Rep. Lesko: Parts of Dems' Police Reform Undermines Law Enforcement

There are parts of the Democrats' House bill on police reform that Republicans can support, but there are other parts that will undermine law enforcement officers' ability to perform their job duties, Rep. Debbie Lesko, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said Monday. 

"It sure would have been nice if the Democrats in the House would have spoke to the Republicans about their plan," the Arizona Republican said on Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "I talked to various law enforcement officers with varying backgrounds and they said some of the portions in the Democrat bill would harm their ability to do their job and so we can't go for that."

For example, the House bill calls for ending qualified immunity in police departments, but the Senate bill does not. Lesko said she has faith, however, that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can pull out a vote, as he's proven before that he can "get the job done."

"This is so important that Republicans and Democrats need to get together to negotiate on this because we need to heal our country," said Lesko. "Rep. Karen Bass, who's a Democrat working on this, she's a good person. I respect her. She has worked with Republicans. She's talked to me on other issues before, but sometimes leadership in the House like [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and [Rep. Jerry] Nadler are the ones that I think are causing the problems."

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is traveling to Arizona on Tuesday to commemorate the 200th mile of the border wall being built, and Lesko said she's hoping to fly on Air Force One with him. 

"I was at the rally the other day too and so but regarding the border, that has been the number one polling issue in Arizona during my last election and the election before for years," she said. "We're compassionate people in Arizona. We don't mind if people come over legally and work in Arizona legally especially in the Yuma farming area that's already being done but in a legal manner."

• Totalitarianism Now Disguised as Police Reform
• Qualified Immunity Sticking Point in Senate Police Reform