Michigan Republican Joins House Democrats In Passing Sweeping Police Reform
(PATCH) — The U.S. House passed a sweeping police reform package Thursday night in response to massive civil unrest over police brutality.
The package cleared the chamber largely along partisan lines, with 236 lawmakers (mostly Democrats) voting for it and 181 lawmakers — 180 Republicans and U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (L-Cascade Twp.) —voting against it. Three Republicans sided with Democrats in backing the bill — U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) and Will Hurd (R-Texas).
"Today marks the one-month anniversary of George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis. Since then, the resulting protests have demanded not to just dismiss racism but dismantle it," Upton said. "… This evening the U.S. House took action and voted to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill is by no means perfect. The process has been far from perfect. But we can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."
But Upton stressed that he did not support the "qualified immunity" doctrine that shields law enforcement officials from lawsuits, which makes it easier to prosecute police misconduct in the courts. The Republican argued it would make it harder to recruit good police officers. He also said that "calls to 'defund the police' are absolutely the wrong answer."
Michigan's delegation was split 7-7, thanks to Upton joining Dems and Amash voting with the GOP.
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