Biden touts support for law enforcement in fiery speech, glosses over Democrats who wanted to defund police

President Joe Biden traveled to Pennsylvania on Tuesday where he preached a pro-police message and reiterated his call for an “assault weapons” ban in America, despite the many Democrats who called to defund the police, and the Democrat-controlled House’s inability to pass legislation that would enhance funding for state and local police departments.

Speaking in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to a crowd of supporters gathered at Wilkes University, Biden touted his administration’s supposed efforts to support law enforcement officials across the country. 

Discussing the importance of law enforcement in America, Biden declared, “There’s no place in this country, no place, for endangering the lives of law enforcement. No place. None, never, period.”

“I’m opposed to defunding the police, I’m also opposed to defunding the FBI,” he said.

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Biden also took aim at Congressional Republicans and their support for law enforcement officers, claiming they “can’t be a party of law and order” while calling those “that attacked the police on January 6th patriots.”

“Let me say this to my MAGA Republican friends in Congress: Don’t tell me you support law enforcement if you won’t condemn what happened on the 6th. Don’t tell me. Can’t do it. For God’s sake, whose side are you on,” Biden said “You’re either on the side of the mob or the side of police.… You can’t be a party of law and order and call the people that attacked the police on January 6th patriots. You can’t do it. What are we teaching our children?”

Despite the statements he made on Tuesday, Biden’s own party has failed to pass bipartisan, meaningful legislation through the House that would increase funding for law enforcement officials around the country.

Earlier this month, the police funding legislation known as the Invest to Protect Act was delayed for a second time by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., one of the congressman pushing for the measure, told Fox News Digital after the announcement of the delay that he wanted the House to consider law enforcement legislation as soon as possible.

“From the COVID-19 pandemic to the ongoing addiction crisis and spikes in crime and violence, our law enforcement officials and first responders need additional support to meet our communities’ needs and keep people safe,” said Pappas. “They can’t do this alone, and that is why in Congress I’ve led the fight to bring additional funding and support to our first responders and law enforcement.”

In January, Pappas said the bipartisan legislation “will secure funding for small police departments to improve training and standards, recruit and retain officers, acquire body camera data storage, and provide mental health resources for officers.”

In a press release earlier this month, Pelosi noted that more negotiations were needed in order to come to an agreement on the police funding bill before it could be voted on.

Prior to taking office, Biden suggested on the campaign trail that he would be “absolutely” okay with efforts to redirect some police funding, a suggestion he later walked back as he targeted Republicans and claimed in July 2021 they were “lying” about efforts promoted by members of the Democratic Party to “defund the police.”

At that time, Biden claimed he had “never said defund the police” and argued that “we need more policemen, not fewer policemen” despite his previous support for reallocating funds.

Kamal Harris in June 2020, she was tapped as Biden’s running mate, applauded Los Angeles’ move to strip $150 million in funding from the LA police department, though she never fully endorsed the defund the police movement.

Several progressive members of Congress, including “Squad” Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., have called for the dismantling or defunding of police departments.

Omar called for the Minneapolis Police Department to be dismantled because it is “rotten to the root.”

Fox News’ Aubrie Spady contributed to this article.