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Police unions under fire as left-wing groups push reform – or more drastic measures
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, the political left is blasting police unions as roadblocks to reform who are more interested in protecting and serving their members than the public.
The tension is no more clear than in Minneapolis, ground zero for the recent unrest, where City Council member Steve Fletcher — a leader in calls there to disband the city’s police department — took Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis President Bob Kroll to task over a letter sent to members of his union following Floyd’s death.
“Bob Kroll’s letter yesterday to the Minneapolis Police Federation membership showed us what rank-and-file officers voted for in their leadership, and it is yet another sign that the department is irredeemably beyond reform,” Fletcher said in a recent tweet.
Meanwhile, those on the right have backed police unions’ message. Tom Fitton, the president of the conservative organization Judicial Watch, tweeted in support of the New York Police Department Sergeants Benevolent Association as it gave an update on a police officer who was run over by a car during unrest in the city last week.
The defense of police unions by conservatives like Fitton, and criticism from members of the left, is a stark reversal from how they traditionally treat organized labor. Click here for more on our top story.
Other related developments:
– Fox News Exclusive: Barr confirms ‘focused investigations’ of Antifa, hammers ‘dangerous’ push to defund police
– Trump says he wants to see policing done in a ‘more gentle fashion’
– Court orders the implementation of immediate changes in Minneapolis Police Department
– Biden comes out against defunding police, as movement gains traction
– Georgia state trooper tells protesters in viral video: ‘I only kneel for … God’
Ex-acting Director of National Intelligence Grenell calls politics in 2020 ‘a fight between Washington and the rest of America’
Former Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell told “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Monday that his time in the Trump administration has shown him that the great political struggle is no longer between Republicans and Democrats, but between the District of Columbia and the rest of the U.S.
In his first TV interview since leaving the administration, Grenell explained a tweet he posted Saturday in response to criticism of President Trump from former Defense Secretary James Mattis.
“The fact of the matter is we have a real problem in Washington, D.C., because it’s a system that it no longer is Republicans and Democrats pushing against each other to create good policy,” he said. “It’s a fight between Washington and the rest of America.”
“What we have [is] a system in Washington where people get jobs if you’re there, if you know someone and you work your way up, and it’s like musical chairs from one agency to another,” Grenell added. “There is no outside thought, there’s no outside perspective.”
Grenell characterized Trump as a great disruptor to an insular system. “He’s breaking their system,” he said. “He doesn’t play by the rules.” Click here for more.
WHO says coronavirus pandemic far from over as world sees largest daily increase
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization’s director, said on Monday that there should be no sense of complacency amid the coronavirus outbreak and supported his claim by pointing out that there were 136,000 new cases on Sunday, the most so far.
“More than six months into the pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal,” he said, according to Reuters.
The report pointed out that most of the cases were from South Asia and the Americas. Health officials in the U.S. fear an increase in cases due to the recent unrest over the death of George Floyd in police custody. Click here for more.
Other related developments:
– Asymptomatic spread ‘appears to be rare,’ WHO official says
– Mississippi governor repudiates mask-shamers, supports wearing masks in public
– ‘Grim Reaper’ lawyer seen at crowded Floyd protests
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TODAY’S MUST-READS
Kobe Bryant’s widow seeks major financial damages in wrongful death suit.
White House claps back after AOC claims Kayleigh McEnany dissed her.
‘Harry Potter’ star responds to J.K. Rowling’s tweets on gender: ‘Transgender women are women.’
Army secretary open to renaming military bases named for Confederate generals.
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#TheFlashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on “This Day in History.”
SOME PARTING WORDS
Tucker Carlson argues that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s humiliation shows that “Black Lives Matter is, in fact, a political party.”
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Fox News First is compiled by Fox News’ Bryan Robinson. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! Stay safe, stay healthy and try to stay positive — the world is crazy right now, but we will get through this together. We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Wednesday morning.
