Fraternal Order of Police National VP: ‘Morale is in the tank’ after Austin rejected plan to hire more police officers
Liberal activists, super PACs, and unions mostly from outside Texas dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into defeating an Austin, Texas ballot measure that would have increased the number of police on the streets as the city continues to be ravaged by the highest number of homicides in history.
The ballot measure, known as Prop A and which would have required Austin to hire at least two police officers per every 1,000 residents and increase officer training, failed on Tuesday night as boatloads of big left cash were given to the progressive Equity PAC.
That money included $500,000 out of a total $1.2 million in Equity PAC’s war chest from liberal mega donor George Soros, through the Open Society group, who has spent millions nationwide to promote district attorneys and ballot measures that are lenient on prosecuting crimes and sentencing minimums.
In addition, Equity PAC’s efforts to prevent the Austin police from hiring more police officers during a severe staffing shortage and crime surge were aided by several other prominent liberal groups.
The liberal advocacy group 1630 Fund, which Politico has described as a “massive dark money network”, poured $100,000 into the push to oppose more police hiring and funding.
Several unions also opposed Prop A including the City of Austin Employees Association who spent $25,000 to oppose Prop A. The Texas American Federation of Teachers contributed $10,000 to opposing Prop A. Education Austin PAC contributed $5,000. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union contributed $25,000.
Additionally, the Austin EMS employees union and the Austin Firefighters Association PAC worked to defeat Prop A.
Prop A’s defeat was also aided by $5,000 from the American Civil Liberties Union and $10,000 from the liberal Movement Voter PAC.
The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies donated $100,000 to defeating Prop A and the Fairness Project, which also has ties to Soros, donated $200,000.
