Kamala Harris told Jacob Blake she is 'proud of him' during visit with his family in Kenosha



Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, visited the family of police shooting victim Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Monday, and expressed to Blake how proud of him she is.

Blake was shot in the back seven times by a Kenosha Police Department officer after resisting arrest and allegedly reaching for a knife in his car on Aug. 23. He has been in the hospital ever since, reportedly paralyzed from the waist down.

What did Harris say?

Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Blake and his family, released a statement on Twitter detailing the meeting. Blake called in to the meeting by phone from the hospital.

"Sen. Harris had an inspirational and uplifting one-hour visit with Jacob Blake, Jr. and his family today," the statement read. "She spoke individually with each family member about how they were handling the trauma and urged them to take care of their physical and mental health. In a moving moment, Jacob Jr. told Sen. Harris that he was proud of her, and the senator told Jacob that she was also proud of him and how he is working through his pain. Jacob Jr. assured her that he was not going to give up on life for the sake of his children."

Sen. @KamalaHarris met with the family of #JacobBlake today, who joined by phone from his hospital bed. The family’… https://t.co/QzpZOuZFtW
— Ben Crump (@Ben Crump)1599502940.0

Why does this matter?

Blake was charged with sexual assault in July and had a warrant out for his arrest. The call that brought police to the scene where Blake was shot came from his accuser, who alleged he had taken her keys and refused to leave her property, despite a restraining order.

Blake is, of course, innocent until proven guilty. Harris, however, has at least one high-profile example of not treating accusations of sexual assault that way. When Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was going through his Senate confirmation process, Harris vehemently opposed it on the basis of Christine Blasey Ford's accusation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982.

Even after Kavanaugh was confirmed, Harris was among those calling for Kavanaugh to be impeached after allegations of sexual misconduct from Kavanaugh's time at Yale were published by the New York Times.

Harris has taken a different tone toward the allegation of sexual assault against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden since becoming his VP nominee. Biden's accuser, Tara Reade, publicly accused Biden of assaulting her in 1993. Harris said in April 2019, when Biden was a potential rival for the nomination, that she believed the women accusing Biden of misconduct.

From his hospital bed, Jacob Blake pleads 'Change y'all lives ... we can stick together, make some money, make everything easier for our people out here'



Jacob Blake issued a plea from his hospital bed, urging his supporters to change their lives.

A Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officer reportedly shot Blake in the back seven times on Aug. 23 during a call for a domestic dispute. Blake's family has repeatedly said he is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the shooting.

Following Blake's shooting, riots and protests alike erupted in Kenosha, which led to a deadly shooting of two people on Aug. 25. More protest and riots continued across the U.S., putting further strain and pressure on police-community relations.

What are the details?

In a video tweet shared by his attorney, Benjamin Crump, Blake, 29, said that life can change on a dime.

"I just want to say, man, to all the young cats out there, and even the older ones, older than me, it's a lot more life to live out here, man," he said. "Your life and not only just your life, your legs, something that you need to move around and move forward in life, can be taken from you like this, man."

Blake added that he's in constant pain.

"I've got staples in my back, staples in my damn stomach," he continued. "You do not want to have to deal with this s***, man. Every 24 hours, it's pain, it's nothing but pain. It hurts to breathe, it hurts to sleep, it hurts to move from side to side. It hurts to eat."

He urged his supporters to change their lives, adding, "Please, I'm telling you, change y'all lives out there. We can stick together, make some money, make everything easier for our people out here, man, 'cause it's so much time that has been wasted."

#JacobBlake released this powerful video message from his hospital bed today, reminding everyone just how precious… https://t.co/pU9KVIw7wQ
— Ben Crump (@Ben Crump)1599351088.0

What else?

According to a recent report from the Kenosha Police Union, Blake reportedly confronted officers following a call about a domestic dispute. He allegedly placed one of the officers in a headlock, and was armed with a knife that he refused to drop.

All of this reportedly took place before the Kenosha officer opened fire on Blake as he attempted to get into his car. Officers reportedly said they saw a knife on the floor of the car. Blake's three children were in the backseat.

Kenosha Police Union attorney Brendan Matthews told WCCO-TV that Blake was reportedly at the residence of his ex-girlfriend, who accused him of a violent sexual assault in May.

The unnamed woman reportedly called authorities on that fateful day, alleging that her ex was attempting to steal both her keys and her vehicle.

Reports say that because of the alleged May assault, Blake was not supposed to be at her residence at all.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice continues to investigate the incident.