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Demings on Rubio's claims, 'Desperate people do desperate things'

Val Demings gives her stance on hot-button issues
Val Demings gives her stance on hot-button issues 01:16

MIAMI - CBS4 asked Congresswoman Val Demings if she wanted to defund the police in response to Senator Rubio's claims. She said absolutely not. 

She said she spent 27 years with the Orlando Police Department. She also told CBS4 that those claims are simply not true.

"It makes no sense what he is saying but desperate people do desperate things."

"Do I want to defund the police? That's ridiculous. That's crazy. I want to make sure police have the resources they need to better be able to protect the people that they serve. That's what I wanted when I was there at the police department. That's what I want now."

Demings also said her husband was the sheriff when she was elected to Congress and many of her friends still work in law enforcement. 

CBS 4 also asked Demings her stance on abortion. She said there needs to be better healthcare for all and believes in a woman's right to choose.

She says Florida can do both at the same time.

"We need to drive down costs but people also expect us to protect their constitutional rights, like a woman's right to choose."

"I believe that women and girls should have access to an abortion. I don't think it's okay for a child to be raped, I investigated cases of rape and incest as a police officer. I don't think it's okay for them to be victimized again and carry the seed of their rapist," said Demings. 

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