South Carolina debate: Warren claims Bloomberg said "kill it" to pregnant employee

Former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg. Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Tuesday night’s Democratic debate in Charleston, South Carolina was a chaotic and tumultuous event. Presidential candidates shouted over each other refusing to relinquish any opportunity to insult their peers while defying the moderators and the rules of the debate.

 Amongst the most disturbing attacks was Senator Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass) attack of former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg alleging that Bloomberg suggested a pregnant former Bloomberg LP employee “kill it” when she revealed she was with child. 

Bloomberg denied making the statement, however, Warren’s claim was not without merit. According to documents obtained by The Washington Post, Sekiko Sakai Garrison filed a lawsuit in 1998 claiming Bloomberg, in fact, told her to “kill it” amongst other sexist and racist comments. 

Despite his denials, Bloomberg settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum. 

In a post-debate interview, Warren told CNN, “I think that the most dangerous candidate on that stage for democrats is Michael Bloomberg.” Warren then questioned Bloomberg’s record as a Republican and “buying his way onto that debate stage.” 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren at the Democratic primary debate in Charleston, S.C., February 25, 2020. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Warren asked, “Who is he really? Is he a Democrat or is he a Republican? His history with women. His attacking [sic] of African-Americans and Latinos, blaming them for redlining. Blaming them for the housing crash in 2008. Um... this is not a man who’s gonna be able to garner the support of all of the democrats, and that would be a real problem for us going into 2020.”

The South Carolina Democratic primary will be held Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020.