Kim’s Woke Views Drive His Silence in Supporting Police vs. Criminals

For Immediate Release
Contact: Theresa Velardi
(732) 682-8923

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Burlington County business owner and congressional challenger Bob Healey today issued the following statement:

“Over the last two years, Congressman Kim’s been conspicuously silent while his Progressive Caucus colleagues have trashed the police suggesting it is law enforcement and not criminals that are the real threat to public safety.

While Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleagues have sought to discredit the work of the women and men in blue, our representative’s voice has been muted by his own choosing.

Andy finds time to tweet about everything from bird watching to celebrating ‘National Oyster Day.’ The Congressman and his taxpayer funded staff of 20, however, do not seem in any way concerned about the difficult job undertaken by police officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect us. 

One explanation for Andy’s silence is that he lacks the courage to challenge the crazy and life-threatening proposals made by his colleagues. But it’s been over two years now and we have seen the impact of ‘defund the police’ on crime.

I’ve compiled a list of examples found attached to this statement. As these instances document, on ten separate occasions Andy’s fellow Progressive Caucus colleagues have made outrageous statements about law enforcement. Not once did Andy stand up and speak out. But it’s more than a lack of courage that explains Andy’s behavior: Andy Kim agrees with Reps. Bush, Ocasio-Cortez, Omar and Jayapal on defunding the police and feels very comfortable around with his woke pals.

Why would anyone continue his or her membership in a group whose members’ views are so abhorrent to most citizens? The answer, quite frankly, is that on the subject of crime, Andy Kim is more concerned about the rights of criminals than the needs of local police to ensure public safety.

The sad truth is these crazy, discredited comments about ‘defunding the police’ have caused irreparable harm making our police targets for simply doing their jobs. A true friend of law enforcement would have had the courage to stand up and defend the individuals who every day are out there in the streets protecting us. Not Andy Kim.

Congressman Kim’s been AWOL in this important debate, doing what Washington politicians do best: acting one way in Congress and then when he’s back in the district presenting himself quite differently.

Come November 8th, Third District voters won’t be fooled by Andy Kim’s recent claim he’s a supporter of our police.”

See below for listing of Progressive Caucus Members’ Comments Attacking Police.

Andy Kim Silent When Police Attacked by His Progressive Caucus Colleagues – 10 Examples

In May, 2021, Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleague Cori Bush was quoted on the House floor… and Andy Kim stayed silent:

“Rep. Cori Bush praised the Black Lives Matter activist who tweeted the BLM chant “pigs in a blanket fry ’em like bacon.” 

Source: “Democrat Cori Bush praises BLM activist who wished ‘death’ on police officers: ‘Fry ’em like bacon’” Fox News, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cori-bush-praises-blm-activist-who-wished-death-on-police-officers-fry-em-like-bacon, 05/14/21.

In 2022, Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, published on her website this statement … and Andy Kim stayed silent: 

“The criminal justice system in the U.S. is broken, fraught with institutional racism, over-policing, and lack of accountability.

Source: Official website Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Criminal Justice page, https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/legislation/criminal-justice-reform.

In 2020, Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Was Asked About Defunding the Police… and Andy Kim stayed silent:

“What does an America with defunded police look like to you?” Ocasio-Cortez responded, “It looks like a suburb.”

Source: Official website Rep. Alexandria Ocasio -Cortez, “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Was Asked About Defunding the Police and Her Answer Went Viral”, https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/media/in-the-news/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-was-asked-about-defunding-police-and-her-answer-went, 6/12/20.

In August 2021, Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleague Cori Bush explained her position on “defund the police” with CBS News …and Andy Kim stayed silent:

“I have private security because they, the white supremacist racist narrative that they drive into this country” …“So if I end up spending $200,000, if I spend 10, 10, 10 more dollars on it, you know what….So suck it up and defunding the police has to happen. We need to defund the police ….” 

Source: “Cori Bush explains her position on “defund the police” while paying for private security. Her full response”, CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cori-bush-defund-the-police-private-security-response/ August 6, 2021.

Again, in 2020, Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Was Asked About Defunding the Police… and Andy Kim stayed silent:

“Ocasio-Cortez has long voiced calls to defund the police…..  New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a $1 million budget cut to the NYPD, but Ocasio-Cortez decried the move as not going far enough. “These proposed ‘cuts’ to the NYPD budget are a disingenuous illusion… This is not a victory. The fight to defund policing continues.”

Source: “New Yorkers question AOC’s calls to defund the police amid rising crime”, WashingtonExaminer, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/crime/new-yorkers-question-defund-police-aoc-rising-crime June 2020.

In June 2020, Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleague Ilhan Omar defended the idea of dismantling the Minneapolis Police Department and Andy Kim stayed silent:

“…we have a department that is having a crisis of credibility, if we have a department that’s led by a chief who’s suited for racism, if we have a department that hasn’t solved homicide — half of the homicides in Minneapolis police department go unsolved. …. And so you can’t really reform a department that is rotten to the root.”

Source: “Ilhan Omar defends idea of dismantling Minneapolis Police Department”, Axios, https://www.axios.com/2020/06/14/ilhan-omar-minneapolis-police-department

Again in 2020, Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleague Ilhan Omar defended the “defund the police” slogan on Twitter …and Andy Kim stayed silent:

“We lose people in the hands of police. It’s not a slogan but a policy demand. And centering the demand for equitable investments and budgets for communities across the country gets us progress and safety.”

Source: Ilhan Omar’s Congressional Twitter page. https://twitter.com/ilhanmn/status/1333946901868195840?s=46&t=OHxShkPxIwusDYjxrOUehw, 12/1/20.

Again in 2020, Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleague Ilhan Omar explained the motive behind the “defund the police” movement…and Andy Kim stayed silent: 

“The “defund the police” movement, is one of reimagining the current police system to build an entity that does not violate us, while relocating funds to invest in community services. Let’s be clear, the people who now oppose this, have always opposed calls for systemic change.” 

Source: Ilhan Omar’s Congressional Twitter page. https://twitter.com/ilhanmn/status/1270148561536274439?s=46&t=DLxlUjbE_EA0t_JhjRX4FQ

In 2020, Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleague Pramila Jayapal posted a Tweet claiming police terrorize Black people… and Andy Kim stayed silent:

“Police will abuse their power and terrorize Black people until laws change. Words won’t do that—only action will. We know what is needed: an urgent reimagining of law enforcement so we secure accountability and achieve real, transformative justice. Let’s do this for Jacob Blake.”

Source: Pramila Jayapal’s Congressional Twitter Account, https://twitter.com/repjayapal/status/1297924307075641346?s=46&t=lEOE-LjDIDytsVOVodHjfw

In 2020, Andy Kim’s Progressive Caucus colleague Pramila Jayapal spoke to KUOW about defunding the police …and Andy Kim stayed silent: 

“We have to completely reimagine what community safety looks like. That starts with investing significantly in the things that take away racial injustice in our systems, racism in our systems.” Qualified immunity is another way in which there are these barriers set up to protect police officers who do terrible things and should be prosecuted for them.”

Source: “What does Congressmember Jayapal think about defunding the police?”  kuow.org. https://www.kuow.org/stories/jayapal-supports-diverting-police-money-to-other-public-uses