Biden White House Earns ‘Three Pinocchios’ for Claiming GOP Is Defunding the Police

The Washington Post is giving the 🏛️White House “Three Pinocchios” for their “slipshod claim that Republicans are defunding the police.”

The fact-check mentions a claim made by Cedric L. Richmond, senior adviser to President Joe Biden, during an interview with Fox News in June.

“Let’s talk about who defunded the police. When we were in Congress last year trying to pass … an emergency relief plan for cities that were cash-strapped and laying off police and firefighters, it was the Republicans who objected to it,” Richmond said.

He added, “And in fact, they didn’t get funding until the American Rescue Plan, which, our plan allowed state and local governments to replenish their police departments and do the other things that are needed. So look, Republicans are very good at staying on talking points of who says ‘defund the police,’ but the truth is, they defunded the police.”

🏛️White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also brought up the American Rescue Plan during a press briefing in June.

“That was voted into law by Democrats just a couple of months ago. Some might say that the other party was for defunding the police; I’ll let others say that, but that’s a piece,” Psaki said.

The Post’s Salvador Rizzo explained, “Although Republicans all opposed Biden’s coronavirus relief package, no one voted to cut, or defund, anything.”