Cortez Masto praises group that called for defunding police, teaching critical race theory in schools

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Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., recently praised an activist group that has pushed left-leaning ideas surrounding race and law enforcement.

The Washington Free Beacon reported that Cortez Masto said Battle Born Progress included "incredible advocates for our state." She made those comments on Nov. 3 while speaking at the self-described public relations firm's annual gala.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., is seen after a lunch with Senate Democrats in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, October 7, 2021. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

From 2017-2018, the group received nearly $100,000 from the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a so-called dark money group that funds liberal causes and has received money from billionaire George Soros. 

Earlier this year, Battle Born Progress executive director Annette Magnus praised activist Akiko Cooks for saying that her organization wasn't focused on pushing critical race theory (CRT) "yet," noting that it was something kids should eventually learn.

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"I mean, eventually, yes, we should be teaching that," she said. "Young people need to know this information. I would love to have known that information."

Battle Born Progress Executive Director Annette Magnus introduces attorney Michael Avenatti (not pictured) at a news conference with the progressive communications organization on August 31, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Avenatti is representing adult film actress/director Stormy Daniels in her cases against U.S. President Donald Trump and his former attorney Michael Cohen.  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Battle Born Progress recently named Cooks "Southern Nevada Progressive Activist of the Year." According to her bio on the site, Cooks is a community organizer with the group Mass Liberation Project NV, which has pushed for defunding the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and "abolish[ing] the criminal legal system as we know it."

Battle Born Progress has also called for defunding school police, tweeting that "[p]olice officers in schools helps foster the school-to-prison pipeline."

Adam Laxalt, Nevada's former attorney general, center, speaks during a news conference hosted by the Trump Campaign outside the Clark County Election Department in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020. (Joe Buglewicz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Cortez Masto has launched a reelection bid for 2022, when candidates could face questions about CRT and other ideas surrounding race. Former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, who's running to replace Cortez Masto, tweeted about WFB's report on Thursday. 

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"Senator @CortezMasto has been working closely with a radical group that wants to push critical race theory in Nevada schools and defund our local police," he said. "'Moderate' Senators don't work with people like that."

Battle Born Progress and Cortez Masto's office did not immediately respond to Fox News' requests for comment.