White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki received criticism this week for claiming that Republicans are the lawmakers hoping to strip law enforcement of funding in an attempt to defend President Joe Biden's negligence toward the recent crime spike.
Psaki claimed that because Republicans did not support the American Rescue Plan, a spending-heavy COVID relief plan passed by Democrats, the GOP was effectively supporting "defunding the police."
Absolutely shameless. Under questioning from Fox's Peter Doocy, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki argues it's *Republicans* who have been defunding the police and not supporting law enforcement because they didn't vote for Biden's stimulus boondoggle the American Rescue Plan. pic.twitter.com/pIwfFkonu1
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) June 28, 2021
Psaki was met with criticism for making such a claim about Republicans, who have overwhelmingly supported funding for law enforcement and respecting police officers. In a follow up on Thursday, Psaki could not name a single Republican lawmaker who publicly voiced support for "defunding the police" via opposition to the American Rescue Plan.
WATCH: WH Press Sec. Jen Psaki is unable to name a SINGLE Republican who supports defunding the police.
— Whitney Robertson (@whitneyleerob) June 30, 2021
The mental gymnastics this White House has to do to try and make this talking point stick is honestly laughable. pic.twitter.com/BurRJvLzae
In reality, Democrat-run cities have the sharpest increases in crime rates due to lackluster leadership and decreased funding for law enforcement.