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Dear Accountability Champion,
Across the U.S., amid calls for change over police brutality and racial equality, various interests are vying for influence. As public officials consider this movement’s demands, pressure from police officers and their affiliated groups on possible reform measures is building. Proposals such as ending qualified immunity, increasing training requirements and demilitarizing the police are expected to be strongly opposed by police unions who not only lobby Congress, but fund and endorse candidates around the country.
The fate of these reforms and what form they will take currently lies in the House of Representatives. According to OpenSecrets’ new dataset, six out of the top ten recipients of police union and law enforcement PAC contributions in the House are Democrats, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer who likely is playing a large role in crafting soon to be announced legislation.
In the Senate, Democrats Patrick Leahy and Amy Klobuchar are leading recipients of police union funding, as reported by OpenSecrets and widely picked up by the press. Despite generous backing from law enforcement, both senators have pledged action on reeling in police powers. Meanwhile, the GOP majority in the Senate controls whether legislation comes to a vote and has been relatively quiet on proposals being floated.
How Congress will reconcile promises for change with its history of police backing and torpedoed attempts at reform in the past is uncertain. With your help OpenSecrets will continue breaking news on police lobbying and campaign contributions. These stories — along with a featured series bringing you new data and investigative reports on the intersection of candidate race, gender, identity and funding in U.S. elections — will keep you informed as the 2020 election campaign enters the final stretch.
Thank you for helping us to bring you this reporting and research, and for investing in OpenSecrets data in the public interest.
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With gratitude,
Sheila Krumholz
Executive Director
Center for Responsive Politics
P.S. Get the news first: for those who donate (or have already donated) $100 or more a year, sign-up for Article Alert by emailing us at [email protected].
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