Presidential candidate Chris Christie charged Monday that President Obama doesn’t support law enforcement, which is making it harder for cops around the country to do their jobs and putting them at greater risk of violence.
“We have liberal policies that tie the hands behind the backs of police officers, and then, when incidents happen, accuse them of misconduct first and then do the investigation later,” he said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Monday morning.
“And you’ve got a president of the United States who does not support law enforcement, he simply doesn’t,” he said.
Christie said the recent public spat between Obama and FBI Director James Comey shows that law enforcement officials are recognizing the effects of Obama’s refusal to stand up for cops. Last week, Comey said there’s a “chill wind” blowing through U.S. law enforcement, and suggested this is leading to a surge in crime.
While Obama disputed that assessment Christie said his experience tells him that Comey was correct.
“Police officers have said they’re afraid to get out of their cars,” Christie said. “They’re afraid to get out of their cars because the political leaders in this country are not supporting them.”
Obama is scheduled on Monday to travel to New Jersey and New York to talk about criminal justice reform. But Christie said Obama’s trip is a “disgrace” and is an attempt to “take credit” for a drop in crime and a reduced prison population that Obama had nothing to do with.
“He’s going to come today to New Jersey, in a place where, under my tenure, we have reduced crime 20 percent and reduced the prison population 10 percent,” Christie said. “And he’s going to come to New Jersey today to take credit, because it’s one of the few places in the country where that actually is happening, but he has absolutely nothing to do with it.”
“It’s a disgrace that he’s coming to New Jersey today to take credit for this stuff when he’s been someone who’s undercut it, and by the way on criminal justice reform, has done nothing for seven years,” he added.
When asked whether Christie might be ignoring the examples of violence by police that has led to some of the anti-police sentiment, Christie said cops who break the law must of course be punished. But he said those incidents can’t lead to a breakdown in political support for police.
“Prosecute them, but back up the other ones, and that’s what the president doesn’t do,” he said. “He never talks about that.”
