The White House’s slipshod claim that Republicans are defunding the police

Republicans often claim Biden would cut funding for police departments, a falsehood that has kept us busy churning out Pinocchios since the 2020 campaign. 

Now, White House advisers are trying to turn the tables on the GOP with a new talking point, claiming it’s actually Republicans who are working to defund the police.

Richmond, a former Democratic congressman who leads the White House Office of Public Engagement, said on Fox News that Republican lawmakers opposed a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, which included $350 billion in state and local aid. Many local governments are tapping those emergency funds to patch budget holes, hire officers and avoid police layoffs.