Houston police chief Art Acevedo criticizes Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans over guns: ‘Whose side are you on?’

Acevedo made his remarks to reporters Monday because the Houston Police Division ready to escort the physique of Sgt. Chris Brewster, an officer who died within the line of obligation, to a funeral residence. The 32-year-old was shot and killed whereas responding to a name with a workforce on Saturday.

“I do not wish to hear about how a lot they help legislation enforcement,” Acevedo stated. “I do not wish to hear about how a lot they care about lives and the sanctity of lives but, everyone knows in legislation enforcement that one of many largest causes that the Senate and Mitch McConnell and (Texas Sens.) John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and others usually are not getting right into a room and having a convention committee with the Home and getting the Violence In opposition to Ladies’s Act (handed) is as a result of the NRA does not like the truth that we wish to take firearms out of the palms of boyfriends that abuse their girlfriends. And who killed our sergeant? A boyfriend abusing his girlfriend. So that you’re both right here for girls and kids and our daughters and our sisters and our aunts, otherwise you’re right here for the (Nationwide Rifle Affiliation).”

He continued: “So I do not wish to see their little smug faces speaking about how a lot they care about legislation enforcement after I’m burying a sergeant as a result of they do not wish to piss off the NRA. Make up your minds, whose aspect are you on? Gun producers, the gun foyer, or the kids which are getting gunned down on this nation each single day.”

Reauthorization of the Violence In opposition to Ladies Act, which was enacted in 1994, has stalled in Congress. The invoice offers grants and help to numerous teams that work on points regarding sexual assault and home violence and prevention, amongst different issues.

In April, the Home voted to reauthorize the act after it lapsed earlier this yr. Democrats declined to increase it, eager to go their very own reauthorization for one more 5 years as a substitute.

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California and Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa had labored on a Senate model that aimed to be extra bipartisan, however discussions fell aside. Final month, Ernst launched her personal model of the VAWA that extends the act by 10 years and Feinstein launched a Senate model of the Home invoice.

CNN has reached out McConnell for remark.

A spokesman for Cruz stated the congressman “is at the moment reviewing Violence In opposition to Ladies Act laws within the Senate.”

“For a few years, Senator Cruz has labored in legislation enforcement, serving to lead the struggle to make sure that violent criminals — and particularly sexual predators who goal girls and kids — face the very strictest punishment,” the spokesman additionally stated within the electronic mail to CNN.

Cornyn’s workplace on Monday blamed Democrats for delayed motion on the VAWA.

“The Violence In opposition to Ladies Act continues to be totally funded regardless of what the Chief implied. And he is bought it backwards — Democrats in DC walked away from negotiations and that is when it fell aside,” Cornyn’s workplace stated in an electronic mail. Additionally they pointed to Cornyn’s remarks final month by which he stated Democrats “took the simple method out and easily walked away and launched their very own partisan reauthorization, one which they know has no likelihood of passing.”

“Regardless of the video games being performed right here, my Republican colleagues and I are working to place within the onerous work that it takes to really accomplish one thing and legislate,” he stated on the time.

VAWA packages, although, are technically nonetheless being funded.

Congress has additionally struggled to go gun management laws, even within the aftermath of mass shootings. Democrats have expressed frustration with McConnell for not pushing for gun management laws and have known as for speedy motion.

CNN’s Ashley Killough contributed to this story.

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