend. #CovidIsNotOVer #LindseyGraham.”

RI Democratic Party strategist Kate Coyne McCoy is facing calls for her resignation following a since-deleted Tweet about Sen Lindsey Graham's C19 diagnosis. I've reached out to Coyne McCoy for comment. pic.twitter.com/oX20HqkkdL

— Bill Bartholomew (@BillBartholomew) August 3, 2021

In its response, BLM called McCoy’s comments “extremely distasteful and insensitive” in light of the many deaths the state has suffered from coronavirus, and stressed that “the disregard for human life is unacceptable and should not be tolerated anywhere within any political party,” “regardless of political affiliation.”

.@blmripac statement on @katecoynemccoy pic.twitter.com/hUHGyHOnnc

— Ian Donnis (@IanDon) August 3, 2021

McCoy offered an indirect apology over the tweet, writing on Tuesday that she’d “made a mistake” and “used poor judgement” which she “regrets.”

I made a mistake. I used poor judgement which I obviously regret.

— katecoynemccoy (@katecoynemccoy) August 3, 2021

This is at least the second time that the strategist, who was reportedly hired to “modernise the party” and to “position Democrats” to win elections at every level, has expressed hopes that her opponents die. Last year, in a response to a tweet by CCN contributor Joe Lockhart about the lack of social distancing among Republicans gathered in the White House with Donald Trump, McCoy quipped that she was “not proud” of her gut reaction to the photo being “I hope they all die.”

I am not proud of my gut reaction which is “I hope they all die”

— katecoynemccoy (@katecoynemccoy) March 27, 2020

BLM Rhode Island PAC told Fox News that “wishing death on people” was “customary” for McCoy, and specified that the group is calling on the State’s Democratic Governor, Dan McKee, and Democratic House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi, to pressure her to resign.

BLM’s defence of Graham came as an unexpected surprise for many Republicans, who often characterise the social movement as a “front” for Democrats and blame it for widespread political and social unrest sparked by last year’s police killing of an unarmed black man.

No need for all the nasty comments on here. This was a good post, whether we align politically or not. Or have the same views on things. It's someone that most would say, myself included, is on the "other side" saying hey, that is not cool. That is not what we need. 👍🏻

— Pissonyoucrybabies (@Pissonyoucryba1) August 4, 2021

This is odd coming from a blm pac......im not sure what they are doing or why they are touching this.....Graham is no friend to blm unless he is.....blm is still a communist organization

— put on a smile (@Keithwrenn723) August 4, 2021

The South Carolina senator has repeatedly criticised BLM in the past, and accused Democrats of inciting “future violence” through their support for a bail fund for protesters and rioters in the wake of last year’s deadly protests.

Graham went into self-quarantine on Monday after being informed by a doctor that he had tested positive for COVID. The politician reported flu-like symptoms and said he was “very glad” to have been vaccinated, speculating that he would probably experience “far worse” symptoms if he didn’t get the jabs.

Democrats have often blamed their opponents for the coronavirus crisis over the GOP’s supposed failure to endorse vaccinations at the same level that Democrats have. Some Republican-controlled states, including Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, have seen hesitation to get vaxxed among GOP voters, with their vaccination rates remaining below the 70 percent of adults target set by the Biden administration nationally (that target was reached this week).

Graham is not among the Republicans expressing skepticism over the vaccines, and after receiving his jabs late last year he “thanked God” for the people who produced them, suggesting that “if enough of us take it, we will get back to normal lives.”