In case you’re unfamiliar with Greg Casar, he’s a first-term Democratic congressman from Texas representing the Austin area. He made waves during the 2020 Summer of Love by leading the calls to defund the Austin Police. In fact, he ran on that platform in 2022, winning the seat handily. He continued to have run-ins with the Austin PD while in office, only last week sending a letter accusing them of racist practices. So it must have been an awkward moment when he contacted the Capitol Hill Police requesting an increased police presence around his home. They agreed to contact the Austin PD to see what could be arranged. Cries of hypocrisy quickly ensued for obvious reasons. (Washington Examiner)
A Texas Democrat who was a strong advocate of defunding the Austin police in 2020 was accused of hypocrisy on Tuesday after he requested a police patrol in his neighborhood from the same department.
Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) requested the police’s assistance through the United States Capitol Police, which forwarded the request to the Austin Police Department, according to Fox News. Casar also sent a letter to the Justice Department last week accusing the Texas police force of racism and discrimination against people with mental health problems.
“It’s come to our attention that Anti police king of the defund movement in Austin, who only last week called APD an agency with racist practices has requested enhanced patrols around his house for the next week,” the Austin Police Retired Officers Association posted on X on Tuesday.
The Austin Police Retired Officers Association was unimpressed with Casar’s demand.
It’s come to our attention that Anti police king of the defund movement in Austin @GregCasar who only last week called APD an agency with racist practices has requested enhanced patrols around his house for the next week. We want everyone in Austin to feel safe. 1/
— Austin Police Retired Officers Association (@APROA01) December 19, 2023
‘Police for me but not for thee‘ seems to be the motto for Casar. He still hasn’t revealed what prompted the request for additional coverage, but the Austin PD said they received the request and are “using the same protocol to review the request as it does for all requests.” That seems highly professional of them.
It might be worth taking the advice of the APROA and hiring some private security as his fellow Squad members have done. After all, Casar proudly took credit for reducing the budget of the Austin PD by more than $100 million. With reduced resources and fewer officers, does he now expect them to pull officers out of other neighborhoods inhabited by people without his privileged, elite status just to make sure he’s okay? How does someone like that even look at themselves in the mirror in the morning?
Casar’s defunding efforts in Austin have backfired just as similar movements around the rest of the nation have. Austin’s crime rates are now 46% higher than the national average and they are feeling the effects of the border crisis just like the rest of Texas. The police already have their hands full and I doubt they would appreciate being diverted just to go look into whatever issue is currently bothering one of their biggest critics. That doesn’t mean they won’t do it if a real threat is determined to exist, of course. They’re professionals after all. But if that happens, it would be nice if Congressman Casar could rethink his position and use his influence to try to refund the police rather than defund them. Perhaps then he might feel a bit safer in his home. The rest of the district would likely appreciate it as well.
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