Data Shows Money From Police Groups Flowing to Dems

Amid calls to defund police, Democrats in Congress lead the list of those taking campaign donations from police unions and law enforcement political action committees.

Data posted by the website Open Secrets reveals that four of the top five recipients of police-related funding in the House are Democrats. Those numbers are reflected in the Senate, as well. Open Secrets compiled the information by reviewing donations since 1994 from police unions and law enforcement PACs to current members of the House and Senate.

The two top recipients of campaign donations from police groups in the House are Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J., and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., according to Open Secrets. Pascrell has received $43,160 from police unions and law enforcement PACs since 2004. Hoyer has accepted $35,500 since 2005.

Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., is the third top recipient in the House with $22,400, followed by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., with $21,500 and Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., with $20,000.

Over in the Senate, Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is the largest benefactor of contributions from police unions and law enforcement PACs with $21,250, followed by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., with $15,500. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., was in third with $8,918. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., was next with $8,900 and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, accepted $8,500.

Fox News noted that many congressional Democrats have carefully avoided endorsing the call to “defund police.” It noted many of those calls are coming from Democrats in local governments and activists within the party.

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