A congressman with ties to 'The Squad' who proudly voted to defund Austin police has been struck down after requesting beefed up patrols outside his home in the Texas city.
Democrat Greg Casar was a prominent voice in defunding the Austin Police Department as a member of the City Council in 2020 following the Black Lives Matter movement. Last week he also criticized the force for alleged racist practices.
Now he has submitted a request for a police patrol at his home through the United States Capitol Police in Washington DC – the request was forwarded to the Austin Police Department.
The politician was criticized in a message Tuesday by the Austin Police Retired Officers Association.
“We want everyone in Austin to feel safe,” it said. “But this seems to us to be the height of hypocrisy from the congressman.”
Congressman Greg Casar (left), who has ties to “The Squad” and proudly voted to defund the Austin Police Department, has been criticized after requesting increased patrols outside his city home. Pictured: Casar next to representatives Jasmine Crockett and Ilhan Omar
He was a prominent voice in defunding the Austin Police Department as a member of the City Council in 2020 and last week criticized the police department for alleged racist practices.
The politician was criticized in a message Tuesday by the Austin Police Retired Officers Association
Casar supported a vote to defund the Austin Police Department from the City Council, which led to a police shortage and a wave of officers retiring from the force.
“We did it!!,” he wrote in a post on of our community.'
However, the Texas congressman sent a letter to the Justice Department last week criticizing Austin police.
He wrote about the “need for systemic reforms to the Department's policies and practices on excessive and lethal use of force, racial discrimination, and discrimination against people with mental health conditions.”
The Austin Police Retired Officers Association was unimpressed by his request for better patrols around his home by the same officers he criticized.
“It has come to our attention that anti-police kingpin of the defund movement in Austin @GregCasar, who last week called the APD an agency with racist practices, has requested increased patrols around his home for the next week,” the association wrote .
“Maybe he should hire private security like his fellow squad members do. It does seem like he wants the police in his neighborhood, but not yours.”
Austin residents were also quick to portray the congressman as a hypocrite on social media.
“So @GregCasar believes APD is a racist institution that requires DOJ oversight but then asks for more APD patrols around his home,” personal injury attorney Adam Loewy wrote. 'Interesting combination.'
Casar supported a vote to defund the Austin Police Department from the City Council, which led to a police shortage and a wave of officers retiring from the force.
But he requested a police patrol at his home through the United States Capitol Police in Washington DC. The request was forwarded to the Austin Police Department. Pictured: Austin Police Headquarters
The Austin Police Retired Officers Association was unimpressed by his request for better patrols around his home by the same officers he has criticized.
While Travis County GOP Chairman Matt Mackowiak said, “Greg Casar is a fraud.”
Dennis Farris, president of the Austin Police Retired Officers Association, believes Casar should be entitled to additional protection if officers are available to do so and there is a real threat.
But he told Fox News that the request is “the height of hypocrisy.”
“A week ago he called the Austin Police Department a racist department that targeted black and brown people, and this week he is asking the very same department to implement enhanced patrols around his home,” he said.
'It doesn't matter which political party they belong to. If they ask us for help, we will give it to them.
'The last thing we want is for something to happen to them. My problem with it and the problem that most of my members are going to have with it is the fact that this guy is, you know, the whole team thing, right?
“It's the whole, 'We hate the police, we hate the police, we hate the police. Oh, please, come help us now.” He is the architect. He is the architect of Defund the Cops in Austin. He caused this whole mess.”
Casar's office said it “does not comment on active security matters related to the congressman.”
“Our office has not communicated with the Austin Police Department regarding this matter as these matters are handled by the United States Sergeant at Arms, who then works with the U.S. Capitol Police and local law enforcement agencies,” a spokesperson said.
His office highlighted a statement from U.S. House Sergeant at Arms William McFarland, which said, “The Sergeant at Arms takes the safety of Members of Congress very seriously.
“We ask the public and law enforcement agencies not to comment on specific security measures or active cases as this exposes potential vulnerabilities.”
While a spokesperson for the Austin Police Department confirmed that it is “aware of Representative Greg Casar's request.”
The agency added that police are following “the same protocol and review as for all requests.”
“Our office takes all public safety concerns seriously. Our priority is to have a safe community where everyone can feel protected, while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information,” the spokesperson said.