Democrats release bilingual ads on police reform bill

The Democratic House campaign arm released a series of ads in English and Spanish on Friday targeting vulnerable Republicans who voted against the police reform bill passed Thursday.

The ads, commissioned by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), feature a series of images of protests against police violence set to a somber backing track and plain title cards.

“Far too often in America, unarmed and innocent Black and Brown men and women are killed by police,” the opening card reads.

“We have to change the culture of silence and complicity where officers protect their own rather than the public they serve,” the ad continues.

The ad then cuts to video of one of the 10 targeted Republicans, which include Reps. Richard Hudson (N.C.), Don Bacon (Neb.), Steve Chabot (Ohio), Michael Turner (Ohio), Scott Perry (Pa.), Jefferson Van Drew (N.J.), Lee Zeldin (N.Y.), John Katko (N.Y.) and Mike Garcia (Calif.).

“But Congressman Scott Perry just voted against increasing police accountability,” reads the ad targeted at Perry.

In Zeldin and Garcia’s districts, the ads are scheduled to run in English and Spanish.

“Far too often in America, unarmed and innocent Black men and women are killed by police. We need accountability for officers who kill, and we need to change the culture of silence and complicity where officers protect their own rather than the public they serve,” said DCCC spokeswoman Robyn Patterson.

“Once again, Republicans have chosen their party in Washington over everyday Americans and turned their back on the demands for justice and reform by the American people,” added Patterson.

With the ads, Democrats hope to shore up public support for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a police reform measure passed by the House Thursday largely on party lines.

GOP Reps. Will Hurd (Texas), Fred Upton (Mich.), and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) crossed the aisle to vote for the Democratic-led bill.

The measure is not expected to be taken up in the Senate, where Democrats blocked a Republican measure on police reform Wednesday, claiming it did not go far enough.

The DCCC ads will run on YouTube in targeted districts until July 2.