A progressive lawmaker who voted to defund the Austin Police Department as a city council member is being accused of hypocrisy for requesting increased protection outside his home.
Rep. Greg Casar of Texas’s request was sent to the United States Capitol Police, which passed it along to the Austin Police Department.
Casar’s office refused to “comment on active security matters” in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"Our office has not been in communication with the Austin Police Department on this matter because these issues are handled by the United States Sergeant at Arms, who then works with U.S. Capitol Police and local law enforcement agencies,” the statement added.
The Austin Police Retired Officers Association called the request “the height of hypocrisy.”
"It’s come to our attention that Anti police king of the defund movement in Austin @GregCasar who only last week called APD an agency with racist practices has requested enhanced patrols around his house for the next week," the group said on X. "We want everyone in Austin to feel safe. But this seems to us as the height of hypocrisy from the congressman. Maybe he should hire private security like his fellow squad members do. Sure seems like he wants the police in his neighborhood just not yours."
But this seems to us as the height of hypocrisy from the congressman. Maybe he should hire private security like his fellow squad members do. Sure seems like he wants the police in his neighborhood just not yours.
— Austin Police Retired Officers Association (@APROA01) December 19, 2023
In addition to his embrace of the defund the police movement, just last week he wrote to the Department of Justice about the Austin PD, calling for "systemic reforms to the Department's policies and practices of excessive and lethal use of force, racial discrimination, and discrimination against people with mental health conditions."