Capito slams Dems for blocking GOP police reform bill: 'We're talking about really saving lives here'

close

Video

Sen. Capito: Democrats would rather score political points than make a difference

West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito reacts to Senate Democrats blocking GOP bill on police reform.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., told "Your World" Wednesday that she was "disappointed" that Senate Democrats had blocked debate on a Republican police reform bill.

"I'm disappointed, obviously, in the comments of Senator Durbin, but I'm more disappointed in the fact that the Democrats wouldn't join together to bring to the Senate floor a debate on probably the most important issue that's facing us and [certainly] one of the most difficult ones," Capito told guest host David Asman.

SENATE REPUBLICANS' POLICE REFORM BILL FAILS ON TEST VOTE AMID DEM OPPOSITION

Capito was also reacting to remarks made last week by Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who used the word "token" to describe the bill authored by Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., the lone African-American GOP senator. Durbin later apologized.

Scott ripped Democrats Wednesday after his bill failed to receive the 60 votes required to open debate, accusing them of punting on the issue until after the election and abusing what he described as their "monopoly" on black voters.

The West Virginia Republican echoed that criticism, saying Democrats would rather "score political points than really make a difference," and may have turned off many Americans.

Capito told Asman the Democrats had "slammed the door shut" on an important issue.

"We had a lot of common ground here, a lot of what was in this bill, the JUSTICE bill, was contained within the [House] Democrats' bill," Capito said. "... We also were gonna have 20 amendments, a manager's amendment, a very open process, and they slammed the door shut."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Capito said the move by the Democrats to block debate on Scott's bill was more than a "minor stumble."

"When we are where we see protests, we see people crying out for action, help, wanting us to be responsive to racial discrimination and police issues and improvements that way," Capito said. "I mean, we're talking about really saving lives here. And so I think that we'll continue conversations, as we always do."

Fox News' Adam Shaw contributed to this report.