Rep. Jamaal Bowman Says Tribalism In Politics Is Preventing Police Reform

Rep. Jamaal Bowman says Democrats and Republicans are scared to break party lines, particularly when it comes to police reform, and it’s maddening because people are literally dying as a result.

The Congressman from New York joined us Friday on “TMZ Live” and we asked him if any legislation will come out of Tyre Nichols’ death, which is sparking renewed calls to pass reforms written in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

Rep. Bowman, a member of the Congressional Black Congress, says provisions in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would do a lot of good for Americans who have their rights violated by police … but he says the gridlock in Washington is making it impossible.

It’s pretty damning … Rep. Bowman says there’s so much tribalism going on within the Capitol, nothing can get done … and he’s blaming corporations and mega donors for the standstill.

Rep. Bowman says Democrats and Republicans agree on different aspects of police reform behind closed doors … but he says lawmakers are too scared to piss off Congressional leaders and the folks who put them in power, and almost no one has the guts to go against the grain.

An educator before being elected to Congress in 2020, Rep. Bowman says the tribalism in D.C. is especially frustrating for him to watch because he’s not a career politician … and as he puts it, the logjam is happening as “people are freaking dying.”