WATCH: Cori Bush Defends Hiring Security While Calling to Defund Police, Says Actual Police Have Threatened Her

Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) said on Thursday that she plans to keep having private security while still calling for defunding the police.

During an interview on CBS News’ streaming service, CBSN, co-anchor Vladimir Duthiers asked Bush, “You faced some criticism in recent weeks over your push to defund the police. Campaign records show that you spent roughly $70,000 on private security. Critics say that move is hypocritical. What’s your response to those critics?”

Bush responded, “They would rather I die? You would rather me die. Is that what you’d want me to see? You want to see me die? You know, because that could be the alternative.”

“So either I spend $70,000 on private security over the last few months and I’m here standing now and able to speak. Able to help save 11 million people from being evicted,” she continued, referring to her protest outside the steps of the U.S. Capitol in protest of the CDC not extending its eviction moratorium, causing the agency to issue a new one on Tuesday. “Or I could possibly have a death attempt on my life.”

Bush went on to blame those critics, whom she said “say horrible things about me, who lie to build up their base,” for the death threats she said she has received.

She defended having private security since “her body is worth being on this planet right now.”

“I have private security because they, the white supremacist, racist narrative that they drive into this country. The fact that they don’t care that this black woman that has put her life on the line,” continued Bush. “They can’t match my energy, first of all. This black woman who puts her life on the line, they don’t care that I can be taken outta here. They actually are probably okay with that.”

Bush went on to say, “I’m going to make sure I have security because I know I have had attempts on my life and I have too much work to do there. Too many people that need help right now for me to allow. So if I end up spending 200,000. If I spend 10 more dollars on it, you know what? I get to be here to do the work. So suck it up.”

“And defunding the police has to happen,” she continued. “We need to defund the police and put that money into social safety nets because we’re trying to save lives. What other occupation can do work that’s out of scope and still be propped up to do work that’s out of their scope.”

For example, Bush said, “as a nurse, I can’t be the surgeon too. You don’t want me being your surgeon and I’m the nurse.”

“At what point do we pay police to be social workers? Nah, we don’t. How do they get to be social workers?” she continued. “So, what I’m saying is, you do your job, let the people who have gone to school with a particular skillset do theirs.”

Bush retorted that “defunding the police and being able to have security because those [critics] are causing it? Two totally different things.”

She then said, “If I have actual police officers who have threatened my life, tell me about that. Tell me, tell me that I don’t need security … My security is not against communal violence. My security is not to keep me safe from the people of St. Louis. My security is to keep me safe from those racist attempts made against my life.”

“Now if you want to do something about that, stand up and do something about that,” she continued. “I didn’t see any of those people that have come against me with this negativity. With these lies, with these smears, stand up when they saw the n-word. When they saw me post stuff about me being hung. The threats on my life. Hanging me and burning me. Frying me and my family like bacon. They didn’t say anything about that. And that was just a piece of what I receive all the time.”

Bush challenged her critics to meet her in person.

“But you know what? I take that and I walk with my head up and my shoulders back because I know I’m doing the work for the people. I’m on the right side of history and, if they want, they can come and meet me to my face,” she said. “You come and meet me to … You come and stand on these steps and fight for the people this way. You show up and fight for the people the way that I have. You put your body on the line the way that I put my body on the line. And until you can do that, I suggest you take several seats.”

Bush mentioned that she’s been threatened by police officers.

Duthiers asked, “But even now as a member of Congress, you’ve had police officers threaten your life.”

“They’re still people,” replied Bush. “And you know what the thing is? They can threaten my life and I’m still working for them. I’m still going to work for them. I’m still going to make sure their families are taken care of because I’m no respector of persons. If you have a need, I’m gonna take care of you because that’s my job.”

“I love the people. 100 percent. I don’t care what your occupation is,” she continued. “I don’t care if you like me at all. I’m still gonna do the work to make sure that your family has clean water, clean air, healthcare, place to live, all of that. Because that is who we have to be. Just love humanity.”

Watch above, CBSN.