Walker Woes Continue: Trump-tapped Candidate’s Business Practices, COVID Misinformation Receiving Criticism from Georgians

Last night, WSAV News 3 in Savannah reported that Herschel Walker’s questionable business practices and pattern of COVID misinformation throughout the pandemic are receiving well-earned criticism from Georgians across the state. 

Read and hear all about the latest Walker missteps capturing the attention of Georgians:

WATCH MORE ON WALKER’S BUSINESS AND COVID CONTROVERSIES HERE:

• WSAV Anchor: The US Senate race in Georgia is heating up as Democrats taking shots at Republican candidate Herschel Walker. This week they criticized what they call hypocrisy in his business practices during the pandemic. Now some are taking issue with Walker’s stance on COVID. WSAV’s Joanne Merrigan with that story.
  
• Rep. Teri Anulewicz, Georgia HD42: “Herschel Walker has the nerve to shame businesses…”
  
• JoAnn Merrigan: That from a state lawmaker and two business owners who say in 2020 Walker criticized the Paycheck Protection Program, but also sat on the board of a company that took $10 million. And later, Democrats said, Walker took about $200,000 for his own business.

• Anulewicz: “Georgians of all political stripes deserve so much better than what Herschel Walker is offering our state.”
  
• Merrigan: The Walker campaign says that like thousands of other small businesses, Walker’s took PPP funding to keep staff on payroll, and that Walker’s tweet had referred to multimillion dollar corporations that took loans meant for smaller businesses. But Democrats say Georgians are seeing the real Herschel Walker – a politician who mocks their needs, avoids their questions and spreads dangerous misinformation.

• Here’s Walker on the Glenn Beck podcast in August of 2020, before he announced his run for Senate. He said he had a product to fight COVID.

• Herschel Walker: “It can bring you into a building – that will clean you from COVID as you walk through this dry mist. As you walk through the door, it will kill any Covid on your body.”
  
• Merrigan: Democrats say this pitch is tantamount to selling snake oil, and that since Walker has announced his candidacy, he’s avoided saying whether he’s vaccinated – and that during an appearance last month at UGA that Walker questioned the effectiveness of vaccines.

• Walker: “Now they say, ‘OK, if you get the shot, you may need to get a booster. You’re going to get COVID. If you don’t get the shot, then get the booster, and you’re still going to get COVID.”

• Merrigan: The Walker campaign says that Herschel has made it clear that Americans need to be given the freedom to decide whether or not to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and he encourages people to talk with their doctor and make the decision that’s best for them. Recently I talked to Dr. Steven Thacker at Memorial Health.
  
• Merrigan: “For the record, is there a mist spray in the room to cure Covid?”

• Dr. Stephen Thacker, Memorial Health: “Not that I’m aware of.”

• Merrigan: “And for the record, are vaccines a good thing?”

• Dr. Thacker: “Oh, that I’m very aware of. Yeah, vaccination against COVID-19 is without a doubt the safe and effective way in which people can prevent harm for themselves and their community.”

• Merrigan: Whether it’s a vaccine or the PPP program, count on Democrats to keep bringing it up. That as Walker continues to gain in the polls.

WATCH MORE ON WALKER’S PPP HYPOCRISY HERE:

• WSAV Anchor: In other Georgia politics, the US Senate race is heating up. Democrats are calling out Republican candidate Herschel Walker for what they say is hypocrisy and questionable business practices. 

• In 2020, Walker criticized business owners that took money from the Paycheck Protection Program for COVID relief, but Democrats say it’s been revealed that he sat on the board of a company that took almost $10 million. Later, Walker took about $200,000 for his own business, Renaissance Man Food Services.

• Rep. Teri Anulewicz, Georgia HD42: “Georgia workers and Georgia business owners deserve a whole lot better. And Georgians of all political stripes deserve so much better than what Herschel Walker is offering our state.” 

• WSAV Anchor: We did hear from a Walker campaign spokesman who said like other small businesses, Renaissance Man Food Services took PPP funding to keep staff on payroll. But Democrats claim Walker avoids questions on business practices and continues to spread misinformation about COVID. We will have much more on that tonight at 6.

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