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Congresswomen 'Squad' advocating to defund police splurge on private security: Report

Reps AOC, Cori Bush, Ayanna Pressley, and Ilhan Omar are being criticized after a new report alleged they dropped huge amounts on private security

Four members of the Congress who are also the biggest advocates of 'defunding the police', have been revealed to be the biggest spenders on personal security. Identified as some of the strongest pillars of the left-wing ideology in Congress, these members known as the 'Squad' are Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rep Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rep Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Cori Bush (MO) according to the Federal Election Commission.

All four members of the alleged 'Squad' have funneled thousands of dollars into private security, according to a new report. AOC, who is currently grabbing headlines with her 'TAX THE RICH' statement gown at this year's MET Gala, allegedly spent some $4,636 at Tullis Worldwide Protection between January and June, for private protective services. Bush meanwhile has spent over $70K of her campaign funds on personal security — between April 15 and June 28 this year alone. Pressley spent a total of $7,500 this year on security expenditures. She spent some $4,000 in the first quarter and over $3,500 in the second quarter. Omar meanwhile has spent $2,800 in the second quarter for similar reasons.

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The company hired by AOC for her security also caters to the Royal families of both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Pressley too spent quite the sum on a Virginia company that she had hired in January and another Washington, DC firm she hired in March. Bush, who has been vocal about her private security, claimed she will continue spending generously on that department as she is concerned for her own safety and has fears for her life.

Still reiterating her call for defunding the police, Bush told CBS News: "I'm going to make sure I have security because, I know, I have had attempts on my life,' Bush told CBS News in an interview outside the Capitol. 'And I have too much work to do, there are too many people that need help right now, for me to allow that. So if I end up spending $200,000, if I spend $10 more on it – you know what, I get to be here to do the work."

The informal group made up of the four Congresswomen with similar mindsets reportedly believes defunding the police will prevent the deaths of people like Michael Brown and Breonna Taylor. Both Bush and Presley sponsor the People's Response Act, which aims to reinvent the country's approach to public safety. Under the act a public safety, a division will be created within the Department of Human Health and Services. The act also offers $7.5 billion grant to fund both state and local governments, along with community-based organizations. The money will be invested in fully funding public safety and crisis response efforts.

Presley is also a sponsor of the BREATHE Act, that honors lives of people who died at the hands of police and state-sanctioned violence. With the aim of preventing another Breonna Taylor, or Tony McDade, or George Floyd-like deaths, the act allocates money for the development of healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities. The act also aims at stripping federal forces from incarceration and policing. All four members of the Squad are also in support of the recently passed George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, but social media refuses to see any iota of actual concern in their demands to defund the police. 

As reports of their expenses on private security went viral, Twitter users reminded others: "When the police are defunded, the commoners will have no protection, while the wealthy elites who pushed for 'defund' will still live in gated communities and be protected by private security." Another complained: ""Defund the Police", but first let me use your money to pay for my personal security." One more highlighted: "The squad has spent $70,000 on private security while leaving Americans to defend For themselves" 

Many accused the 'Squad' of hypocrisy, as one user noted: "Squad are notoriously hypocritical it's good to see them living up to their reputation. Now to find evidence on all the alleged bribery and they can live up to their corrupt reputation as well! Hideous little tribe of wasps." The name calling continued, as another user dubbed them "A group of antisemites that bash Israel for defending itself from the radical Islamic terror, spend loads of public money to defend themselves."