Trump official criticizes ex-Clinton spokesman over defunding police tweet

Former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell is criticizing a tweet from Hillary Clinton’s former national press secretary that calls for police departments to be defunded across the country.

The tweet was from Brian Fallon, who is also a former spokesman for the Justice Department under former Attorney General Eric Holder. He is now the executive director of Demand Justice, a progressive group that works to get liberal justices appointed to federal courts.

Defund the police

— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) June 4, 2020

Grenell called for Fallon’s tweet to be condemned.

Obama-Biden Justice Department Spokesman calls for defunding the police.

This must be widely condemned by the Biden campaign immediately. https://t.co/u92QBpgKBs

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) June 4, 2020

There have been other calls for police departments to be defunded in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Floyd was killed after a police officer in Minneapolis pinned the unarmed black man to the ground while placing his knee to Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. The officer now faces second-degree murder charges and three other officers who did not intercede were also charged on Tuesday.

Outrage over the incident has exploded across the country with people calling for major changes in police departments given long patterns of killings of African Americans and other minorities.

An online petition has been launched and backed by singer John Legend, soccer star Megan Rapinoe and actresses Natalie Portman and Jane Fonda, among others, to defund police departments across the country.

It’s time for a re-imagining of the role that police play in our communities. https://t.co/UhGIzKvADx

— ACLU (@ACLU) June 4, 2020

On the right, there was heavy criticism of the calls to defund police.

Oh, cool. So now this utter lunacy is a mainstream Democratic position; Fallon was Hillary’s 2016 press secretary. https://t.co/L8uMWqRtTZ

— Sohrab Ahmari (@SohrabAhmari) June 4, 2020

Tweeting “defund the police” is a form of white privilege https://t.co/dFrHNREVuZ

— Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) June 4, 2020

Clinton aid wants to defund the police. It’s a mainstream idea now. https://t.co/6h5dBUCdv6

— Joe Gabriel Simonson (@SaysSimonson) June 4, 2020

Grenell stepped down from his post last month after the Senate confirmed former Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) as his successor.

CORRECTION: Grenell is the former DNI. An earlier story included incorrect information.