Democrats are calling on Mullins McLeod to drop out of the race for South Carolina governor after an arrest video from May resurfaced of McLeod in which he goes on an expletive-filled rant and calls himself Superman.
The 53-year-old South Carolina lawyer was arrested May 14 in Charleston, according to the police report obtained by HuffPost, after he was found walking around wearing only his underwear and shoes, and yelling “at the top of his lungs” and moving his arms “frantically.”
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The officers handcuffed McLeod, and while they were trying to get McLeod’s name, McLeod referred to himself as Superman and God.
In the arrest video published by WPDE, when asked his name, McLeod responded, “It doesn’t matter, my friend, trust me. I’m one of the most just humans to ever walk this soil,” before shouting, “When I’m governor ...”
According to the police report, while on their way to jail, McLeod continued to yell “incoherently” about “vague” historic events. The officer noted in the police report that McLeod’s symptoms were “typical of an individual under the influence of a stimulant narcotic.”
The South Carolina Democratic Party did not respond to a request for comment, but in a statement shared on social media, the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, said that McLeod should rethink running for governor.
“After reviewing the transcript of the dash cam footage from his recent arrest, it is clear that Mr. McLeod is navigating profound challenges and should focus on his mental and emotional well-being instead of a campaign for governor,” the statement reads. “We offer him compassion and pray he finds the support he needs.”
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In the arrest video, McLeod yelled incoherently about Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and his “brothers in Compton.”He also threatened Alan Wilson, the South Carolina attorney general who is also running for South Carolina governor, saying he wants to kick Wilson’s teeth in.
Wilson wrote on social media Wednesday that he is giving McLeod the “benefit of the doubt.”
“I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he means in a general election, not a street fight,” Wilson said. “My plan for bold, conservative leadership is spreading, and my record of defending President Trump, parental rights, and the rule of law has put a target on my back. But we’re not slowing down, and I’m not done fighting for South Carolina families.”
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When they arrived at the jail, McLeod didn’t want to exit the car, and police reported his eyes were bloodshot and dilated, and was sweating “profusely.” During intake, McLeod continued to ramble and allegedly kicked another prisoner.
McLeod was charged with public disorderly conduct, and the charges are still pending, police told HuffPost.
McLeod did not immediately return a request for comment.
On Monday, McLeod called the May arrest “unlawful” and told the Post and Courier that he was exercising his “God-given, constitutional right to be in a public place.”
“My path and my focus has never been clearer,” he said. “As far as my unlawful arrest goes, my hands are tied right now. And trust me, there’s nothing that I want more than to tell the voters exactly what happened on my unlawful arrest. But right now, my hands are tied.”
He continued: “The only thing I’d ask the voters is to please give me a little bit of grace and know that long before we go to election day, they’ll know exactly what happened. And when they learn what happened around my unlawful arrest, it will be a reason why I absolutely need to be our state’s governor.”
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Shaun Kent, McLeod’s attorney, said drugs or alcohol were not involved, and that the incident instead stemmed from a mental health episode and exhaustion. According to the Post and Courier, McLeod’s family told Kent he hadn’t slept in almost six days.
In a video posted Tuesday on Instagram, McLeod didn’t address the arrest. Instead, he explained why he’s running for governor, saying corruption is in politics and the “will of the people” is “not being served.”
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