‘Moderate’ Dem's unearthed ‘deconstruct’ law enforcement comments draw fire from GOP critics
FIRST ON FOX: Vulnerable border Democrat Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., is being slammed for "hypocrisy" on his pro-law enforcement stance after a Black Lives Matter post and interview calling to "deconstruct" and "defund" the police resurfaced.
Vasquez, who is widely reported as a "moderate Democrat" and is a self-described "bipartisan player," also recently voted against a House resolution expressing support for law enforcement officers and condemning defund the police efforts and sanctuary policies.
With Republicans currently holding a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives, every congressional seat considered competitive is critical to both parties in this midterm election. Vasquez’s New Mexico swing district in particular is considered highly vulnerable and is a top target for the GOP this cycle.
This week, Vasquez published an opinion piece in the Las Cruces Sun News in which he argued police officers "deserve thanks, support and funding." In the piece, Vasquez pointed to the funding streams he helped secure for local law enforcement and wrote that "no amount of public recognition can ever fully express the gratitude they deserve."
However, a National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman said, "Defund the police Gabe Vasquez’s shameless hypocrisy isn’t fooling anyone."
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On June 1, 2020, exactly a week after the death of George Floyd and in the midst of widespread anti-police riots, Vasquez, a Las Cruces city council member at the time, posted on social media, "Black lives matter. Until we deconstruct and rebuild the systems of oppression that keep black people in perpetual harm, justice will not be served."
He added, "that includes law enforcement, the economy, and the disgusting wealth inequality that keeps white rich men in power."
Further, a 2022 article published by The Washington Free Beacon resurfaced a local news interview with a masked man resembling Vasquez but named "James Hall" at a 2020 George Floyd protest.
In the interview, the man says, "We need serious police reform in this country," and "it's not just about defunding police, it's about defunding a system that privileges white people over everyone else."
The outlet reported that deleted screenshots of social media posts showed Vasquez present at that same rally.
The Free Beacon wrote that a Vasquez spokesperson confirmed he was the man who made those statements, saying, "the name was attributed to him by the news station when he declined to give his name as he wanted the focus to be on the organizers."
More recently, during National Police Week last week, Vasquez voted against a resolution expressing support for law enforcement officers. The measure praised police officers’ service and sacrifice, condemned "defund the police" rhetoric, criticized sanctuary city policies, and credited Trump-era "law and order" policies with helping reduce violent crime.
Democrats argued the resolution was overly partisan and politicized.
This week, Vasquez published an opinion piece in which he detailed recent visits with local law enforcement leaders and wrote, "I will always stand with our law enforcement officers."
He also touted a $250,000 cutout he secured for the Carlsbad Police Department, as well as a $1.06 million investment for Albuquerque’s Real Time Crime Center and a $500,000 investment for technology and training upgrades at the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.
Vasquez emphasized in his opinion piece that "in addition to our thanks and admiration, they also need and deserve resources, investments, and funding."
A Vasquez campaign spokesperson responded to the new criticisms by telling Fox News Digital, "If you want to know where Vasquez stands on public safety, look at the receipts."
"This year alone, Vasquez singlehandedly brought $1.8 million home for local police departments from Albuquerque to Carlsbad to pay for technology, station upgrades and facilities for more officers to keep themselves and New Mexicans safe," the spokesperson said.
The campaign also pointed to a recent speech Vasquez delivered on the House floor honoring Doña Ana County Deputy Sheriff Antonio Aleman, who was killed in the line of duty in 2025.
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His critics, however, believe his prior statements will come back to haunt him this November.
Richardson told Fox News Digital that "New Mexicans know Vasquez is firmly anti-law enforcement, which is why they’ll elect long-time Albuquerque Police Officer Greg Cunningham to replace him this fall."
A Marine veteran and 20-year New Mexico law enforcement officer, Cunningham is running unopposed in the GOP primary for the seat.
In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, Cunningham asserted that Vasquez "wants New Mexicans to forget who he really is."
"He spent years parroting the same anti-police rhetoric that gutted morale and hollowed out departments across this country. Now, six months out from an election, he writes a love letter to law enforcement and hopes nobody remembers the rest," he said.
"I remember. So do the officers I served alongside for years on the streets of Albuquerque. I know what it's like to work a drug case at three in the morning. I know what these drugs are doing to New Mexico families, because I spent my career going after the people pushing them. And I know the difference between a politician who shows up for a Police Week photo op and a leader who has his officers' backs the other 51 weeks of the year."
He added that "when I get to Washington, the men and women wearing the badge in NM-02 will finally have something they have not had in this seat. One of their own."