Abdul El-Sayed Defends 2020 'Defund the Police' Remarks as CNN Presses Electability Risk
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 12
Abdul El-Sayed Defends 2020 'Defund the Police' Remarks as CNN Presses Electability Risk
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 12
Summary
CNN aired a resurfaced 2020 radio clip in which Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said, "we do need to defund the police," prompting a tense exchange on "Inside Politics."
El-Sayed argued the phrase meant shifting money from police "war material" to libraries, social services and mental-health responders, while still backing law-enforcement retention and retirement.
Manu Raju pressed whether the comments could hurt El-Sayed in November, especially after the candidate had previously said he never joined efforts to defund police.
The clash revives older baggage from George Floyd-era politics, including deleted tweets saying major cities spend "WAY TOO MUCH" on policing and too little on schools, health and housing.