Rep Wesley Hunt says Texas needs ‘more police’ as Dems push against law enforcement
Congressman Wesley Hunt, a Republican from Texas, has voiced strong criticism against the Democratic Party’s anti-police rhetoric and the movement to ‘defund the police’. He believes that the left views criminals as victims, a perspective he thinks contributes to rising crime and makes communities less safe, especially for the most vulnerable individuals. Hunt insists on the necessity of maintaining robust law enforcement, further contrasting this with the left’s tendency to vilify police.
In other news, emails obtained reveal that Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office sought assistance from two prominent left-leaning legal organizations, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Berkeley-based Prison Law Office (PLO), for recruiting candidates to work within the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (ADCRR). This recruiting effort was led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Daniel Barr, who has a history of collaborating with both groups prior to his current role.
Before joining Mayes’ office, Barr worked at Perkins Coie, where he engaged in litigation alongside the ACLU and PLO related to a federal case resulting in a ruling that Arizona’s prison conditions were constitutionally inadequate.
Both organizations advocate for significant changes in incarceration policies. The ACLU aims to cut prison populations nationwide by half through measures like decriminalization, bail reform, and shorter sentences. Similarly, the PLO is dedicated to reducing incarceration while tackling issues about prison conditions, medical care, disability rights, and solitary confinement.
Mayes is scheduled to face Arizona state Sen. Warren Petersen, a Republican, in the forthcoming general election, after winning her previous race by an incredibly narrow margin of just 280 votes—one of the closest in the state’s history.
When questioned about the correspondence with the ACLU and PLO, Mayes’ campaign manager, Delaney Corcoran, emphasized that Mayes has consistently supported funding for police, including task forces targeting cartel activities. She highlighted that under Mayes’ leadership, law enforcement has confiscated over 27 million fentanyl pills.
Mayes has defended Arizona against lawsuits from the ACLU that contested laws permitting state and local police to arrest people entering the country illegally and those restricting filming police officers. In one instance, she resolved disputes with the ACLU over police filming regulations, agreeing to eliminate an unconstitutional law.
Despite presenting herself as a “moderate,” Mayes’ actions, particularly those of her top aide Barr, raise questions due to the progressive organizations they have approached for legal roles.
Barr expressed his intent to bring more ADCRR work back in-house, asking for recommendations for candidates multiple times throughout early 2023. ACLU representatives responded to his requests, while some suggested candidates even had experience suing ADCRR previously, raising eyebrows about their suitability.
Meanwhile, the ACLU has publicized its commitment to reducing police funding and advocating for community services instead. In contrast, Mayes has stood firmly against calls for defunding the police, stating she would never support such measures.
In a climate where law enforcement budgets are frequently questioned, the varied positions on police funding and incarceration policy between Mayes and the groups she’s sought help from highlight an intriguing, if not conflicting, political landscape.
As of now, calls for comment from involved parties including Barr, Fathi, Oddo, and representatives from the ACLU and PLO had not been returned.
