Two far-left members of the self-proclaimed progressive group of Democrats, the Squad, have caused an uproar after voting against honoring police officers killed in the line of duty.
The National Police Week vote received broad support from Republicans and nearly all Democrats.
The motion honored “the 556 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, including 224 officers killed in 2022, as well as 332 officers killed in previous years.”
It also called on legislators nationwide to ensure “police are equipped with the resources and training necessary to keep communities safe.”
But team members Rashida Tlaib, a congressman representing Michigan, and Cori Bush, a Democrat from Missouri, were the only members to vote against the resolution.
Fellow Squad members have also used anti-police rhetoric in the past, but New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Minnesota’s Ilhan Omar and Massachusetts’ Ayanna Pressley all voted in favor of the resolution Monday.
Rashida Tlaib recently sparked anger by referring to the creation of the State of Israel as a ‘catastrophe’
Cori Bush, a former Democratic activist, has in the past spoken out in favor of ending police funding
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as two other members of the so-called Squad, voted in favor of the motion supporting police officers
Rashida Tlaib sparked anger last week when she announced an event marking the 75th anniversary of Israel’s founding as “a catastrophe.”
And Bush, an ardent supporter of the Black Lives movement, introduced a bill on Wednesday calling for reparations to be paid to all black Americans.
The 46-year-old’s motion comes as the US teeters on the brink of a potential debt burden as lawmakers squabble over raising the country’s $32 trillion debt ceiling.
The pair hit back on Tuesday, issuing a statement defending their votes.
“Let’s be clear: the health and safety of each of our community members – including our first responders – is a top priority for us.”
“But this resolution is not a referendum on support for the safety of aid workers.
“It is a document intended to advance the Republicans’ false narrative about supporting law enforcement and enlighten the public on where they stand,” the statement said.
The two congresswomen also highlighted Republican responses to the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol as reasoning for their claims of the GOP’s “false narrative,” arguing that “Republicans are the Party of the Rebellion.”
But House Speaker Kevin McCarthy vowed Republicans would “continue to show our full support for our police officers by thanking everyone who wears the badge.”
“Our country is blessed with the bravest, most professional and capable police officers in the world,” he said.
Congresswoman Cori Bush faced charges of hypocrisy in October when she was found to have spent $500,000 in campaign finance on private security.
The team member spent more than $100,000 on “security services” in the third quarter of 2022 alone, according to Federal Election Commission documents.
Of that, $71,201.06 was paid to St. Louis-based private security firm Peace Security. The remaining $30,000 in security services went to Cortney Merrits and Nathaniel Davis, who reportedly shared an address with Bush’s campaign headquarters.
Spending in the third quarter brought Bush’s private security spending to more than $490,000 during the 2020-2022 election cycle, the news outlet reported.
This is despite Bush openly calling for the elimination of police money, a movement that exploded after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer and the deaths of other black people at the hands of law enforcement.
The dangers faced by police were underlined once again Wednesday after Joe Biden awarded the Medal of Valor, one of the country’s highest honors for bravery, to seven public safety officers.
Three members of the NYPD received the award after two of their fellow officers were ambushed and killed and they responded to a 911 call, with a rookie officer knocking down the gunman.
A Houston police officer, a Colorado police officer, an Ohio sheriff’s deputy and three FDNY firefighters all received medals in a ceremony at the White House before Biden left for Japan and the top of the Group of Seven.
“I don’t know all of you, but I do know you,” Biden said. “From small towns to big cities, you are cut from the same cloth. You’re in danger when everyone runs from danger.’