{"id":456955,"date":"2021-04-26T18:06:05","date_gmt":"2021-04-26T22:06:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=456955"},"modified":"2021-04-26T18:06:09","modified_gmt":"2021-04-26T22:06:09","slug":"these-6-members-of-congress-could-help-determine-the-fate-of-qualified-immunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/these-6-members-of-congress-could-help-determine-the-fate-of-qualified-immunity\/","title":{"rendered":"These 6 Members Of Congress Could Help Determine The Fate Of Qualified Immunity"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthese-6-members-of-congress-could-help-determine-the-fate-of-qualified-immunity%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=456955&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-3870.jpeg?w=1200&#038;h=800&#038;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"  style=\"display:none\"><\/div>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/315962\/americans-say-policing-needs-major-changes.aspx\">polling<\/a>, the American people are in agreement: police reform of some kind is needed across the country. What those reforms should be, however, are still up for debate.<\/p>\n<p>While the Left and Right often differ on what sort of reform is necessary, there is one topic which both sides increasingly agree needs reform: qualified immunity, or the <a href=\"https:\/\/ij.org\/issues\/project-on-immunity-and-accountability\/frequently-asked-questions-about-ending-qualified-immunity\/\">idea<\/a>\u00a0that a civil servant, like law enforcement officers, cannot be sued and held personally responsible for actions violating a person\u2019s constitutional rights unless a court ruled those actions were \u201cclearly established\u201d and deemed unconstitutional.<\/p>\n<p>While Democrats want to completely do away with qualified immunity, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) has another proposal: instead of eliminating qualified immunity, plaintiffs could bring lawsuits against specific police departments and law enforcement agencies, not individual officers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is a way to put more of the onus or the burden on the department or on the employer than on the employee. I think that is a logical step forward, and one that as I\u2019ve spoken with Karen Bass over the last several weeks, it\u2019s something that the Democrats are quite receptive to,\u201d Scott told reporters last week, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/police-reform-george-floyd-justice-in-policing-act-momentum\/\">CBS News.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Scott is currently in negotiations with Democrats over the issue of qualified immunity, something Bass said \u201cthere\u2019s a lot of room for discussion\u201d around.<\/p>\n<p>With negotiations on the table, here are six members of Congress who could be vital to the push for qualified immunity reform.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Bass appears to be open to changing what qualified immunity looks like, even if it means keeping it on the table.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s most important to me and to others is that we have to find a way to hold officers accountable to prevent these shootings from occurring,\u201d she explained on MSNBC\u2019s \u201cThe Sunday Show.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI do think that we need to look at training. You know, I don\u2019t know the quality of the training but maybe it\u2019s time to say more emphasis needs to be put on de-escalation,\u201d Bass said. \u201cWe need to look at other ways to address situations. I know that when police officers are trained to shoot they\u2019re trained to shoot to kill, not to wound.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo I think a lot needs to be examined in this time period,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"6.7142857142857\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepKarenBass?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepKarenBass<\/a> discusses the possibility of compromise in the Senate that could help pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/SundayShow?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#SundayShow<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8k1gID3WFs\">pic.twitter.com\/8k1gID3WFs<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart (@TheSundayShow) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheSundayShow\/status\/1386324558580490243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 25, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) seems to favor Scott\u2019s proposal on qualified immunity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI definitely support Sen. Scott\u2019s efforts,\u201d Capito said. \u201cI was on the Justice Act that got caught up in politics in the fall. I think he has redoubled his efforts and is working across the aisle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think the time is now. I think there\u2019s a real \u2013 and it\u2019s probably past due \u2013 a real want to get this done and I think to get it done right,\u201d she explained on CNN\u2019s \u201cState of the Union.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The senator said it\u2019s imperative law enforcement agencies continue recruiting<\/p>\n<p>\u201cQualified immunity is definitely a hot button issue. I think the way that Sen. Scott has formulated some revisions to qualified immunity is on the table right now. I know he\u2019s in active negotiations on this piece,\u201d Capito stated. \u201cI know that\u2019s a big piece of this.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"7.0627802690583\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito says she supports her colleague Sen. Tim Scott&#8217;s efforts on police reform saying that &#8220;the time is now.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CNNSOTU?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#CNNSOTU<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lcud8R2EzA\">pic.twitter.com\/lcud8R2EzA<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CNNPolitics\/status\/1386321920568745984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 25, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-MO)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Congresswoman Cori Bush is not willing to compromise on eliminating qualified immunity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou know, right now, we need to end qualified immunity. Period. That\u2019s my stance,\u201d Bush said on \u201cInside Politics Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to the first-term congresswoman, this is an area she\u2019s not willing to compromise on.