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Rep. Cori Bush: The new progressive ally and a lightning rod for the right

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Since taking office in January, progressive Democrats have praised Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush for pushing to extend the nationwide eviction moratorium. Meanwhile, Republicans say it’s hypocritical of Bush to support defunding police while paying thousands for private security.

FROM MARCHING ON THE STREETS OF FERGUSON TO SLEEPING ON THE CAPITOL STEPS, REPRESENTATIVE CORI BUSH IS NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY AND JUST ONE NAME YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY. 

SINCE TAKING OFFICE IN 2020, BUSH HAS NOT SHIED AWAY FROM THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT. 

FIRST, INTRODUCING A RESOLUTION, CALLING FOR THE EXPULSION OF LAWMAKERS THAT ATTEMPTED TO OVERTURN THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

NEXT, SHE CALLED FOR THE SECOND IMPEACHMENT OF THEN-PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: 

Bush: “We have a mandate to legislate in defense of Black lives. The first step in that process is to root out white supremacy by starting with impeaching the white supremacist in chief.”

THEN, BUSH SPEARHEADED A SLEEPOUT ON THE CAPITOL STEPS TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE NATIONAL EVICTION MORATORIUM EXPIRING. BUSH SAYS SHE WAS ONCE HOMELESS AND LIVING WITH TWO KIDS IN HER CAR. 

Cori Bush: “Triggering…When you hear the cries of others, when you hear the suffering of others, we are already fighting a battle and losing because there are people who slept out last night.”

BUSH IS A HUGE SUPPORTER OF ”DEFUNDING THE POLICE.’ 

CRITICS LIKE REPRESENTATIVE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE CALL HER “HYPOCRITICAL” AND NIKKI HALEY SAYS “THESE DEMOCRATS ONLY CARE ABOUT THEIR OWN SAFETY, AND NOT YOURS.” 

BUSH IS PAYING THOUSANDS FOR PRIVATE SECURITY AFTER RECEIVING NUMEROUS DEATH THREATS BUT WANTS TO CURB EVERYONE ELSE.

SHE DEFENDED HER POSITION IN THIS INTERVIEW WITH CBS NEWS. 

Cori Bush: “As a nurse, I can’t be a surgeon, too. You don’t want me to be a surgeon and I’m your nurse. At what point do we pay the police to be social workers? Nah, we don’t. How do they get to be social workers? So, what I’m saying is, you do your job. Let the people who have gone to school with a particular skill set do theirs.”

SHE’S COME A LONG WAY FROM HER DAYS AS A PASTOR AND NURSE IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AFTER THE 2014 POLICE KILLING OF MICHAEL BROWN JUNIOR, AN UNARMED BLACK TEEN, BUSH WAS ON THE FRONTLINES FIGHTING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN FERGUSON. 

HER INVOLVEMENT IN THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT PUSHED HER INTO POLITICS. 

IN 2018, BUSH, A PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE, LOST THE FIRST TIME SHE RAN. TWO YEARS LATER, SHE UPSET A 20-YEAR INCUMBENT IN A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

SHE THEN PULLED OFF A LANDSLIDE VICTORY TO BECOME MISSOURI’S FIRST BLACK CONGRESSWOMAN.

BUSH WAS PART OF A WAVE OF PROGRESSIVE FEMALE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR CONGRESS IN 2018. 

THE WOMEN INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVE ALEXANDRIA OCASIO CORTEZ WERE FEATURED IN THE AWARD-WINNING NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY TITLED ‘KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE.’

SO, THAT’S REPRESENTATIVE CORI BUSH, JUST ONE NAME YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY.