Rep. Eric Swalwell
Eric Michael SwalwellHickenlooper ends presidential bid Scenes from Iowa State Fair: Surging Warren, Harris draw big crowds Nadler hits gas on impeachment MORE (D-Calif.) needled Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Peter (Pete) Paul ButtigiegTop adviser on Sanders: 'He's always been underestimated' Biden, Sanders lead Trump in hypothetical match-ups: poll The Hill's Morning Report - Trump hews to NRA on guns and eyes lower taxes MORE on his handling of a police-involved shooting in his hometown of South Bend, Ind., telling Buttigieg on the Democratic debate stage that he should fire the city's police chief.
While Buttigieg said he “accept[s] responsibility” for the shooting, in which a white police officer fatally shot a 54-year-old black man, Swalwell interrupted to tell the mayor: “You should fire the chief."
“So, under Indiana law, this will be investigated and there will be accountability for the officer involved,” Buttigieg replied.
Hour two opened with Rachel Maddow
— jordan (@JordanUhl) June 28, 2019Rachel Anne MaddowUS ambassador to Germany calls out journalists who blocked him on Twitter Frustrated liberals say Democrats aren't aggressive enough on courts Fox News closes out July as most-watched cable network for 37th straight month MORE asking Pete Buttigieg about a police officer who killed a black man in his town.
Eric Swalwell said Pete should fire the chief of police. pic.twitter.com/f6ZFEEbWpL
“But you’re the mayor,” Swalwell fired back.
He reiterated: “You’re the mayor. You should fire the chief, if that’s the policy and someone died.”
Swalwell's 2020 campaign has made addressing gun violence a prime focus. During the debate, when asked what issue he would first combat as president, he said "ending gun violence."
As Swalwell jabbed at Buttigieg, the mayor's facial expression quickly gained traction on Twitter. CNN editor-at-large Chris Cillizza described Buttigieg’s look as a “death stare.”
Pete Buttigieg gives Eric Swalwell an extremely dirty look as Swalwell criticizes his response to an officer-involved shooting. #DemDebate2 pic.twitter.com/gRrSM2dvvK
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 28, 2019
The death stare from Buttigieg to Swalwell. Whoa boy.
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) June 28, 2019
There were some DAGGERS coming from @PeteButtigieg's eyes towards @RepSwalwell just now when Swalwell told Buttigieg he should fire his police chief: #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/1neBzXkZLa
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) June 28, 2019
Swalwell and Buttigieg are two of 10 Democratic 2020 hopefuls who took the stage for Thursday night’s debate in Miami.
