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Beto O`Rourke on Crime
Democratic candidate for President; Texas Senator nominee
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More resources to fight hate crime against black trans women
Q: Black trans women are being killed at higher rates than anyone else in the LGBTQ community. What would you do to have safeguards in place?O'ROURKE: I'm going to listen to trans women of color. They will be the guide on this issue. They will direct
our policy. What that means is that we will no longer allow trans women of color to be killed at this alarming rate and to be killed with what is functionally impunity. If local law enforcement won't make it a priority, the local DA will not prosecute,
we are going to involve our Department of Justice to look at these as civil rights violations and a matter of restoring the very fabric of America, equal treatment under the law. I think it's really important, from the highest office in the land, to set
the standard, to speak in the most positive terms, to overturn that transgender troop ban on day one, and to make stopping this epidemic of violence against trans women a top priority for the United States of America.
Source: CNN LGBT Town Hall
, Oct 10, 2019
Felons should be allowed to vote while incarcerated
Beto O`Rourke on Felon Voting: Felons should be allowed to vote while incarcerated.ONE CANDIDATE HAS SIMILAR VIEWS: Bernard Sanders.
Sen. Bernie Sanders has argued for restoring voting rights to felons currently incarcerated.
Former Rep. Beto O`Rourke has indicated support for restoring voting rights for nonviolent offenders.
Five Democratic candidates have adopted a more cautious approach, saying that voting rights should be restored after prison.
Source: Politico "2020Dems on the Issues"
, Jul 17, 2019
Eliminate mandatory minimum sentences
O`Rourke on Mandatory Minimum Sentences Reform: Eliminate them.SEVEN CANDIDATES HAVE SIMILAR VIEWS: Joseph Biden, Jr.; Cory Booker; Peter Buttigieg; John Delaney; Tulsi Gabbard; Bernard Sanders; Elizabeth Warren.
Booker, Buttigieg, and O`Rourke say
Source: Politico "2020Dems on the Issues"
, Jul 17, 2019
2.3M Americans behind bars is most in the world
In this country, you have 2.3 million of our fellow Americans behind bars. It's the largest prison population on the face of the planet.
Many are there for nonviolent drug crimes, including possession of marijuana, at a time that more than half the states have legalized it or decriminalized it.
Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami)
, Jun 26, 2019
1995 burglary arrest: charges dropped by U. Texas
According to a heavily redacted narrative of O'Rourke's May 1995 burglary arrest by the University of Texas at El Paso Police Department, O'Rourke and two associates allegedly broke into the yard of the facilities management building at the school,
triggering an alarm. One of the officers who responded to the scene said he saw "three subjects in the middle of the compound running in three different directions."
"I immediately yelled at them to freeze and also gave foot pursuit," the report says. "I observed two subjects run toward the main doors of the control center and lost sight of them when another subject was seen running behind parked vehicles
westbound toward the green-house." The charges against all three were later dropped.
The El Paso district attorney then and now, Jaime Esparza, says he has no recollection of the burglary case and his office could not locate any files on it.
Source: Texas Tribune on 2020 presidential hopefuls
, Apr 24, 2019
Expand death penalty if police officers are attacked
But as recently as May 2017, O'Rourke broke with the majority of his Democratic House colleagues to vote for a bill that expanded the federal "list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations" to include the murder or "targeting"
of a law enforcement officer, firefighter or other first responder. In effect, the bill, called The Thin Blue Line Act, proposed making it easier to execute a defendant if they attacked law enforcement.
Source: Huffington Post "Death Penalty" on 2020 Democratic primary
, Mar 20, 2019
Capital punishment is an inequitable, unfair, unjust system
The three-term congressman from El Paso was asked about a recent decision by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign an executive order halting executions for the state's 737 death row inmates. "As president, would you suspend capital punishment at the
federal level?" he was asked. "I would. It's not an equitable, fair, just system right now -- the guarantees and safeguards against wrongful prosecution, the disproportionate number of people of color who comprise our criminal justice system,"
Source: Fox News, "Capital punishment," on 2020 Democratic primary
, Mar 14, 2019
We must cut down on recidivism for non-violent offenders
Finally, we should provide meaningful reentry to help cut down on recidivism for those who committed non-violent crimes. That starts with strong rehabilitation services, counseling and access to preventative health care. It continues by banning the
box on job applications so those formerly incarcerated can work and pay taxes, returning drivers licenses so they can get to that place of employment. and ensuring their constitutional right to participate in civic life by voting is protected.
Source: O'Rourke OpEd in Houston Chronicle: 2020 Democratic primary
, Aug 27, 2018
Rated 92% by the NAPO, indicating a tough-on-crime stance.
O`Rourke scores 92% by the NAPO on crime & police issues
Ratings by the National Association of Police Organizations indicate support or opposition to issues of importance to police and crime. The organization's self-description: "The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) is a coalition of police units and associations from across the United States. NAPO was organized for the purpose of advancing the interests of America's law enforcement officers through legislative advocacy, political action, and education.
"Increasingly, the rights and interests of law enforcement officers have been the subject of legislative, executive, and judicial action in the nation’s capital. NAPO works to influence the course of national affairs where law enforcement interests are concerned. The following list includes examples of NAPO’s accomplishments:
- Enactment of the Fair Sentencing Act
- Enactment of the National AMBER Alert Act
- Enactment of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act
- Enactment of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act
- Enactment of the Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act (Right to Carry Legislation)
VoteMatch scoring for the NAPO ratings is as follows:
- 0%-50%: soft on crime and police issues;
- 50%-75%: mixed record on crime and police issues;
- 75%-100%: tough on crime and police issues.
Source: NAPO ratings on Congress and politicians 2014_NAPO on Dec 31, 2014
Page last updated: Dec 15, 2019