Rubio's New Video Features Claims About Former Police Chief Val Demings's “Defunding” Stance

Florida Phoenix

June 28, 2022

As the U.S. Senate race continues, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio on Tuesday attacked U.S. Rep. Val Demings for her alleged stance on defunding the police in a new video, a day after Demings released a digital ad slamming Rubio on his support for an abortion ban.

Rubio, a Republican and former Florida House Speaker, is running for his third term in the Senate against Demings, a Democrat and former Orlando police chief. Demings has refuted claims from Republicans about support for defunding the police.

The video states that Rubio “defends the police,” but does not define “defunding.”

Following Black Lives Matter, and the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, the idea of “defunding the police” has been described as a divestment, according to the ACLU. The organization stated in report that “We must cut the astronomical amount of money that our governments spend on law enforcement and give that money to more helpful services like job training, counseling, and violence-prevention programs.”

Rubio’s campaign released the video featuring comments from law enforcement officers and members of the Florida Fraternal Order of Police, which recently endorsed him along with at least 55 sheriffs who are mostly registered as Republican.

Steve Zona, Florida FOP President, said in the video: “In 2020, when Minneapolis had the plan to defund their police department, Val Demings called that ‘thoughtful,’ and that’s very disturbing.”

Nelson Cruz, Orange County Corrections Department, said in the new video: “It’s frustrating that someone who wore a badge would take that position.”

Another member of FOP, Lonnie Miller, said in the video: “We need an individual who will stand and support us at all costs.”

Following the new Rubio campaign video, Demings, a former Orlando police officer, debunked those claims about defunding the police in a written statement Tuesday. “I am the police. This is ridiculous,” Demings said.

As previously reported by the Florida Phoenix, Demings released a television ad earlier in June, saying “In the Senate, I’ll protect Florida from bad ideas like defunding the police — that’s just crazy.”

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