Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas blasted Democrats during a Senate floor speech Wednesday, calling it “a cynical and calculated lie” that anybody other than Democrats is seeking to defund the police.
“I rise today to discuss facts and fiction. Recently, Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked White House press secretary Jen Psaki about a Biden administration official’s claim that Republicans have defunded the police by not voting to pass Biden’s wasteful $1.9 trillion stimulus bill,” Cruz began in his Senate remarks.
“Psaki doubled down on the idea that it is Republicans and not Democrats who want to defund the police. When a White House press secretary gives a press briefing, you expect some spin, you expect some verbal bobbing and weaving if the topic is unflattering to the administration. But when Jen Psaki tried to blame Republicans for defunding the police, it wasn’t spin. It was horse manure, it was gaslighting,” Cruz added.
Cruz proceeded to chronicle examples of Democratic efforts to defund the police, saying, “For over a year, Democrats and left-wing activists have been calling over and over and over again to defund the police, and many Democrat-led city councils and Democrat mayors have done so, cutting and even slashing police budgets.”
The senator continued, “As a result of those reckless policies, we are seeing a deeply concerning wave of violent crime in American cities across the country.
“The chief White House spokesperson blaming Republicans for defunding the police is like an arsonist showing up at the fire and blaming the firemen. It’s like the Chinese Communist Party blaming America for the Wuhan virus. It’s like O.J. saying he’s going to help find the real killer. It’s absurd. It’s ridiculous. And Democrats know it.”
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Some of Cruz’s examples included that “homicides in Los Angeles increased 36 percent, that homicides have increased in Portland more than 82 percent and that homicides in Minneapolis increased nearly 72 percent last year. And by all appearances, these homicide spikes will continue throughout this year.
“Just a few weeks ago, Democrats demonstrating that they couldn’t learn from the tragic failure of other cities that slashed the police and saw homicides skyrocket. What did they do in Oakland, California? The city council voted to cut over $18 million from the police department. And Oakland has already seen a 90 percent increase in homicides over last year.”
Cruz also added his personal thanks to law enforcement during his Senate speech.
“The fact of the matter is Republicans are proud to support the police, to stand with the men and women in blue. While Democrats are demonizing and vilifying the brave men and women of law enforcement, I want to say thank you to every law enforcement officer in this country.”
The senator added, “On the federal level, on the state and local level, thank you for answering the call each day, putting on the uniform, wearing the badge, and risking your life to keep us safe.”
To the brave men and women of our nation’s law enforcement: Thank you.
Thank you for answering the call each day, putting on the uniform, and risking your lives to keep us safe. pic.twitter.com/MDRMnWYiGL
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) July 22, 2021
He continued, “This morning, all across this country law enforcement officers woke up, they kissed their husband or wife goodbye, they kissed their kids goodbye and they went out to defend our communities, and they did so not knowing if they would come home that night.
“We are proud to stand with the men and women of our police departments.”
Cruz concluded his remarks with the words, “When it comes to facts and fiction, it is a cynical and calculated lie from the Biden White House that it is anybody other than Democrats who are leading the foolhardy charge to abolish and defund the police.
“It’s dangerous. Crime rates are skyrocketing. And it’s an exceptionally bad idea.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
