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Morgan McGarvey, Attica Scott weigh in on crime, inflation and more at Louisville Forum

State Rep. Attica Scott spoke at the Louisville Forum's Democratic Primary debate at Vincenzo's on Wednesday afternoon. Scott and State Sen. Morgan McGarvey are vying for the Democratic nomination for Congress in Kentucky's 3rd District. May 11, 2022
State Rep. Attica Scott spoke at the Louisville Forum's Democratic Primary debate at Vincenzo's on Wednesday afternoon. Scott and State Sen. Morgan McGarvey are vying for the Democratic nomination for Congress in Kentucky's 3rd District. May 11, 2022

Kentucky Senate Minority Leader Morgan McGarvey and state Rep. Attica Scott fielded questions at a forum Wednesday, with each explaining why voters should pick them to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth.

Louisville Forum hosted the event at Vincenzo's in downtown Louisville, although McGarvey tuned in virtually because his wife, Chris, was sick with COVID-19.

Here are four key areas where McGarvey and Scott weighed in:

On crime and public safety

Both candidates were asked about their perspective on problems with crime and whether there's a role for Congress in tackling that issue.

"Everyone wants to be safe in their home and to feel safe in their home and their community," McGarvey said. "I think we need to acknowledge that not everyone does feel safe in their home or in their community.

More: As candidates, Morgan McGarvey and Attica Scott agree on a lot. Here's where they differ.

"And one of the things I think we need to do is fully fund public safety. That includes having more social workers, having more mental health workers, right?"

He also said the police need better training, recruiting and retention policies, and the right funding to make that happen.

"But I don't think we should just talk about budgets. I think we need to talk about actual reform," he said, adding that he would vote in Congress to approve a federal ban on no-knock warrants and pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (which would make big changes like ending the 'qualified immunity' that largely shields officers from civil lawsuits).

State Senator Morgan McGarvey appeared virtually at the Louisville Forum's Democratic Primary debate at Vincenzos on Wednesday afternoon. McGarvey and State Rep. Attica Scott are vying for the Democratic nomination for Congress in Kentucky's 3rd District. May 11, 2022
State Senator Morgan McGarvey appeared virtually at the Louisville Forum's Democratic Primary debate at Vincenzos on Wednesday afternoon. McGarvey and State Rep. Attica Scott are vying for the Democratic nomination for Congress in Kentucky's 3rd District. May 11, 2022

Scott said Congress needs to address crime by addressing the needs of the people.

"And I say this as someone whose father and brother were both incarcerated: We have to address what people are needing every single day, whether it's food or shelter or transportation for work ... or a robust public education system that everyone has access to," she said.

More: Scorecard: Where congressional candidates Morgan McGarvey, Attica Scott stand on 10 issues

From a community safety perspective, Scott said we must ensure every neighborhood is safe, and that requires investing in infrastructure.

"I shouldn't be able to go anywhere in the West End of Louisville and there isn't street lighting," she said. "And there are neighborhoods in west Louisville where there is no street lighting, so you've left us vulnerable. We're set up for failure."

On the environment

When asked how they'd legislate to reduce or eliminate reliance on fossil fuels, both candidates emphasized how seriously they take environmental issues.

Scott cited her history of advocacy as indicative of that commitment. She said she joined the Rubbertown Emergency Action network in the 2000s and highlighted that group's long-term work to tackle environmental problems along southwest Louisville's industrial Rubbertown corridor.

Scott stressed the environmental impacts of industries fueled by fossil fuels are felt by people across the state.

McGarvey emphasized that the latest data shows it's imperative to move away from fossil fuels, saying: "We've got to save the planet."

He pointed to Ford Motor Co.'s plan to invest billions into electric vehicle battery plants in Hardin County as an example of how well-positioned Kentucky is to spearhead that shift.

More: Ford is betting big on electric vehicles. Why that could pay off huge for Kentucky

"Kentucky powered the last energy revolution. And we paid for it. We paid for it in the lives of our miners," he said. "We should be on the forefront of powering the next energy revolution ..."

On inflation

Both candidates were asked about inflation and whether President Joe Biden's policies to combat it are working, as well as whether the U.S. government's multitrillion-dollar pandemic relief measures, such as Biden's American Rescue Plan, were a mistake.

McGarvey pointed to supply chain problems, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and "corporate greed" as key factors in the recent uptick in inflation.

"... So, first of all, I think we are still trying to untangle ourselves from the supply chain problems created by the first global pandemic we've had in over 100 years. Those have been exacerbated by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's unprovoked war on Ukraine.

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"One thing I don't hear in your question or on news coverage right now ... (is) the presence of corporate greed," he said. "ExxonMobil posted record profits in Q1 (the first quarter) of this year. Record profits. So, we're paying more at the pump."

Scott said she doesn't think federal relief measures were a mistake.

"I do not believe that it was a mistake for the administration to take care of people during a global pandemic. To make sure that folks could feed their families, to make sure that folks could pay their bills," she said.

"What I will say, though, is that if we want to get our economy on a track that is working for most of us, we have to tax billionaires, we have to pay people a living wage and we have to address the fact that corporations and businesses can do almost anything they want to ..."

On money in politics

The massive flow of money into campaign coffers across America came up during Wednesday's forum, including the nearly $1 million being spent on pro-McGarvey ads by a political action committee that's backed by a billionaire in the cryptocurrency industry.

That super PAC, called Protect Our Future, is financially supported by CEO Sam Bankman-Fried of the crypto exchange FTX.

McGarvey said 'Citizens United,' the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that essentially let corporations and other organizations spend unlimited amounts of money on elections, is "in the running to be one of the worst Supreme Court decisions of this century."

If elected to Congress, he indicated he'd support rolling back the changes Citizens United made and said he's supported restrictions on money's electoral influence as a state lawmaker.

McGarvey, whose campaign has outraised Scott's by roughly 6-1, said he had to Google the group that's funding ads promoting his candidacy.

"I can tell you this is kind of frightening as a candidate because we don't know what they're going to do, what they're going to say or how they're going to do it," he said.

He indicated this group appears to be interested in preventing pandemics, and noted he's advocating for the U.S. government to better prepare for future pandemics, such as by rebuilding the national stockpile of medical supplies and requiring more ventilation for buildings.

McGarvey said most of the over $1.5 million his campaign has raised came from Kentucky donors.

Scott said her campaign, which has raised about $236,500, received donations from people in Louisville, around Kentucky and across the country "who want to see us progress," adding:

"I'm really grateful that the majority of our donors have been teachers and folks who have a monthly donation of $5 or $10 per month."

Morgan Watkins is The Courier Journal's chief political reporter. Contact her at mwatkins@courierjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter: @morganwatkins26.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Morgan McGarvey vs. Attica Scott: takeaways from Louisville Forum