Democrats unveil sweeping police reform bill on Capitol Hill
The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 will make it easier to take officers to court, bans the use of chokeholds and more; Chad Pergram has the details.
A former national surrogate for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., ripped into white congressional Democrats on Monday after they wore African-patterned garb and knelt in a demonstration against racism and police brutality.
"I still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that they draped these white people in kente cloth to 'honor' him. This has to be hell," author Frederick Joseph tweeted, also arguing that black Americans are "being pandered to, and ultimately, disrespected."
In a tweet thread, he argued that Democrats were failing in their attempts to be helpful amid ongoing strife surrounding George Floyd's death.
DEMS UNVEIL SWEEPING POLICE REFORM AIMED AT HOLDING COPS ACCOUNTABLE
He specifically took aim at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who joined other Democrats in kneeling inside of the Capitol Visitor Center on Thursday. Democratic members of both the House and Senate knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to honor Floyd, representing the amount of time he was pinned down by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
The kneeling also touched on an ongoing protest trend harkening back to former NFL player Colin Kaepernick and demonstrations during the national anthem. Pelosi said on Monday that members of Congress would be kneeling in a place where they typically recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
"This is a mess," Joseph said in one tweet. In another, he added: "If anyone can’t understand why Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and them dressed up like they’re trying to sneak into Wakanda is disrespectful and appropriative you have a great deal to learn." Wakanda is the fictional land in Africa associated with the Marvel superhero Black Panther.
He went on to suggest that House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., and the Congressional Black Caucus were wrong if they were the ones who suggested this demonstration.
"Also, if the CBC and/or Clyburn suggested this, it’s a testament to how problematic some Black people are in politics. Gross," he said.
Democrats unveiled sweeping new legislation Monday that, if passed, aims to increase accountability of police officers by banning certain practices and significantly curbing immunity from legal consequences stemming from acts committed in the line of duty.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“We’re here because black Americans want to stop being killed,” Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., told reporters at a Monday press conference, but noted that “reforming policing is in the best interest of all Americans.”
The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 would lower the bar for police officers to face criminal prosecution by allowing charges not just in cases where alleged misconduct was intentional, but also in cases of reckless misconduct. It also seeks to incentivize independent investigations at the state and local level and allow more “pattern and practice” investigations by state attorneys general and the U.S. Department of Justice.
Fox News' Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.
More from Politics
Fox News Politics
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.