After facing down jeers from the debate crowd and mockery for pretending to be a law enforcement officer, George GOP Senate hopeful Herschel Walker flashed what appears to have been an honorary deputy badge.
The moment came during a back and forth between Walker and rival Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) on law enforcement. A moderator quickly interjected and scolded Walker for bringing out a prop in violation of the debate rules.
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“You are very well aware of the rules tonight. And you have a prop. That is not allowed, sir. I ask you to put that prop away,” she said.
“It’s not a prop. It’s real. He said I … never was in law enforcement,” Walker shot back, before being cut off by the moderator.
Eventually, he capitulated and put the badge away.
After Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) notes Herschel Walker’s (R) past instances of falsely claiming to be in law enforcement, Walker pulls out an apparent police badge before getting into an extended argument with the moderator. pic.twitter.com/cw6dMb7hm3
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The exchange came during questioning about gun violence. Warnock hailed his support for gun control legislation in the Senate before also touting his support for bolstering resources for law enforcement, something that drew scrutiny from Walker.
“Sen. Warnock’s talk about supporting law enforcement is sad because he’s called them names,” Walker replied. “Recruitment is down only because of what he’s done. He’s empowered criminals to think they’re better than the police.”
Seemingly anticipating that line of attack, Warnock then rebuffed Walker and ribbed him over his assertions that he had been part of law enforcement in the past. In several past speeches, Walker suggested he served in law enforcement and said he attended “FBI training school,” though fact-checkers have debunked those claims.
“One thing I have not done. I’ve never pretended to be a police officer. And I’ve never threatened a shootout with the police,” the senator said, drawing laughter and jeers from the crowd and prompting Walker to flash the badge.
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Friday’s debate is expected to be the only one between the pair before the election. Warnock leads Walker in the RealClearPolitics polling average by 3.3 percentage points.
The senator has seemingly been buoyed by a recent scandal dogging Walker. The Daily Beast reported that he paid and encouraged a woman to have an abortion — something Walker denies.
