Exclusive — Adam Laxalt: Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto Enabled Left to ‘Demonize’ Law Enforcement

Adam-Laxalt-Catherine-Cortez-Masto-AP
AP Photo/John Locher
Sean Moran

Nevada Senate Republican candidate Adam Laxalt told Breitbart News exclusively that Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) enabled the left’s efforts to “demonize” law enforcement, backed taxpayer funding for criminals, and is now backing law enforcement because she is up for reelection.

“Nevada law enforcement deserves an advocate in the U.S. Senate who will consistently support them every single day, not just when an election year comes around,” Laxalt, a former Nevada attorney general, told Breitbart News. “Catherine Cortez Masto has enabled the left’s efforts to demonize police officers and supported taxpayer-funded assistance for criminals, even after a Las Vegas police officer was shot during the 2020 riots. Now she’s reversing herself because it’s a re-election year. When I am elected, I will be a consistent ally for law enforcement.”

Laxalt, who hopes to unseat Masto in the 2022 midterm elections, recently called out Cortez Masto for voting to advance Federal Communications Commission (FCC) nominee Gigi Sohn.

He said that by supporting the advancement of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) nominee Gigi Sohn, she “does not stand up for our law enforcement.”

“That’s why she is lined up to vote for Gigi Sohn, a far-left radical nominee for the FCC commission, that the Fraternal Order of Police opposes for her history of anti-police sentiment,” Laxalt said.

Laxalt also cited a Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) analysis stating that the police organization has “voiced numerous objections” to Sohn’s nomination.

The FOP wrote:

Lastly, we believe that a vote to favorably report Ms. Sohn to the Senate Floor tomorrow is a vote against the hard-working men and women of law enforcement that are simply trying to do their job and protect the public. Is this the type of nominee that your constituents want representing them on the Federal Communications Commission? The Fraternal Order of Police continues to oppose this nomination and we thank you for your consideration before the vote.

The FOP noted that in August 2020 Sohn retweeted a user who wrote, “While We’re Still Talking About the @Nba: A Reminder That Billionaire @Tomgores, Owner Of The @Detroitpistons, Robs Black and Brown Families to Fund Police.”

Sohn retweeted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who wrote in November in 2020, “When It Comes To “Defund” & “Socialism” Attacks, People Need to Realize These are Racial Resentment Attacks. You’re Not Gonna Make That Go Away. You Can Make it Less Effective.” 

Sohn retweeted a user who described federal law enforcement protecting federal property in Portland, Oregon, in July 2020 as “armed goons in riot gear with tear gas.”

The FCC nominee also liked a tweet calling to end “qualified immunity,” which would remove the legal protection for officers in the line of duty.

Laxalt also said that Cortez Masto ran ads claiming to support law enforcement; however, the Nevada Republican said she has backed “anti-police protesters” during the BLM riots:

Here is one ad in which Cortez Masto said she supports law enforcement:

Cortez Masto said in a July 2020 interview that she supports the Black Lives Matter mvoement.

“I absolutely support the need for change in this country, including in Nevada, around racism that we see everyday,” Cortez Masto said. “From the horrific suffocation of George Floyd, what we saw with Amaud Arberry and Breonna Taylor and countless other Black Americans, it’s unacceptable.”

Black Lives Matter has called to defund law enforcement across the country since at least May 2020.

“We call for a national defunding of police. We demand investment in our communities and the resources to ensure Black people not only survive, but thrive. If you’re with us, add your name to the petition right now and help us spread the word,” Black Lives Matter wrote at the time.

Athough she said there were no discussion of defunding law enforcement, she said the Senate can compromise on “constructive meaningful change” to reform law enforcement.

Cortez Masto has apparently supported the Black Lives Matter movement since 2016:

Cortez Masto voted against the advancement of Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-SC) JUSTICE Act, which was meant to serve as compromise legislation to address concerns around policing. The Nevada Democrat believed the legislation did not do enough to address alleged “systemic racism.”

“I’m looking at it right now. I haven’t had a chance. It just came out today, so I’m reviewing it. But I do have concerns. What I’m hearing from others is that it doesn’t go far enough to really address the reform that is demanded to address the systemic racism we see and the societal change that we need to address,” she said in June 2020.

In February 2021, Cortez Masto voted against an amendment to the budget resolution to ensure that prisoners do not receive stimulus checks. On the same day, she voted against an amendment that would prevent the Small Business Administration from providing taxpayer funding assistance to any individual convicted in riot-related misdemeanors or felonies.

In March 2021, Cortez Masto voted against recommitting a bill with instructions to prevent the Small Business Administration from providing taxpayer assistance to individuals convicted of riot-related felonies. She also voted against an amendment to the American Rescue Plan to ban prisoners, probationers, and parolees from receiving stimulus checks. Cortez Masto then voted against an amendment to make business owners convicted of riot-related felonies ineligible to receive Paycheck Protection Program assistance.

Cortez Masto also voted for Joe Biden nominees that have called to defund the police.

Cortez Masto voted to confirm Vanita Gupta to serve as the associate attorney general.

Gupta said in June 2020:

It is critically important that police departments across the country implement policies and practices that are fair, equitable, procedurally just, and increase transparency and accountability — values that build community trust, improve confidence, and ultimately heal wounds. At the same time, state and local leaders must engage and work with communities to develop solutions to the social and public health problems that for so long have fallen to police to answer. While front-end systems changes are important, it is also critical for state and local leaders to heed calls from Black Lives Matter and Movement for Black Lives activists to decrease police budgets and the scope, role, and responsibility of police in our lives. While many of these changes must be centered at the state and local levels, success will require the leadership, support, and commitment of the federal government, including Congress.

Gupta testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee in June 2020 that it was “critical” to “heed calls” to decrease police budgets and the role law enforcement plays in society.

Disclosure: Breitbart News is represented by Cooper & Kirk, PLLC. Adam Laxalt is a partner at Cooper & Kirk. He is not actively engaged or working on any matters for Breitbart News.

Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.

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