Bipartisan Police Reform Is Dead Because Republicans Insisted On Protecting Bad Cops

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) rejected the Democrats’ final offer on police reform because Republicans wouldn’t change immunity for cops.

Bipartisan Police Reform Is Dead

The Wall Street Journal reported:

Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) said Wednesday that he called Sen. Tim Scott (R., S.C.) to tell him the Democrats were done negotiating after Mr. Scott didn’t accept their final offer. Mr. Scott’s office didn’t immediately comment.

…..

To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.

As talks progressed, however, the lawmakers were unable to resolve differences over how police officers should be prosecuted and held liable, including whether to change or eliminate a legal doctrine known as qualified immunity that shields officers from lawsuits. Democrats favored more sweeping changes, while Republicans sought more incremental moves.

Democrats Wanted Real Police Reform. Republicans Wanted To Pretend.

The fact that Republicans would not engage in a serious conversation to improve community policing, and hold officers who break the law instead of upholding it accountable shows their complete lack of seriousness and concern about people who are being killed in police shootings in the United States on a regular basis.

Good police officers want the bad ones held accountable. Communities want to be able to believe that the police are there to keep them safe and not to kill them.

The problem remains, as it has been for years now, that Republicans have no interest in implementing reforms that the vast majority of Americans support.

On police reform, Democrats were wasting their time thinking that Republicans would ever seriously come to the table to reach a deal.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association