Three Kentuckians spoke during the Republican National Convention on Tuesday including Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who praised President Donald Trump and criticized protests that have erupted around the country in recent months.
Cameron is the first Black person elected to statewide office in Kentucky on his own ticket, and is currently investigating the death of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman and emergency room technician killed by Louisville police in March.
During his speech, Cameron criticized “the politics of identity, cancellation and mob rule.”
“Even as anarchists mindlessly tear up American cities while attacking police officers and innocent bystanders, we Republicans do recognize those who earnestly strive for peace, justice, and equality,” Cameron said.
Cameron has faced intense pressure to finish the investigation into Taylor’s death, which he took on in May after the Jefferson County commonwealth’s attorney recused himself from the case.
His house in Louisville has been a frequent gathering point for protesters calling for the officers involved in Taylor’s death to be criminally charged.
He announced on Sunday that he would not release the investigation this week.
Cameron mentioned Taylor during his speech.
“Whether you are the family of Breonna Taylor or David Dorn, these are the ideals that will heal our nation’s wounds. Republicans will never turn a blind eye to unjust acts, but neither will we accept an all-out assault on western civilization,” Cameron said.
Dorn was a 77-year-old Black retired police captain who was killed by looters in St. Louis during protests over the death of George Floyd earlier this year.
This is Cameron’s first year in elected office; he previously worked as legal counsel for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Cameron took shots at Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, accusing him of taking Black voters for granted.
“Mr. Vice President, look at me. I am Black. We are not all the same, sir. I am not in chains. My mind is my own. And you can’t tell me how to vote because the color of my skin,” Cameron said.
Kristal Smith, a member of the Kentucky Chapter of Moms Demand Action, criticized Cameron for appearing at the convention while the investigation is still ongoing.
“Attorney General Cameron has been quicker to take action for the Republican party than for a community that’s been calling for justice for months,” Smith wrote in a statement.
“LMPD cut Breonna Taylor’s life short, and we will not rest until the Louisville community — and activists across the nation — get the answers and justice they deserve.”
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul also spoke on Tuesday night, and, despite past scuffles, praised the president.
“I don’t always agree with him. But our occasional policy differences are far outweighed by our significant agreements,” Paul said. “But more important than simple agreement is accomplishment. President Donald Trump gets things done.”
Paul came at odds with Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, calling him an “orange-faced windbag” and “fake conservative,” but has since become one of his loudest supporters.
The convention also featured former Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann, the subject of a viral video that showed him face-to-face with a Native American demonstrator in Washington D.C.
“Canceled is what’s happening to people around this country who refuse to be silenced by the far left,” Sandmann said. “Many are being fired, humiliated or even threatened. Often, the media is a willing participant.”
Sandmann said that no one has been treated more unfairly by the media than the president and called for supporters to “join with a President who will challenge the media to return to objective journalism.”
Sandmann sued several news organizations for their characterizations of the incident; CNN and the Washington Post settled lawsuits with him.
