Biden adviser Cedric Richmond claims GOP defunded the police for opposing Covid bill with money for law enforcement
JOE Biden’s senior adviser has blamed the Republicans for “defunding the police” by opposing a Covid relief plan that included cash for law enforcement.
The President‘s aide Cedric Richmond hit back at comments made by Senator Lindsey Graham, who claimed Biden’s new gun reform plan won’t combat surging crime numbers.
On Wednesday, Biden unveiled a crackdown on guns while announcing that states are allowed to use $350billion in Covid funding to hire more cops.
He blamed the rising crime rate across the US on guns as he unveiled a “zero tolerance” policy with firearms dealers who break federal laws.
But Graham took a swipe at the latest plan, saying: “We have a lack of prosecution and we’ve declared war on the police and that is backfiring on those who have done it.”
Richmond, however, pointed the finger straight back at the GOP – claiming they must be pro defunding the police as they turned their backs on a legislation to hand money to law enforcement.
Speaking on Fox News, he said: “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 and, in fact, they didn’t get funding until the American Rescue Plan.
“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. We funded crime intervention, and a whole bunch of other things.”
Calls to defund the police flared up last summer after George Floyd was murdered by cop Derek Chauvin and has since been backed by the far left – while Republicans have distanced themselves from the movement.
It comes after Biden announced a warning to gun dealers as he spoke alongside Attorney General Merrick Garland about the administration’s new Gun Crime Prevention Strategy earlier this week.
“We know that if there is a strict enforcement of background checks, then fewer guns get into the hands of criminals,” the president said.
“If you willfully sell a gun to someone who’s prohibited from possessing it, if you willfully fail to run a background check, if you willfully falsify a record … my message to you is this.
“We’ll find you and we will seek your license to sell guns.”
Biden insisted his administration will make it impossible to “sell death and mayhem on our streets” and slammed the country’s gun problem as an “outrage” that needs to end.
AG Garland also warned that “gun dealers that break the rules” will be held accountable for their actions.”
He noted that The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will start proceedings to take away the licenses of dealers that “willfully violate the law by failing to conduct required background checks, falsifying records.”
In addition to the crack-down on gun sales, Biden and Garlandon explained the administration plans to give more support to police departments.
Biden, who unveiled a series of executive orders aimed at reducing the recent violence as he renews calls from Congress to pass gun reform legislation, explained Wednesday that crime is known to rise during the summer months.
Most read in News
“As we emerge from this pandemic, with the country opening back up again, the traditional summer spike may be more pronounced than it usually would be,” he added.
It comes after a candidate for New York City mayor endorsed by Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was slammed for calls to defund the police while her own $2.7million home has a private patrol.
Democrat Maya Wiley, a former counsel to outgoing mayor Bill de Blasio, wants to cut $1billion from the NYPD budget but has been accused of “pandering for votes.”