This past Monday, President Joe Biden stated that any Republican who voted against the outright banning of so-called assault rifles does not stand on the side of police forces in America.
While speaking virtually to those in attendance at the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives conference in Orlando, Florida, Biden claimed that Republicans who were against the ban on so-called “weapons of war” are not telling the truth when they make the claim that they support law enforcement. While on that topic, Biden made sure to call out Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott (R-FL) for not blindly going along to support gun control efforts from the Democrats.
“Being a cop today is a hell of a lot harder than it’s ever been,” stated Biden as part of his speech. “We expect everything of you. We expect you to be drug counselors to people overdosing at a scene; therapists to couples during a violent confrontation; social workers to kids who have been abandoned. Maybe worst of all, we send you out to do your job on the streets flooded with weapons of war.”
“You hear a lot of politicians say about how much they love you, how much they care about you, they’ll do anything for you,” Biden went on. “In the state you’re in today, Governor [Ron] DeSantis, Sen. [Marco] Rubio, Sen. Rick Scott all opposed banning assault weapons, and Senators Scott and Rubio voted against the bipartisan gun safety law that I signed, the first meaningful gun legislation in nearly thirty years, that you supported. To me, it’s simple. If you can’t support banning weapons of war on American streets, you’re not on the side of police.”
Biden also gave credit to NOBLE for standing behind his efforts to push through the 1994 assault weapons ban. “I’m determined to do it again,” stated Biden about the recently renewed push to try and ban assault weapons. “On the ballot this year will be whether or not this nation bans assault weapons.” Biden then repeated the statement that, while he is a gun owner and “believe[s] in the Second Amendment,” the right to keep and bear arms “[is] not a right that is absolute.”
“When it comes to assault weapons, too many politicians are bowing down to the NRA. I believe that we should protect you, protect you.” Biden then went on to state that he supports issuing more funding to police. “And I’ll keep saying it: when it comes to public safety, the answer isn’t to defund the police, the answer is to fund the police, fund the police.”
Biden finished his speech by bringing up January 6, making the claim that police officers were “speared, sprayed, stomped on, brutalized” and “dripping with blood, surrounded by carnage.” Biden attacked former President Donald Trump, claiming that Trump could not say that he supports law enforcement because of what happened on January 6, and insinuating that no law enforcement official should support Trump. “You can’t be pro-insurrection and pro-cop,” exclaimed Biden. “You can’t be pro-insurrection and pro-democracy. You can’t be pro-insurrection and pro-America.”