As Congress moves forward with legislation on police reform, Democratic agents warn lawmakers to avoid any wasted police rhetoric, as it could hurt them in the medium term.
Why it’s important: President Biden and his fellow Democrats say Congress should pass the George Floyd Police Act, which would ban the protection of contractions, ban orders not to strike, and generally ease the liability of officers for misconduct.
- Following Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict, Senator Tim Scott (RS.C.) plans to reintroduce his police reform bill or similar proposal in the coming weeks.
- But behind the scenes, it is not clear that any agreement on global legislation is imminent, writes Alayna Treene, of Axios.
The big picture: While polls suggest George Floyd’s legislation, which was passed by the House, is widely popular, changes in how police departments work will take place locally.
- Celinda Lake, a pollster who works for the Democratic National Committee, said calls from activists to “disburse” police departments could hurt Democrats in narrow races.
- “Voters want a change,” he told Axios. “We need to clearly define the change we are for.”
- “You have voters who don’t want to‘ spread the police, ’but they want changes in the police,” he said.
- “When individual politicians are accused of wanting to defuse the police, unless they come out aggressively when it comes to defining what they are for, it tends to have an impact.”
Flashback: After Democrats lost seats in the House in November, some centrist lawmakers like Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) Blamed anti-police rhetoric.
- “We [need to] look at the things that [the Republicans] tell us about it, “Spanberger said during a heated call with House Democrats, according to audio obtained by the Washington Post.” Because it works. “
- Not all centrists are worried about it.
- “When it comes to social justice issues, it goes far beyond politics,” Rep. Stephanie Murphy (Florida) told Kadia Goba of Axios on Wednesday. “It’s about people’s lives and ensuring safe communities, and getting law enforcement to get the support they need.”
In depth: Some progressive Democrats, such as Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Want to go beyond the George Floyd Act and continue to present the case to defuse the police, which could complicate democratic messages.
- “The police in our country are intrinsically and intentionally racist,” he tweeted last week. “There is no more police, imprisonment and militarization. It cannot be reformed. “
What we are seeing: In Minneapolis, City Hall pledged after Floyd’s death to disband the police department, but that faces a series of blockages and faces uncertain public support, writes Nick Minnter of Axios Local from Minneapolis.
- Mayor Jacob Frey (D) has resisted efforts to dismantle or detune the police and instead wants to reform the department. He is running for re-election in November, as are the 13 members of the City Council.
- While Frey is seen as a favorite, many of the City Council members who made the promise are being challenged by his right.
The summary: “There’s no doubt that Republicans are eager to put Democrats in the‘ defund / anti-police ’box,” said Matt Bennett, co-founder of Third Way.
- “But it will be difficult to do so with current legislation.”