“Garland Fights Back: Unmasking GOP Law Enforcement Bias

In a recent show of resistance against Republican claims of law enforcement bias, Texas Senator Royce West publicly backed Democrat Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson in her support of state law enforcement. In response to the House passage of the “Blue Lives Matter” bill, Sen. West appeared on local news to speak out in defense of police officers and their actions. Declaring his trust in the integrity and character of Texas police, Sen. West argued that the state should protect its own law enforcement members rather than trying to pass national legislation. The “Blue Lives Matter” bill was passed in the House in April to provide additional legal complications and repercussions for those who attack law enforcement officers. This addition to the law has been heavily criticized as an excess of Republican policing laws, and a form of furthering the goals of the “Blue Lives Matter” movement rather than being beneficial to law enforcement as a whole. Congresswoman Johnson also spoke out against the bill, arguing that the Texas police force needs less attention to their rights and more attention to the systemic racism and discrimination that they have been taught to perpetuate in communities of color. Congresswoman Johnson urged the Senate to focus on the root causes of police brutality rather than try to shield officers from retribution. Congresswoman Johnson’s advocacy on this issue has earned her the support of many local figures, including Sen. West. Noting the importance of effecting systematic change, Sen. West spoke to the importance of acknowledging instances of police brutality and punishing them accordingly. In his statement to the press, Sen. West concluded by calling for a stronger approach to supporting law enforcement, one which doesn’t rely on an abrasive level of rights protection but instead takes measures to work against systemic police bias.