Dems who called for defunding police amid George Floyd protests now pivoting

George Floyd’s death at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the summer of 2020 ignited a wave of protests across the country calling for major overhauls in the U.S. criminal justice system. 

The phrase "defund the police" not only became a rallying cry but served as a litmus test separating moderates from the progressive left. 

The latter wing was adamant that the phrase shouldn’t be regarded as merely rhetorical. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., responding to proposed New York City budget cuts to the police department said they didn’t go far enough. 

"Defunding...