Hill Democrats quash liberal push to ‘defund the police’

Politico ^ | 6/09/20 | Sarah Ferris, Marianne Levine, Heather Caygle

[Libloather]

“Defund the police” has become the latest battle cry of liberals protesting George Floyd's death in demonstrations across the country. But it won’t be echoed by lawmakers in the halls of Congress.

Top Democrats are carefully - but forcefully - speaking out against growing calls from activists to defund police departments, an idea backed by prominent progressives to dismantle the system that has perpetuated the type of brutality seen in Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.

“I think it can be used as a distraction and that’s my concern,” Rep. Karen Bass, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, told reporters on Monday. “I think the intent behind it is something that I support - the idea that communities need investments.”

**SNIP**

“We’re keeping our eyes on the prize, and that needs to be the story. State and local will do what state and local needs to do,” Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), a member of the CBC, said Monday when asked about the defunding movement. “We are the Congress. What we’re doing here today is our role.”

Some had a blunter assessment.

“You can’t defund the police, that’s stupid, it’s crazy and anyone who talks about that is nuts,” said moderate Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). “You have to have the police.”

[Vaduz]

Listen i’m doing my Rice Crispy impression.