Houstonians saw a sad story unfold Sunday as local news reported the murder of a member of the Houston Police Department (HPD). Sgt. Christopher Brewster was killed in cold blood by a 25-year-old man with a long criminal record. Brewster was responding to a call from a woman claiming her boyfriend was attacking her and he had two firearms.

Brewster didn’t find either of the two at the address the woman gave to police when she made the call, though. They were on the street a couple of blocks away. Brewster left his vehicle and chased the man who then turned around and shot Brewster before the sergeant even had a chance to draw his gun. Brewster was wearing a vest but the bullets landed above the vest’s protection. The killer said he knew Brewster was a policeman but he didn’t want to go to jail. So, he shot and killed him. HPD Chief Acevedo says a bullet may have penetrated the vest, too.

This is the message that was sent to all HPD officers tonight by Chief Art Acevedo. Commenting further would not be appropriate at this time. pic.twitter.com/QRQ2Dh49Vf

— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) December 10, 2019

Unfortunately for the city and its residents, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo is a political activist, not just the city’s top cop. When a member of HPD is shot or murdered in the line of duty, he is quick to go before a television camera and launch into a gun-grabbing riff. It was only a matter of time before he did the same over Sgt. Brewster’s death. It happened on Monday. Acevedo turned his expression of grief into a political attack against Republicans and the NRA.

Just before the department’s command staff and honor guard escorted the body of Sgt. Brewster from the medical examiner’s office to a local funeral home, Chief Acevedo pointed the finger of blame squarely at Republicans, specifically those in the U.S. Senate. He namechecked Senators Cruz and Cornyn, along with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Acevedo is using McConnell’s legislative success in the Senate against him – the Violence Against Women Act renewal has stalled, though the Senate has successfully confirmed a record amount of judicial nominations this session. Senate Democrats have not stepped up to work with Republicans on pending legislation. The House passed a provision to the bill called the “Boyfriend Loophole.” As the bill stands, only felons and domestic abusers married to or living with their victims are prohibited from buying firearms. Boyfriends not living with the victim aren’t affected.

“Make up your minds,” Acevedo asked of GOP Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. “Whose side are you on? Gun manufacturers? The gun lobby, or the children who are getting gunned down in this country every single day?”

“I don’t want to see their little smug faces about how much they care about law enforcement when I’m burying a sergeant because they don’t want to piss off the NRA,” said Acevedo.

“You start caring about cops, children and women and everyday gun violence. And that will be the last thing I say this week because the rest of this week is going to be about Christopher Brewster and his sacrifice,” he added.

Got it? Acevedo sounds like every other gun-grabbing leftist in politics. He blames an organization for pulling the trigger of weapons against cops. He accuses Republican senators of not “caring” about cops, children, and women. Hyperbole is what he does best in these circumstances. Both Cruz and Cornyn issued responses through their offices.

Sen. John Cornyn’s office blamed Democrats for walking away from negotiations on the bill and told us Cornyn has worked to enhance the act. His statement did not mention the loophole at issue.

Sen. Ted Cruz’s office similarly did not weigh in on the loophole, but told us, “For many years, Senator Cruz has worked in law enforcement, helping lead the fight to ensure that violent criminals-and especially sexual predators who target women and children-face the very strictest punishment. Senator Cruz is currently reviewing Violence Against Women Act legislation in the Senate.”

HPD chief Acevedo calls out McConnell, Cornyn, Cruz by name, urging them to pass Violence Against Women act.

"And who killed our Sgt? A boyfriend abusing his girlfriend. So you're either here for women and children [daughters, sisters] and our aunts, or you're here for the NRA." pic.twitter.com/L6UDbZZvku

— Mark Mulligan (@mrkmully) December 9, 2019

Acevedo has a history of political activism, usually as he wears his uniform. When Brewster’s death was announced Sunday night, Acevedo addressed the “cowardice” of lawmakers who didn’t want to “piss off” the NRA. He was rather restrained, though, as was Mayor Sylvester Turner, the Democrat Mayor of Houston. They made an effort to say that moment wasn’t about politics, it was about the slain cop. I knew that wouldn’t last long, though. In 2018, for example, both Turner and Acevedo marched in a “March for Our Lives” protest in Houston sponsored by Mike Bloomberg’s gun-grabbing organization, Every Town for Gun Safety. (The photo above shows them leading the march.) Turner spoke in favor of closing the loophole, as Democrats call it, just last week.

Chief Acevedo supports sanctuary cities as far as law enforcement goes. In 2017 he spoke against the Texas Senate’s bill to outlaw sanctuary cities in the state. Also in 2017 during the state’s legislative session, Acevedo spoke out against the renewal of the argument over the “bathroom bill” – legislation requiring transgendered people to use the bathroom that lines up with their birth certificate. In 2018 Acevedo addressed the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Boston with a laundry list of opinions. This is what he does. He turns his position into a political one.

Joe Gamaldi, president of the Houston Police Officers Union called out the timing of Acevedo’s remarks and demanded an apology to the entire department. In a private message to local union members, he said, “The fact that Chief Acevedo chose that moment to make a political statement on guns is nothing short of offensive and inappropriate.” It is reported that Gamaldi confirmed that but isn’t publicly commenting on it.

When tweets began appearing Monday about Acevedo’s blame aimed at Republicans in the Senate, the usual liberal suspects re-tweeted tweets or “liked” them. Gen. Michael Hayden (a national security analyst for CNN) retweeted this one:

Houston police chief criticizes McConnell and Senate Republicans over guns: 'Whose side are you on?'https://t.co/tpAPqEaAW5

— Richard McFadyen🇨🇦 (@RTMcFadyen) December 9, 2019

Senator Feinstein attempted to bring the House’s amended bill up for a vote in November. She was unsuccessful. Senator Joni Ernst – a victim of domestic abuse herself – is introducing her own version of the bill. She argues that the House bill will not pass in the Senate.