According to filings by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Rep. Cori (R-MO), one remaining Democratic advocate for defunding the police, spent $393,417.67 this election cycle in campaign cash to private security.
Bush spent $89265.67 on private security during the 2022 quarter-two electoral cycle. Fox News reported that Bush’s nearly $90,000.00 spent on campaign security was more than $50,000 more than the second-largest fundraising service expenditure of her campaign.
Nearly two-thirds (23%) of Bush’s second quarter security expenditures went to a security company that regularly posts against gun control laws. The rest went to two people who share an address.
Fox News detailed:
Bush’s security cash was most generously distributed to Peace Security, who received nearly $60,000 from her campaign. The rest of the money was paid to Nathaniel Davis and Courtney Merrits, whose addresses are identical to Bush’s campaign headquarters.
Her security spending for 2022 increased to $393,417.67 due to the $89,265.67 she spent in the quarter.
Bush spent more campaign cash on security than any of her “Squad” members.
Rep. Ilhanomar (D–MN) campaign spent $3,000 on private security. Rep. Ayanna Presley (D–MA) spent $7,000 and Rep. Rashida Talib, (D–MI), reported $1,500. In contrast, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reported no campaign expenditures for private security.
Bush was first to report on Bush’s campaign spending for security in July 2021. She defended her support for defunding police and spending tens or thousands of dollars on private security detail.
They would prefer I die. Would you rather me die? Do you really want to see me die? Do you want me to die? Bush said to CBS, “You know because that could be an alternative.”
While many Democrats have abandoned the slogan “defund the Police” after polling showed that the movement was highly unpopular among voters, Bush remains a strong advocate for the policy.
Bush spoke with Axios and stated that she feels “absolutely” the pressure from her Democrat colleagues to drop the slogan. She also said that she had “had colleagues walk up” to her about it.
