‘Utter Disgrace’: Rand Paul Slams Lawmakers for Putting Spending Ahead of Laken Riley’s Death

Thursday, during an appearance on Fox News Channel, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) criticized some of his Capitol Hill colleagues for not considering legislation that could prevent the circumstances surrounding University of Georgia student Laken Riley’s tragic death.

Partial transcript as follows:

MACCALLUM: It is just absolutely tragic. Now, is the Senate going to pass this Laken Riley bill, so that we can get back to if you break the law, you will be removed immediately?

PAUL: You would think so. I think it will get unanimous Republican support. But we’re one short — one vote short. I think the Democrats will be either unanimous or nearly unanimously against this. They have voted in the past that they don’t care.

We talked about deporting people or keeping people in jail. And there has been no concern on the other side about, you know, trying to tackle people with criminal records or people who have actively engaged in crime.

MACCALLUM: That’s hard — but it’s hard to believe Senator, given the environment in the country right now. And looking at the polls that there aren’t at least a few Democrat senators who look at their own election prospects and say, yes, you bet I’m on board.

PAUL: They care more about spending money we don’t have. It’s really important to them, keep the trains running on time and to keep all the money being spent. Even though we’re going to borrow $1.5 trillion on this spending bill. That’s what our spending is going to add up to. They are more concerned with shoveling the money out the door than they are with the death of this young woman, and trying to prevent this from happening to other people.

MACCALLUM: All right.

PAUL: That is a disgrace. It is utter disgrace.

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