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The nationwide protests against racist police violence sparked by the murder of George Floyd last summer led Republicans to spend the 2020 campaign slamming Democrats for supposedly wanting to defund and abolish the police.
While abolitionists have called for an overhaul of the current law enforcement system—citing its racist roots and disproportionate targeting of Black Americans—approaches to police reform are by no means unanimous within the Democratic party.
Though Republicans claim to be the pro-law enforcement party, many Republican lawmakers amplified former President Donald Trump's lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him. This "Big Lie" prompted hundreds of his extremist supporters to storm the United States Capitol in hopes of upending the joint congressional session acknowledging Biden's victory.
Though lawmakers were the primary targets of the failed insurrection, the Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan police directly faced the aggression of Trump's supporters, with many being beaten and called racial slurs while defending the Capitol.
In a Tuesday House Judiciary Committee hearing, Congresswoman Val Demings (D-FL)—a former police chief herself—blasted her Republican colleagues for their "politically convenient" support for police, prompting an interruption from Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio.
Watch below.
It's interesting to see my colleagues on the other side of the aisle support the police when it's politically conve… https://t.co/kpDtFNSppY— Rep. Val Demings (@Rep. Val Demings) 1618943590.0
Demings said:
"I served as a law enforcement officer for 27 years. It is a tough job. And good police officers deserve your support. You know it's interesting to see my colleagues on the other side of the aisle support the police when it is politically convenient to do so. Law enforcement risk their lives every day. They deserve better and the American people deserve better."
A hysterical Jim Jordan shouted in opposition while Demings was speaking, prompting her to rebuke him:
"I have the floor, Mr. Jordan. What, did I strike a nerve? Law enforcement officers deserve better than to be utilized as pawns."
People applauded Demings' takedown of the Republican representative.
Here's the entire exchange. How y'all going to go after a former police chief on support of the police?! Go 'head,… https://t.co/ls0irTPlx2— Jonathan Capehart (@Jonathan Capehart) 1618944393.0
What my colleague *and* former Police Chief @RepValDemings said ⬇️ https://t.co/TKQgkY611B— Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (@Congresswoman Madeleine Dean) 1618949283.0
All of this!!!! https://t.co/QsRbS2thCR— Andrew Gillum (@Andrew Gillum) 1618946888.0
“Did I strike a nerve?!” VAL DEMINGS HAD TIME TODAY https://t.co/mV5ewkx9EN— Dartagnan Anton Llorens (@Dartagnan Anton Llorens) 1618944375.0
Thank you @RepValDemings for taking on @Jim_Jordan today. We stand behind you!! https://t.co/xcXQIve6MB— Daniel Uhlfelder (@Daniel Uhlfelder) 1618947779.0
THAT'S RIGHT SPEAK YOUR PEACE https://t.co/AgfrwkROs9— yvonne mcalister (@yvonne mcalister) 1618950394.0
They joined her in rebuking Jordan.
I can't stand @Jim_Jordan. https://t.co/XBVuq6YLHC— Alexander Spady (@Alexander Spady) 1618949661.0
I love it when Jim Jordan gets shouted at. https://t.co/2QJldVOnc0— Arshia Homayouni 🍦 🍨 🥁🗳 (@Arshia Homayouni 🍦 🍨 🥁🗳) 1618944165.0
Jim Jordan is obviously too emotional to be in Congress. He has a meltdown a day now. I hope the CBC keeps after hi… https://t.co/9csBmvha6D— Kim Wexler's Ponytail (@Kim Wexler's Ponytail) 1618945613.0
Hours after Demings' words, Officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts for the murder of George Floyd.