(Hopkins, SC) – State Representative Dr. Jermaine Johnson (D-Hopkins) issued a statement on Monday in response to media coverage of recent political scandals in South Carolina:
“When Matt Leber, a candidate for State House, who is a white man, was recently outed as a far-right extremist with a history of racist and offensive statements, we heard crickets from the media,” Johnson said. “But when Krystle Matthews, a candidate for U.S. Senate, who is a Black woman, came under fire for statements she made in private, the media ran dozens of stories and segments on her and even showed up at her doorstep with TV cameras.
Pardon me for noticing a disparity in coverage here. And pardon me again for pointing out that the candidate who is a white man gets a pass while the candidate who is a Black woman gets slammed. Journalism is a necessary public service, but reporters across South Carolina are doing a disservice to voters just days before a major election by not reporting the facts.”
Matt Leber, the Republican nominee for S.C. House District 116, was recently exposed for being a Three Percenter, which is part of the right-wing militia movement that wants to overthrow the government by force. He’s also come under fire for several racist and offensive posts he previously made.