Marc Short, the former chief of staff for then-Vice President Mike Pence, pushed back against a Democratic representative Sunday who attempted to point fingers at Republicans for the supposed lack of action to address shootings.
The CNN panel discussed a shooting which broke out Saturday at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas and debated ways to mitigate shootings across the U.S. during the network’s Sunday program, “State of the Union.”
“What have Republicans done about it?” Democratic Michigan Rep. Hillary Scholten said. “Their debt ceiling proposal defunds the police, cuts tens of thousands of law enforcement jobs — ”
“Come on, stop it,” Short interjected.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper argued House Republicans have not been specific about their debt ceiling proposal cuts in order for Congress to raise the debt ceiling and avoid the U.S. defaulting on its debt. (RELATED: Texas GOP Rep Rep. Says Americans Should Carry Guns To Stop Active Shooters, Following Mall Shooting)
The White House told the Washington Examiner the Republican-led bill includes slashes in funding to the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Bureau of Prisons, supposedly causing them to layoff agents. Republicans have scoffed at the White House’s attempts to compare funding cuts with the firing of federal agents.
“In reality, what are Republicans doing about it?” the representative continued. “The Democrats are out there with bills that will increase law enforcement on the streets, funding the police, and — ”
“The vast majority of inner cities are Democrat-controlled, as you know,” Short said.
CNN political commentator Karen Finney said crime rates are higher in red states than in blue states. Studies show, however, blue cities tend to have the highest amount of crime in comparison to red cities.