Democratic National Committee - McCain Myth Buster: John McCain and Law Enforcement

Today's McCain Myth: John McCain will provide law enforcement officials the tools they need to combat crime

WASHINGTON, July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by the Democratic National Committee:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080519/DNCLOGO )

When John McCain speaks to the National Sheriffs Association inIndiana today he will no doubt try to convince voters that he would give their sheriffs and local law enforcement officers the tools and resources they need to keep our communities safe. But that directly conflicts with Senator McCain's promise to pay for his decision to make the Bush tax cuts he once opposed permanent by vetoing every single spending bill that includes earmarks, the very legislative vehicle Congress often uses to fund critical law enforcement programs. According to a report by the Congressional Research Service, the majority of earmarks for the Department of Justice fund law enforcement programs like the COPS program. Some of these earmarks went to critical law enforcement programs inIndiana, like gang violence prevention inSouth Bend, domestic violence response inIndianapolis, and equipment modernization for the Sheriffs Office inIndianapolis as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Program.

When Senator McCain speaks to the Sheriffs today, it's time for some straight talk on his real priorities for America's future.

LAW ENFORCEMENT EARMARKS IN INDIANA

•$1,500,000.00 In The FY1999 Commerce/State/Justice Appropriations Bill:Indianapolis sheriff's office equipment modernization [COPS - Violent Crime Reduction Program] (Department of Justice) [Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW.org) Pigbooks, FY95-FY07]

•$1,500,000.00 In The FY2001 Commerce/State/Justice Appropriations Bill: Indianapolis Automated Fingerprint Identification System (Crime Identification Technology Act Program) [Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW.org) Pigbooks, FY95-FY07]

•$150,000.00 In The FY2002 Commerce/State/Justice Appropriations Bill: For the Indianapolis Comprehensive Domestic Violence Response Program (Edward Byrne Grants to States - Office of Justice Programs) [Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW.org) Pigbooks, FY95-FY07]

•$100,000.00 In The FY2005 Commerce/State/Justice Appropriations Bill: City of South Bend Youth Gang Violence Prevention Initiative (Discretionary Grants - Juvenile Justice Programs) [Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW.org) Pigbooks, FY95-FY07]

•$25,000.00 In The FY2006 Commerce/State/Justice Appropriations Bill:Miami County, Sheriff's Department for a law enforcement initiative (Discretionary Grants - Juvenile Justice Programs) [Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW.org) Pigbooks, FY95-FY07]

Majority of DOJ Earmarks Fund Law Enforcement Programs. "Typically, the majority of earmarks within the Department of Justice involve State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance, Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), and the juvenile discretionary grants." [CRS Report, 1/26/06]

COPS PROGRAM IN INDIANA:

Indiana Law Enforcement Agencies Have Received Over $120 Million In COPS Funding. As of March of 2006, law enforcement agencies inIndiana had received over $120 million in funding from COPS grants. ["COPS Quick Facts For The State of Indiana," http://www.cops.usdoj.gov , 3/3/2006]

COPS Funding Has Lead To Hiring Of Over 1,500 new Police Officers In Indiana. As of March of 2006, "COPS grants have funded 1,581 additional police officers and sheriffs deputies to engage in community policing activities, including crime prevention, inIndiana." ["COPS Quick Facts For The State of Indiana," http://www.cops.usdoj.gov, 3/3/2006]

COPS Funding Has Aided Nearly 280 Indiana Law Enforcement Agencies. As of March of 2006, "279 local and state law enforcement agencies inIndiana have directly benefited from funding made available through the COPS Office." ["COPS Quick Facts For The State of Indiana," http://www.cops.usdoj.gov , 3/3/2006]

Over $12 Million In COPS Funding Has Gone To Improving Safety In Indiana Schools. Over $12.5 million in COPS funding has gone to adding 103 officers to improve safety inIndiana's primary and secondary schools, as of March 2006. ["COPS Quick Facts For The State of Indiana," http://www.cops.usdoj.gov , 3/3/2006]

Over $20 Million Has Helped To Build Indiana's Crime-Fighting Technology. As of March of 2006, over $20 million had been awarded to helpIndiana's law enforcement agencies acquire "crime-fighting technologies." ["COPS Quick Facts For The State of Indiana," http://www.cops.usdoj.gov , 3/3/2006]

After casting himself as a "Maverick" in 2000, the new John McCain is walking in lockstep with President Bush, pandering to the right wing of the Republican Party, and embracing the ideology he once denounced. On the campaign trail McCain has callously abandoned many of his previously held positions, even contradicted himself, in a blatant attempt to remake himself into a candidate Republicans can accept in 2008. So just who is the real John McCain? The Democratic National Committee will present a daily fact aimed at exposing the man behind the myth.

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.org.

This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

SOURCE Democratic National Committee

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Tags: National, Politics, Republicans and Democrats, district of columbia, indiana

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