Sen. Scott accuses Democrats of ‘campaigning on police brutality’ after Pelosi’s controversial remarks

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) continues to face criticism for her recent remarks that Republican lawmakers are “trying to get away with … the murder of George Floyd” through their proposed police-reform legislation.

In a Fox News Radio appearance this week, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) excoriated Pelosi for the controversial remarks she made during a recent CBS News interview.

“Why in the world would she stoop so low?” Scott asked. “And it’s simply this: They believe — and I truly believe this — they believe that campaigning on police brutality is more important than solving police reform.”

“Face the realities”

Both the Republican-led Senate and Democratic-led House have put forward measures meant to address law enforcement in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis last month. Pelosi and others in her party, however, say the bill authored by Scott does not go far enough.

“For something to happen, [Republicans are] going to have to face the realities of police brutalities, the realities of the need for justice in policing, and the recognition that there’s many good people in law enforcement, but not all,” the House speaker said on Tuesday.

She went on to assert that “they were trying to get away with murder, actually — the murder of George Floyd.”

Scott said he heard her remarks and thought, “How in the world does this woman, standing in front of a $24,000 refrigerator, have the sense to jump into the bottomless pit of race politics? Why in the world would she want to do that?”

“Alternate universe”

He determined that the only answer is that she has “lived so long in a state of privilege that she has forgotten that it’s the Republican Party that voted more for the Civil Rights-era legislation than the Democrats.”

According to Scott, the only Black Republican currently serving in the Senate, Pelosi has been living in an “alternate universe” in which Democrats have been the leaders on the issue of criminal justice reform.

For her part, Pelosi is echoing the Democratic Party’s complaint that the GOP bill is inadequate, using the opportunity to tout a bill passed this week in her chamber.

“The George Floyd Justice and Policing Act will fundamentally transform the culture of policing to address systemic racism, curb police brutality and bring accountability to our police departments,” she said. “It will save lives.”

Of course, Scott believes her motive is primarily political. If that is the case, it will be up to voters to determine whether the campaign strategy pays off.