Republican South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott ripped House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressional Democrats over their opposition to a police reform bill Scott introduced.
Scott said Wednesday that Pelosi and Democrats were engaged in “race politics at its worst,” after they rejected his proposal. (RELATED: ‘Should Send Shivers Down The Spine Of Every American’: Tim Scott Rips CHAZ, Defund Police Efforts)
“I think they took a leap back because they don’t want this president to have a victory on another serious issue confronting the minority communities,” Scott said during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.” “This is pure, pure race politics at its worst.”
Scott introduced the JUSTICE Act following the death of George Floyd, but Senate Democrats blocked the proposal Wednesday, arguing that it did not go far enough. (RELATED: Sen. Tim Scott Slams Dick Durbin For Calling His Police Reform Bill A ‘Token’)
“Instead of having cameras watching us debate this really important issue for the nation, they would rather cut a deal behind closed doors, so their constituents do not know how they actually voted on the underlying bill,” Scott said of Democrats.
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Scott’s bill calls for more funding for body cameras, and ties federal funding to de-escalation tactics, among other things. Leading Democrats have thrown cold water on the proposal, with Pelosi accusing Republicans of “trying to get away” with Floyd’s killing.
Scott said Wednesday that Pelosi’s comments were “heinous,” and motivated by politics.
“When Speaker Pelosi says one of the most heinous things I can imagine: that the Republicans are actually trying to cover up murder, the murder of George Floyd with our legislation, that’s not politics. That’s not a game to win. That’s you lose. You will sooner or later lose. But immediately every kid around the nation that heard that nonsense lost that moment,” Scott said.