Rep. Cori Bush's Mike Brown Bill: A Divisive Commemoration

Rep. Cori Bush has sparked controversy by introducing legislation to commemorate Michael Brown, whose death at the hands of police sparked riots in 2014. The bill has drawn criticism from conservative commentators, who question the narrative surrounding Brown's death.

Rep. Cori Bush, a member of the progressive "Squad" group in the House of Representatives, has ignited a heated debate by introducing legislation to commemorate Michael Brown, whose death at the hands of police sparked riots in 2014. The bill, known as the "Helping Families Heal Act," or the "Mike Brown Bill," has drawn sharp criticism from conservative commentators, who question the narrative surrounding Brown's death.

In a social media post announcing the bill, Bush lamented Brown's death, stating that his life was taken by a Ferguson police officer. She emphasized the bill's aim to support families affected by police violence.

"In Mike's honor and alongside his mother, Lezley McSpadden, I am reintroducing the Helping Families Heal Act, also known as the Mike Brown Bill," Bush wrote. "We must #HelpUsHeal."

The bill has rekindled the controversy surrounding Brown's death. Witnesses at the time claimed he had his hands up when he was shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson, fueling the "Hands up, don't shoot" mantra that marked protests at the time.

However, subsequent investigations, including by the Obama administration's Department of Justice, corroborated Wilson's account that he acted in self-defense when he killed Brown.

Conservative commentators on social media seized on this discrepancy, recalling a different narrative about Brown's death.

"He shoplifted from a bodega and put the employee in a choke hold when he attempted to intervene," wrote Stephen L. Miller, a contributing editor to The Spectator.

"Mike shouldn't have been violent and shouldn't have reached for a police officer's gun while being violent," commented conservative commentator Chris Loesch. "You are grifting off his death which should be used as training on how not to act."

Other commentators echoed these sentiments, accusing Bush of exploiting Brown's death for political gain.

"She knows she's lying," wrote commentator Chad Felix Greene. "She made her political career on this lie. But it doesn't matter, because she can exploit it for her social agenda."

"LIFE HACK: Don't reach for an officer's gun if you want to stay alive. Follow me for more great tips," quipped Chaya Raichik, founder of LibsOfTikTok.

"He died by twice attacking a police officer," asserted Fox Nation host Joey Jones.

"He's a testament to how fighting with a cop is stupid. Robbing a store is stupid. Have Democrats ever protested over the death of someone who wasn't a degenerate?" questioned conservative author Derek Hunter.

Fox News Digital reached out to Congresswoman Bush's office for comment, but did not receive a response.

The controversy highlights the divisive nature of police violence and the complexities surrounding the deaths of unarmed black people. The Mike Brown Bill has reignited questions about the circumstances of Brown's death, and the validity of the narratives that have shaped public perceptions of the incident.