Politics

Biden Falsely Claims Republicans Never Wanted ‘Meaningful’ Police Reform

[Twitter Screenshot Greg Price]

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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President Joe Biden claimed Wednesday that Republicans never wanted “meaningful” police reform, failing to mention Democrats killed Republican South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott’s police reform bill.

Biden signed an executive order Wednesday aimed at reforming policing and criminal justice practices on the two-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. The order focuses on federal law enforcement groups and does not apply to local agencies. Federal law enforcement agencies are banned from using chokeholds “unless deadly force is authorized” and no-knock warrants will have new restrictions.

Biden, however, claimed Republicans never wanted “meaningful” change.

“The families here today and across the country have had to ask why this nation – why so many Black Americans wake up knowing they could lose their life in the course of just living their life today – simply jogging, shopping, sleeping at home. Whether they made headlines or not, lost souls gone too soon,” Biden said.

“The House passed a strong bill. It failed in the Senate where our Republican colleagues opposed any meaningful reform.” (RELATED: Elizabeth Warren Calls Filibuster Racist Months After Filibustering Tim Scott Police Reform Bill) 

Scott introduced the JUSTICE Act which included incentives for banning chokeholds and giving grants for body cameras. Democrats filibustered the legislation before introducing their own piece of legislation, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Democrats reportedly claimed the legislation did not address police misconduct or racial injustice enough.