Sen. Tim Scott, who is leading GOP efforts in Congress on criminal justice legislation following nationwide protests over George Floyd’s death last month, is …
Sen. Tim Scott, who is leading GOP efforts in Congress on criminal justice legislation following nationwide protests over George Floyd’s death last month, is rejecting a Democratic proposal to end certain legal protections that make it hard for citizens to sue police officers for using excessive force.
In an interview with Fox News Saturday, the South Carolina Republican – and lone black GOP member in the Senate – said he won’t support an end to «qualified immunity,» a key demand from liberal activists which has become part of the sweeping Justice in Poling Act of 2020 Democrats unveiled Monday.
«That’s a non-starter from my perspective,» Scott said.
That follows earlier statements from Scott opposing provisions in the Democrats’ bill that would bar state and local law enforcement agencies from using certain police tactics such as chokeholds on suspects or «no-knock» warrants in drug cases.
Led by California Rep. Karen Bass who chairs the Black Congressional Caucus, Democrats are pushing for historic changes in how police officers are trained, equipped and disciplined following a string of brutal incidents involving unarmed black victims at the hands of law enforcement.
“If the Justice in Policing Act had been the law of the land several years ago, Eric Garner and George Floyd would be alive because the bill bans chokeholds,» Bass said during the weekly Democratic address that aired on radio stations nationwide Saturday. «If the bill had been law last year, Breonna Taylor would not have been shot to death in her sleep because no-knock warrants for drug offenses would have been illegal.»
Scott’s thumbs down on some of the Democrats’ top legislative proposals sets up a potential showdown on Capitol Hill next week when Republicans are expected to present their criminal justice bill at around the same time Democrats are set to pass their measure out of committee.