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe compromise, we die. We compromise, we die,\u201d she said. \u201cI didn\u2019t come to Congress to compromise on what keeps us alive because it holds police officers specifically accountable because the thing is this: if you don\u2019t hurt people, if you don\u2019t kill people, if you are just and fair in your work, then do you need the qualified immunity anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"6.7358490566038\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We need to end qualified immunity. And I\u2019m not willing to compromise on that. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3vjtn4m1IW\">pic.twitter.com\/3vjtn4m1IW<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Congresswoman Cori Bush (@RepCori) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepCori\/status\/1386446269841756164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 25, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sen. Rick Scott didn\u2019t give a clear indication about which way he\u2019s falling on qualified immunity, meaning he could likely be persuaded one way or another.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think what we ought to do is, let\u2019s find best practices. If you go back to what Tim Scott proposed, let\u2019s have more transparency so we can find out what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not working,\u201d Rick Scott told ABC News\u2019 George Stephanopoulos. \u201cIn his bill we had incentives to stop chokeholds, as an example. I think you start with more transparency.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to the Florida senator, it\u2019s imperative for legislators to meet with law enforcement agencies and hear directly on what could be improved upon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou sit down with law enforcement and say, \u2018Okay, so what can we do better and why are some officers better, some departments better than others,\u2019 rather than saying, \u2018Oh, everybody is doing the wrong thing\u2019 and creating an incentive for people not to do their job,\u201d Scott explained.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"8.9904761904762\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Sen. Rick Scott tells <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GStephanopoulos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@GStephanopoulos<\/a> for police reform negotiations, &#8220;I think what we ought to do is, let&#8217;s find best practices \u2026 let&#8217;s have more transparency so we can find out what&#8217;s working and what&#8217;s not working.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zhHlOdbFOz\">https:\/\/t.co\/zhHlOdbFOz<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GPjrr53lzk\">pic.twitter.com\/GPjrr53lzk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ThisWeekABC\/status\/1386317658883190794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 25, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, however, doesn\u2019t appear to be interested in Scott\u2019s bill, based on what she saw last fall.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe last time I look at Tim\u2019s bill \u2026 it just didn\u2019t go far enough,\u201d Hirono told CNN\u2019s Jake Tapper. \u201cIt didn\u2019t address the kind of abuses and concerns that we\u2019ve all seen. And so, unless the bill matches the realities of the disparaging policing, I don\u2019t know that it\u2019s going to get us very far.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"8.7654320987654\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono discusses the &#8220;George Floyd Justice in Policing Act&#8221; and says GOP Sen. Tim Scott\u2019s compromise bill on police reform doesn\u2019t go far enough. \u201cIt didn\u2019t address the kind of abuses and concerns that we\u2019ve all seen.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0DKWltzr1P\">pic.twitter.com\/0DKWltzr1P<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheLeadCNN\/status\/1384977610493550601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 21, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham agreed with Sen. Tim Scott\u2019s decision to reform qualified immunity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe would have police reform in the last Congress, but Chuck Schumer and Kamala Harris made a conscious effort to block bringing up Tim Scott\u2019s reform bill,\u201d Graham <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/sen-lindsey-graham-says-there-is-no-systemic-racism-in-the-united-states\">said on \u201cFox News Sunday.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cQualified immunity is a very big deal. If you want to destroy policing in America, make sure that every cop can be sued when they leave the house. There\u2019s a way to find qualified immunity reform. Take the cop out of it,\u201d Graham explained. \u201cMy idea, along with Sen. Scott, is you can\u2019t sue the police officer, you sue the department if there\u2019s an allegation of civil rights abuse or constitutional right abuse.\u201d<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Graham: Joe Biden spends a lot of time running the US &#039;down&#039;\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JjsLxwURbtA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<p>There are a few legislators that are open for discussions and debate. Others aren\u2019t interested in reforming qualified immunity. Instead, they\u2019re hellbent on eliminating it in its entirety. Only time will tell how this debate shakes out.<\/p>\n<p><em>Beth Baumann is a Political Reporter and Editor at The Daily Wire. Follow her on Twitter\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/eb454\">@eb454<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author\u2019s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>member<\/i><\/span><\/a><i>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to polling, the American people are in agreement: police reform of some kind is needed across the country. What those reforms should be, however, are still up for debate.While &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2276776,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-3870.jpeg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"These 6 Members Of Congress Could Help Determine The Fate Of Qualified Immunity","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-456955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-3870.jpeg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"These 6 Members Of Congress Could Help Determine The Fate Of Qualified Immunity","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=456955"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456955\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2276776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=456955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=456955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=456955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}