Rep. Cori Bush declared in a CBS interview on Wednesday that — despite advocating to defund police — she needed private security because she’d faced death threats. “I have private security because my body's worth being on this planet right now” she said, as others life doesn’t matter…
Progressive Democratic Rep. Cori Bush has admitted she is willing to fork out $200,000 for private security to protect herself — but says defunding the police still needs to happen.
The Missouri Rep. declared in a CBS interview on Wednesday that — despite advocating to defund police — she needed private security because she’d faced death threats.
The 45-year-old member of “The Squad” has faced mounting criticism in recent weeks after it emerged she had spent $70,000 on private security in the last three months.
Asked to respond to those who branded her a hypocrite, an unapologetic Bush hit back on Wednesday by telling critics to: “Suck it up.”
“I’m going to make sure I have security because I now have had attempts on my life and I have too much work to do, there are too many people that need help right now,” she said.
“If I end up spending $200,000, if I spend $10 more dollars on it — you know what, I get to be here to do the work. So suck it up.
“Defunding the police has to happen. We need to defund the police and put that money into social safety nets because we’re trying to save lives.”
Bush, who slept outside the Capitol this week in protest over the eviction moratorium ending, lashed out at her critics and suggested they would rather see her dead instead of allowing her to do “important work.”
“They would rather I die? You would rather me die? Is that what you want to see? You want to see me die? You know because that could be the alternative,” she said.
Without naming specific people, Bush said she only received threats because people spread lies about her to “build up their base.”
“I have private security because my body is worth being on this earth right now. I have private security because [of] the white supremacist, racist narrative they drive into this country,” she said.
“My security is not to keep me safe from the people of St Louis … it is to keep me safe against the racist attempts on my life.”
Those on social media were quick to call out her hypocrisy.
“Cori Bush: I’m going to make sure I have private security but defunding the police needs to happen,” Mike Berg, of the National Republican Congressional Committee, tweeted.
“Incredible video. Cori Bush claims to spend $200,000 on private armed security and *SECONDS* later says we need to defund the police for the rest of America. She just gave every Republican in America a golden TV ad,” @dhookstead tweeted.
“These are the quotes that are going to haunt Democrats in the midterms,” @NumbersMuncher added.
It comes after filings last month showed Bush’s campaign had paid $54,120 to New York-based RS&T Security Consulting between April 15 and June 28 for “security services.”
Her campaign also paid $15,000 for security services to Nathaniel Davis in that same time period.
The Missouri Rep. declared in a CBS interview on Wednesday that — despite advocating to defund police — she needed private security because she’d faced death threats.
The 45-year-old member of “The Squad” has faced mounting criticism in recent weeks after it emerged she had spent $70,000 on private security in the last three months.
Asked to respond to those who branded her a hypocrite, an unapologetic Bush hit back on Wednesday by telling critics to: “Suck it up.”
“I’m going to make sure I have security because I now have had attempts on my life and I have too much work to do, there are too many people that need help right now,” she said.
“If I end up spending $200,000, if I spend $10 more dollars on it — you know what, I get to be here to do the work. So suck it up.
“Defunding the police has to happen. We need to defund the police and put that money into social safety nets because we’re trying to save lives.”
Bush, who slept outside the Capitol this week in protest over the eviction moratorium ending, lashed out at her critics and suggested they would rather see her dead instead of allowing her to do “important work.”
“They would rather I die? You would rather me die? Is that what you want to see? You want to see me die? You know because that could be the alternative,” she said.
Without naming specific people, Bush said she only received threats because people spread lies about her to “build up their base.”
“I have private security because my body is worth being on this earth right now. I have private security because [of] the white supremacist, racist narrative they drive into this country,” she said.
“My security is not to keep me safe from the people of St Louis … it is to keep me safe against the racist attempts on my life.”
Those on social media were quick to call out her hypocrisy.
“Cori Bush: I’m going to make sure I have private security but defunding the police needs to happen,” Mike Berg, of the National Republican Congressional Committee, tweeted.
“Incredible video. Cori Bush claims to spend $200,000 on private armed security and *SECONDS* later says we need to defund the police for the rest of America. She just gave every Republican in America a golden TV ad,” @dhookstead tweeted.
“These are the quotes that are going to haunt Democrats in the midterms,” @NumbersMuncher added.
It comes after filings last month showed Bush’s campaign had paid $54,120 to New York-based RS&T Security Consulting between April 15 and June 28 for “security services.”
Her campaign also paid $15,000 for security services to Nathaniel Davis in that same time period.