Democratic “Squad” members in the House voted against a bill Tuesday extending security for Supreme Court Justices despite spending a combined six figures on private security in 2021, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records and House Disbursements.
Missouri Rep. Cori Bush, Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, as well as New York Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman are among the 27 Democratic members who voted against the approved security measure. Still, these lawmakers spent roughly $348,000 on private security in 2021.
The legislation comes as Republican-appointed justices get targeted by pro-abortion demonstrators after a leaked draft opinion showed the Court will likely overturn the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade. It passed in the Senate unanimously over a month ago and was introduced by Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Democratic Delaware Sen. Chris Coons.
Bush, who has frequently called to “defund” the police, spent roughly $200,000 in campaign funds on security in 2021, Fox News reported. Ocasio-Cortez, who indicated she would not support the security bill since she is prioritizing gun control legislation, spent roughly $75,000 on private security in 2021, the outlet reported.
Pressley, who spent $14,000 from her Member Representational Allowance (MRA) in 2022 on security, spent roughly $63,000 of her MRA on security between May and December 2021, The Daily Caller reported. Tlaib spent under $3,000 on security in 2021 and Bowman spent more than $7,800 in 2021, Fox News reported.
“The lack of concern bordering on hatred for the families of the six judges appointed by Republican presidents is scary,” Republican Wisconsin Rep. Glenn Grothman told TheDCNF. “I can never imagine something so callous and uncaring being done if the shoe was on the other foot.”
Offices for Bush, Tlaib, Ocasio-Cortez and Bowman did not respond to a request for comment.
A spokesman for Pressley declined The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment and pointed to the member’s remarks after her vote claiming the Supreme Court has “put lives at risk,” alluding to the leaked draft opinion.
“While elected and appointed officials, including Members of Congress and Supreme Court Justices, do in fact already have protections when it comes to their security, abortion care providers and patients—who already face and will undoubtedly face persistent threats of violence and criminalization should Roe fall—do not,” said Pressley, the Boston Herard reported.
On May 5, a left-wing group called “Ruth Sent Us” leaked the addresses of the six Republican-appointed justices. The group, one of the several pro-abortion groups that published the addresses of the justices, claimed Monday it was not responsible for the attempted murder of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh since the man charged was white.
That man, Nicholas Roske, was arrested and charged last week after police spotted him outside Kavanaugh’s home with weapons, including a firearm.
