LaMalfa Demands Speaker Pelosi Apologize for Blaming Republicans for Murder of George Floyd

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) is calling on Speaker Pelosi to apologize and begin negotiating a policing reform bill. Late Tuesday, Speaker Pelosi stated in an interview: Republicans "they were trying to get away with murder, actually – the murder of George Floyd." Both House and Senate Republicans have introduced the JUSTICE Act, a police reform bill that funds additional body cameras and storage of camera footage, has federal reporting for use of force, and many other provisions, with the intention of modernizing our law enforcement standards and ensuring justice for all Americans. The Democrats' proposal, the Justice in Policing Act does mirror large portions of the Republican bill, but also includes dangerous provisions that would allow frivolous lawsuits against good officers. Ultimately many of the provisions in the Democrat bill are designed to punish law enforcement, resulting in low morale of officers in retention, or recruitment of new ones. This is not the way to speed positive reforms. Republican Senators are attempting to take up the JUSTICE Act, a bill that is a positive effort for reform while respecting the good work our officers do, in an open manner that allows any member to offer amendments. Alas, Democrats have blocked any further consideration of the bill.

LaMalfa said: "Speaker Pelosi accusing Republicans of abetting murder is inflammatory and unproductive toward passing solid legislation. She needs to apologize immediately. Not a single Republican is standing in the way of debating law enforcement reform; Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer sit squarely in the path and refuse to move. I'm sick to death of the usual delays and obstruction. We have all been elected to do a job; our country groans as it awaits a balanced solution for George Floyd and for our many honorable law enforcement officers. No more stalling, no more games, the time to come together and work to solve this national problem is right NOW!

As Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) eloquently said on the floor yesterday, the cities where the abuse happened – Minneapolis, Detroit, Atlanta, Oakland, Los Angeles – they are cities that have been controlled for years by Democrat Mayors, Democrat City Councils, Democrat Sheriffs, Democrat appointed Police Chiefs, and Democrat District Attorneys. If they cared about fixing policing issues, each of these heavily Democrat cities has the power to do it themselves. They, too, can increase police reporting, mandate body cameras, change police tactics, or improve training – right now. Instead, their leadership is looking to Congress to make sweeping changes, and Senate Democrats have refused to even consider it. Democrats have no room to slander Republicans while their leadership and their party have run these cities into the ground for decades.

Let's be crystal clear, Republicans are trying to solve the problems Democrat-run cities have refused to fix for decades. Yet, Democrats in Congress are standing in the way of reform because they insist that "Sue a Cop" and other anti-law enforcement provisions must be included. We have a great opportunity to solidify the visions of our founders and ensure equal justice under the law. Yet, Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer continue to sling mud and stand in the way of a meaningful debate. Why? Because actually fixing problems limits their political power and leverage in a presidential election year; it's shameful."

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