Progressive Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Cori Bush (D-MO), all of whom were vocal supporters of defunding the police, spent a total of more than $100,000 of campaign donations on private security during the third financial quarter, Federal Election Commission records show.
Ocasio-Cortez's campaign used more than $10,000 on private police while Pressley's bill totaled nearly $4,000, according to records reviewed by Fox News.
Last summer, the New York congresswoman said in a statement that "Defunding police means defunding police" while Pressley said in a Facebook video that she stood "ready to continue the systemic work necessary to radically reimagine a system of public safety in our country that finally censures the dignity and humanity of all."
But the spending on personal security from Ocasio-Cortez and Pressley appears minuscule compared to that of Omar and Bush.
Omar spent $22,000 on a private force and Bush's price tag wound up at nearly $65,000, according to the records.
In June of last year, Omar said on CNN’s "State of the Union" that Minneapolis must "rebuild" its police department, which she called "rotten to the root" and impossible to reform, while Bush said earlier this year that "defunding the police has to happen."
"We need to defund the police and put that money into social safety nets because we’re trying to save lives," Bush said in August after telling those who criticized her for spending thousands of dollars on private police to "suck it up"
The money that went toward the private security forces for the four Democratic representatives was paid for using funds from their campaigns, which received donations from those who likely supported their calls to defund law enforcement.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member