Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) declared during an interview on Thursday that “defunding the police has to happen,” a statement that she made immediately after she told critics to “suck it up” when she was faced with questions about her paying tens of thousands of dollars for private security.
“You faced some criticism in recent weeks over your push to defund the police,” a CBS News host said to Bush. “Campaign records show that you spent roughly $70,000 on private security, and some critics say that move is hypocritical. What’s your response to those critics?”
“I’m going to make sure I have security because I know I have had attempts on my life and I have too much work to do,” Bush said. “There are too many people that need help right now for me to allow that. So, if I end up spending $200,000, if I spend $10 more dollars on it, you know what, I get to be here to do the work.”
“So, suck it up and defunding the police has to happen,” she added. “We need to defund the police and put that money into social safety nets.”
WATCH:
Cori Bush: I’m going to make sure I have private security but defunding the police needs to happen. pic.twitter.com/6jbv4HLlGs
— Mike Berg (@MikeKBerg) August 5, 2021
The Daily Wire reported earlier on Thursday:
Bush’s campaign spent $54,120.92 between April and June for “security services” to a firm called RS&T Security Consulting. She also paid $15,000 to Nathaniel Davis for “security services” over the same period. She has spent over $100,000 on private security so far this year.
According to a recent report from The Daily Caller released earlier this year, other “Squad” members also spent thousands of taxpayer dollars on private security. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) paid $24,279.13 for “security” on January 25, as well as $3,986.60 for “security services” on January 19 and $849.22 on February 2. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) spent $3,103.61 for her personal security, while Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) spent $4,186.75.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
REP. CORI BUSH (D-MO): The thing, I won’t let them get that off, you can’t get that off. I’m going to make sure I have security because I know I have had attempts on my life and I have too much work to do. There are too many people that need help right now for me to allow that. So, if I end up spending $200,000, if I spend $10 more dollars on it, you know what, I get to be here to do the work. So, suck it up and defunding the police has to happen. We need to defund the police and put that money into social safety nets.