On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Source,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) responded to a question on if there are any candidates who believe in defunding the police by saying that “there are some parts of the United States, back in 2020, that had some reckoning to do in regards to what it looked like to have a public safety that centered actually safer communities. … And when that conversation becomes nationalized, then you sort of get the kind of messaging that gets sort of lost in the void.” And she hasn’t “seen any pieces of legislation or ordinances come through, in the United States, since 2020.”
Host Kaitlan Collins played video of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) saying, “No serious person that I know who is running for office believes in, quote, unquote, defunding the police. … Do we need police reform? Do we need to get rid of racism within police departments? Absolutely. Are there jobs that other people can be doing, in terms of mental health, drug addiction that now falls on a cop’s shoulders? Yeah, I think we should look at that. But nobody I know believes in defunding the police.”
Collins then asked, “Do you think that’s true? Because there are some candidates that are running right now that have previously called for defunding the police.”
Omar responded, “In the Democratic Party, and in Congress, we oftentimes talk about people voting their district. Obviously, there are some parts of the United States, back in 2020, that had some reckoning to do in regards to what it looked like to have a public safety that centered actually safer communities. For us in Minneapolis, with the murder of George Floyd, we had to have a deeper conversation about what really it looked like for us to address public safety here. We had a police department that was, essentially, problematic. And when that conversation becomes nationalized, then you sort of get the kind of messaging that gets sort of lost in the void. Minneapolis has come a long way. We still have a long way to go. And I think that is sort of what Bernie was speaking to, people, essentially, do want safer communities. People want the issues that exist with certain police departments, like the Minneapolis Police Department, to be addressed. And people want to have trust in those that seek to serve and protect them.”
Collins followed up, “But do you think it’s accurate that no — as he put it, he said, no serious person I know who’s running for office believes in, quote, unquote, defunding the police. Do you think that’s true?”
Omar answered, “When he says that, I think he’s talking about someone putting forth a piece of legislation. And, to that regard, I would say that he is right. I haven’t seen any pieces of legislation or ordinances come through, in the United States, since 2020.”
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